About to buy a jacket - advice needed.

[Badger7]

Are there any other brands beside xDeep or TechLine? I mean, probably but since I only read about these 2, I should stay with these 2.

Now.. Single or Dual Bladder? How much Volume? This might be a question where more info about myself is necessary.

Lots, options are good, and there are plenty. Since you're in Germany, maybe take a look at Aqor, pretty much a Halcyon knockoff, made in China, distributed out of Germany, pretty decent quality from what I've seen. Depending on what area of Germany you're in, may be a local dealer nearby.

Halcyon gear is very high quality, with the price tag to match, and has EU dealers.

There are some EU-specific smaller brands like DTD and DirZone which, if I had to guess, are probably made in the same factory in china as alot of the other smaller brands, no experience with either, apologies if I'm wrong.

Apeks gear is very high quality and should be significantly cheaper over there than it is here in the US. A few of my local buddies dive Apeks BP&W, quality is as good as it gets.

Definitely single bladder. Dual bladder is pretty much a specialty product for those who insist on diving heavy steel doubles in a wetsuit. Instead, carry a small SMB with you that you can use for alternate flotation at the surface, should always have one while diving regardless.

 

[Zef]

I found a Hydros Pro used for 370 euro.. looks to good to be true lol

Be careful buying a used Hydros Pro, especially if you cannot thoroughly inspect it in person....there used to be issues with the material the shoulder strap was made from tearing very prematurely....you don't want to purchase something for 370 euros and open a post delivered box to find that you just bought someone else's garbage.

-Z

 

[happy-diver]

Over the years this would have to be about one of the better quality wings I have encountered

£/£/50lbs Schnorcheln Tech Dive Donut Flügel mit Einzylinder Scuba Tauchen BCD Auftrieb Kompensatoren - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

I think I have over thirty something ish wings yeah more

I buy Tecline plates from here, or where ever is cheapest

Tecline - Buy online and sales in Gidive Store

Gidive Store offers you the biggest range of Tecline products. Best prices and offers in scuba diving on internet.

www.gidivestore.com

 

[FreqFlier]

Xdeep Zen Deluxe with weight pockets and trim (?) pockets. Half the price of Scubapro, twice the comfort and flexibility.

 

[boulderjohn]

We both have "just" 25 logged dives so yes, a Wing jacket is early but we dont want to get a regular jacket and then upgrade in a year or so.

Experience has nothing to do with it. You don't have to have any sort of expertise to dive whatever style you want.

One factor for divers that are less comfortable in the water, or less experienced. A jacket style BCD with an air bladder that wraps around to the front is better at floating a diver head-up at the surface. A back inflate or wing tends to float face down, and requires some intentional effort to stay vertical or head-up when that is needed.

My first BCD was a back inflate. I dived with it for years before I heard someone tell me this. I had no idea it was pitching me over onto my face on the surface until someone told me. I had just learned how to position my body so this wouldn't happen, and I floated comfortably on the surface without effort.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Hey fellow divers,

as I slowly get my equipment together, questions arise obviously. We are going to Japan this April and want to bring as much equipment as possible.
The thing is, the web spams me with the Scuba Pro Hydros Pro. And honestly, it looks very cool ( I know the optics are not really a thing to decide over haha )
On the Con side theres obviously the price and Im not super sure about the material since its some sort of rubber, I guess it may become brittle at some point? Also it is not that modular in terms of replacing damaged parts.
I read through mutliple threads. Either people hate or love it.
What we definetly dont want in the next couple of years is technical diving. So we'd be fine with just one tank. The only thing we would do at some point is the AOWD but thats it in regards of depth.

Any feedback if you have a SP Hydros Pro or any other brands I should look into is more than welcome.

I would take a look at the Dive Rite Hydro Lite. There a bunch of dealers on your side of the "pond"

Hydro Lite BCD – Dive Rite | Equipment for Serious Divers

diverite.com

 

[thomschoon]

I use a Hydros Pro and think it is the best BCD I have used in 40 odd years of diving. I use the travel harness instead of the weight pockets as I carry little weight which makes it essentially a BPW. As to the comments about the D rings, just change the ones on the front to a larger size, takes 10 minutes and there are easy instructions on another post.

I have also used a traditional BPW and prefer the Hydros as it is a nice package and works well.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I started open water students in back plate and wings when I was teaching. The face-forward thing is not a gear issue.

It's a skills and education issue. If you start with proper weighting (amount and distribution), a BPW is actually more comfortable on the surface because it doesn't ride up around your ears. It's fitted to you, and simply laying back a little can feel like relaxing on a small raft in the pool. Too many students are taught by instructors who won't take the time to address weighting and trim or are unable to teach it because their own isn't great.
It also doesn't squeeze your sides since the bladder is on the back.

You can also customize it to you. Put the d rings where you want them, add pockets for accessories and additional weight, and if you choose an aluminum plate you can put pockets on the cam bands (one on each up against the plate on either side) and mimic a steel plate's weight. Once you properly adjust the harness, you can dive anything from a rash guard to a drysuit and the only thing you need to adjust is the length of the crotch strap. At one time I had three set up for me. One with a large wing for doubles, one for single tanks, and one with an aluminum plate for travel. All three harnesses were set up identical and adjusted the same.

I have an 11-page essay I wrote years ago on how to set one up and the options you have with it. I send it to anyone at no charge who sends me a DM with your email. It's too big to post here and it has photos.

Being modular you can mix and match a wing from one mfg, a plate from another, and make your harness out of 2-inch webbing and some hardware.