Advise for a BCD

[Diver0001]

Good day community,
Im just starting on my diving and was looking to complete my basic equipment. I'm looking for any advise on 2 BCD with an integrated weight system which cost around the same money.

SEACSUB Sherpa (link)
Mares Prestige MRS Plus (link)

Can anyone advise me on the advantages or disadvantages and which one would you choose?
Thank you!!

Regarding these two particular options, I have a lot of experience with that particular Mares vest because this is what the shop teaches students in.

Overall, that vest is outstanding. Fits right, dives well, built well and Mares' reputation for quality is good. On the whole it's a pretty bomb proof vest that will serve you well for years.

That said, I'm not a fan of the Mares inflator because filling it orally is a PITA once they start to age and get loose. If it were me I would order that vest but I would retrofit an Aqualung inflator onto it after a couple of years..... seriously. I should say that I'm picky about the inflator because it's the ONE thing about a vest that is going to irritate the bejezus out of you if it's not perfect. My wing is a diverite and I took the inflator off of that too and bought a trashed aqualung vest online to salvage the inflator for it. I would do the same with that Mares vest.

I don't have any experience with the SEACSUB vest so I'll refrain from making value judgments based upon the picture. What I will advise, however, is to get people's opinion about the inflator mechanism.

And while we're on the subject of inflators and choices of vests, it's probably obvious by now that I find the inflator one of the key components to carefully consider.

Examples of vests that I have personally used that had good inflators:
Seaquest (if you can get one second hand)
Aqualung
Apeks
Dive-rite (some models)

Examples of vests I have used with average inflators based on personal experience
Dive-rite (some models)
Mares

Examples of inflators I would not choose because they range from crappy to dangerous
Cressi (most models I've seen make you wonder what they were even thinking)
Halcyon (certain models are prone to rust) -- I believe in this case a recall was issued.
Dive-rite (certain models are prone to rust and/or sticking)

This is obviously not a complete list. I have personally used a limited range of gear in my time so I'm limiting that list to what I know about based upon first hand knowledge. The point here being that when you choose a vest, pay particular attention to this aspect of its functionality/design.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

Never throw gear at a training issue.

Exactly!

R..

 

[Storker]

Examples of inflators I would not choose because they range from crappy to dangerous
Cressi (most models I've seen make you wonder what they were even thinking)
Halcyon (certain models are prone to rust) -- I believe in this case a recall was issued.

My Halcyon inflator, while not the very best that I've tried, has never behaved in a way that has made me consider it to be "crappy" or "dangerous". I guess must've been lucky.

Or it may be that Halcyon changed the design and/or materials after the recall you're mentioning.

 

[joe10540]

The best thing you could do is find somewhere to rent/borrow any equipment you are considering purchasing and dive it a few times 4-6 dives should give you enough time to have an honest opinion about it and weather it works for you or not.

Don’t settle. If something doesn’t feel right figure out why and explore other options even if it’s as simple as an adjustment or as drastic as a total change of equipment. Dive gear is too expensive to buy something you aren’t 100% comfortable in. And remember that in three years your type of diving might be totally different than what you are doing right now so just be comfortable and have fun.

 

[Diver0001]

My Halcyon inflator, while not the very best that I've tried, has never behaved in a way that has made me consider it to be "crappy" or "dangerous". I guess must've been lucky.

Or it may be that Halcyon changed the design and/or materials after the recall you're mentioning.

Once bitten, twice shy, I guess. The recall may have fixed the problem with that particular item, although I'm not sure about that since I haven't used one since. IIRC the recall had to do with a bling-bling inflator that was all stainless steel (or so we were made to believe) but the internals were not stainless. They were, in fact, total crap. From the price you would think the internals were made from gold. God bless the H.

Press the button and it stuck WIDE open because it was rusted to hell on the inside (invisible to the user). Fortunately, quick reflexes and well drilled basic skills (why else would someone become an instructor in this industry?) avoided it becoming more than an expensive irritation.

If they would do that to divers once then I have serious doubts about their commitment to safety. To me the entire brand still stands on my list with a ????. This was not a case of something well designed with an hidden design fault (the source of most recalls), it was a case of something badly designed and either (a) their designers knew about the issues and nobody cared or (b) nobody knew that the design was that bad..... Pick one or the other and the conclusion is the same. They cannot be trusted with safety concerns.

At least, that's the way I read it and the reason it's on the bottom of my list.

R..

 

[ScubaBunga]

my 2cents:

I'll agree with joe10540. If you can work with your lds to maybe go to OW pool sessions or join a group at a local dive site (check out what the other divers have and ask them pros/cons) - even try on and at least walk around the store with it. Check the fit, if you can reach all the rings/snaps/knife location/etc. easily enough - get in and out of it without having to dislocate a shoulder or get tangled in any gear. Try the inflator (maybe with gloves on).

I recently purchased some vest bcd's (what I'm familiar with) for my boys (10/12) - not a lot of choices for kids bcd's without robbing the bank. Both of the deals I found were mares. one with the Airtrim Inflator System - which I was a bit uncomfortable putting my boy into, but he learned and managed it well. Both of these bcd's are very nice - but both are heavy.

I personally have a seaquest vest I got in 1994 and to be honest, other than not having a couple extra D-rings which eventually, when carrying "stuff" become handy, I prefer my old bcd over the mares. My main issue is both the bcd's in your list are over 9lbs dry weight. Once in the water, not too big a deal, but carrying back and forth, washing, traveling, etc. A light BC is nice.

Other than weight, both bcs look like nice vests.

Good luck.