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nung1009

Registered
Messages
18
Reaction score
3
Location
New York
# of dives
100 - 199
Would love to hear the pros and cons of the shrimp bov and divesoft bov.

-What has your experience been like?
-What do you like or dislike about the bov you are currently using?
-Can it be user serviced? Are parts easy to find?

For the Divesoft, if you have the BOV + ADV version, I'd love to hear about the ADV as well.

-Is is sensitive to trigger the ADV?
-Is it hard to adjust?
-How is the maintenance?
-Easy to check valves, assemble and dissemble?

Thank you in advance!
 
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My wife and I love our divesoft bov’s. When we got our units we had a choice of divesoft or golem gear. We chose the divesoft based on instructor recommendation and that the divesoft is nice and neutral. A big factor for me is that I also boycott golem gear when I can. While Jakub who owns golem is a really nice guy, his customer service is atrocious. I personally have experienced and have had many friends experience placing an order and it take 4+months to get the product. I wouldnt mind if it wasa backorder issue, but generally when these things happen and you email golem you either get the run around or no answer. If you’re lucky and the products in stock you’re all good.

As for the diveosoft bov: its comfortable and light and performs well. The attachments to the loop hoses arent as nice as the shrimp. They take slightly more work to remove the bov, but we’re talking a 2 minute process at worst. I just dropped off my bov at divesoft for service. Its literally 5 minutes from my work and 10 from my house (another reason I went with them). While there the service tech asked if my bov had the adv or not(before I handed it to him while he was writing down my info). His response was “good””. I asked why good and he said the adv’s outside of the bov were better. There were also some leakage issues with the bov with attached mav’s.

I dont have any negatives to the shrimp other than its not neutral like the divesoft. The neutral bov is nice for long dives. For me personally, I really like the divesoft and their customer service is outstanding. Light years ahead of golem’s customer service. I’m also biased because I can just walk in, but everyone I know that deals with divesoft is happy
 
I echo the Jakub is a nice dude with the worst communication I've experienced in retail. You're as likely to file a case with PayPal as you are to receive the product if it is not in stock. The bayonet clamps on the Shrimp are great and allow you to keep a DSV on hand that you can swap out within seconds. Service on the Shrimp is relatively easy and is an Apeks internally. If you do go with the Shrimp, order via the Thortons/SubGravity.
 
I've never used the divesoft, but the design intrigues me. If I were shopping for one now, I'd probably go that route.

I didn't have any order problems with my Shrimp, and it has performed great so far. I have bailed out on it in deeper than 150' and I didn't notice any WOB issues on OC. That wasn't what I was primarily paying attention to at the time, but "not noticable" is what I want in a bail-out situation. I am about to service it, parts kit was available from SubGravity.
 
My wife and I love our divesoft bov’s. When we got our units we had a choice of divesoft or golem gear. We chose the divesoft based on instructor recommendation and that the divesoft is nice and neutral. A big factor for me is that I also boycott golem gear when I can. While Jakub who owns golem is a really nice guy, his customer service is atrocious. I personally have experienced and have had many friends experience placing an order and it take 4+months to get the product. I wouldnt mind if it wasa backorder issue, but generally when these things happen and you email golem you either get the run around or no answer. If you’re lucky and the products in stock you’re all good.

As for the diveosoft bov: its comfortable and light and performs well. The attachments to the loop hoses arent as nice as the shrimp. They take slightly more work to remove the bov, but we’re talking a 2 minute process at worst. I just dropped off my bov at divesoft for service. Its literally 5 minutes from my work and 10 from my house (another reason I went with them). While there the service tech asked if my bov had the adv or not(before I handed it to him while he was writing down my info). His response was “good””. I asked why good and he said the adv’s outside of the bov were better. There were also some leakage issues with the bov with attached mav’s.

I dont have any negatives to the shrimp other than its not neutral like the divesoft. The neutral bov is nice for long dives. For me personally, I really like the divesoft and their customer service is outstanding. Light years ahead of golem’s customer service. I’m also biased because I can just walk in, but everyone I know that deals with divesoft is happy

Thank you, rddvet! If I'm not mistaken, you're using the Fathom right? Hope you're enjoying the unit! :)

Just to be clear, you dont have the bov + adv right?
 
I echo the Jakub is a nice dude with the worst communication I've experienced in retail. You're as likely to file a case with PayPal as you are to receive the product if it is not in stock. The bayonet clamps on the Shrimp are great and allow you to keep a DSV on hand that you can swap out within seconds. Service on the Shrimp is relatively easy and is an Apeks internally. If you do go with the Shrimp, order via the Thortons/SubGravity.

Thank you for the reply! Do you find the bov bulky at all?
 
I've never used the divesoft, but the design intrigues me. If I were shopping for one now, I'd probably go that route.

I didn't have any order problems with my Shrimp, and it has performed great so far. I have bailed out on it in deeper than 150' and I didn't notice any WOB issues on OC. That wasn't what I was primarily paying attention to at the time, but "not noticable" is what I want in a bail-out situation. I am about to service it, parts kit was available from SubGravity.

Thank you for the reply! Would love to hear your experience self servicing the BOV! Is it just changing o-rings and stuff?

The servicing of the BOV and the Second Stage are two different things right?
 
Thank you, rddvet! If I'm not mistaken, you're using the Fathom right? Hope you're enjoying the unit! :)

Just to be clear, you dont have the bov + adv right?

Mine is just a bov. My adv is in the loop elbow going into the counterlung. Yes, I'm on the Fathom and really enjoy it
 
Thank you for the reply! Would love to hear your experience self servicing the BOV! Is it just changing o-rings and stuff?

The servicing of the BOV and the Second Stage are two different things right?

If you can service a second stage you can service the bov. Personally I don't service my regs, so I happily bring our bov's into divesoft for repair. It's $100. I can't complain about that. It's done in 2 days.
 
The servicing of the BOV and the Second Stage are two different things right?

The shrimp is dirt simple to overhaul. I bought mine used and not even being much of a reg person I did it myself in about 40mins (the first time ever). The second stage and the BOV knob - its really just a ball valve - are separate. All you really need is a blunt dental pick to remove the spiders and some allen wrenches. I don't find mine heavy but I also use it was a gag strap.

I am not a fan of all in one type stuff (eg BOV and MAVs combined) when a reg or a hose fails it ends up taking out multiple devices. So even if you go with the divesoft I would split the BOV from the MAVs - but that's just me.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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