donnad
Contributor
i was wondering if anyone has any experience/reviews of the new travel bcs that have come out that fold up, and weigh just under 5 pounds? like the Zuma by aqualung i think it is....and i think scubapro came out with the Geo.
anyone tried the new travel bcs?
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I've got a Halcyon aluminum BP and wing setup that weighs about half that much, packs a lot smaller, and doesn't need 4lbs of lead to sink it.
If you're serious about wanting something that's great for travel from a "packing weight/size" standpoint you really need to add an aluminum BP/W setup to your consideration set.
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I have done over 50 dives in the Zuma. Great bc. I took both of my bc's on the trip not sure if I would like the Zuma and my primary bc never got wet. The biggest thing I learned was that less is more. After returning from the trip I was in the water with my other bc and realized just how much it rolls around in the water, the zuma always stuck to my spine so it was a part of me.
Now the light came on and I think I may understand why so many of the others on this board like a bp/wing. If it does not shift and roll during a dive, is as comfortable and compact, and makes me feel like I am diving nekked, then it is time for me to pony up and go to a bp/wing.
If I where to do it again I would look at what RJP has suggested. IMHO I think it would handle the same or better and be a system that can be configured for other types of diving. In other words thank you zuma for converting me to bp.
Now the light came on and I think I may understand why so many of the others on this board like a bp/wing. If it does not shift and roll during a dive, is as comfortable and compact, and makes me feel like I am diving nekked, then it is time for me to pony up and go to a bp/wing.
If I where to do it again I would look at what RJP has suggested. IMHO I think it would handle the same or better and be a system that can be configured for other types of diving. In other words thank you zuma for converting me to bp.
Bull.
The AL plate alone weights around 2 lbs, add the wing, cam bands, deluxe harness, integrated weights, pockets and all the rest....so the BCs are comparably equipped and a BP/wing does not come close to that weight...you may not want or need that stuff but some do so let’s compare apples to apples here. Even a stripped down one weighs in at 4 to 5 lbs, on par with the Zuma. Then there is the cost. After an admittedly quick search, the best deal I saw on bare bones BP/wing was a DR one for just shy of $400, same cost as the Zuma. Add in the extras to bring it up to a comparably equipped BC and the cost jumps a bunch. Add the big “H” to the equation and the price jumps a lot, I was seeing over $800 for a comparable equipped Halcyon BP/wing.
I am not a fan of the Zuma but let’s get the facts straight.
Well, I did forget about the cam bands, but since I don't have a "deluxe" harness, nor do I have pockets, nor do I carry integrated weights with me (who does?) they aren't really germane. Also, I'm not quite certain what "all the rest" comprises, but I'm willing to assume that either I don't carry "all the rest" with me when I travel, or if I do, then I need "all the rest" so how much it weights is immaterial.
Ultimately, all I can tell you is that my aluminum BP and single tank wing and cam bands packs as as small or smaller than any "travel" BCD on the market, and for all practical purposes weighs no more.
I'll stand by my statement that the OP should consider the approach as an option.
Bubbletrubble
Contributor
For warm water diving, I use an AL BP/W setup similar to RJP's. It cost me about $70 (AL BP + simple harness) to retrofit my cold water gear to come up with a lightweight travel-version using an AL BP. I like it for the same reasons that he does. It performs very well in the water and securely holds the tank to my back. It comes apart easily, packs down flat, and still weighs under 5 lbs. One could substitute plastic D-rings, plastic/delrin cambands (or just go with one), plastic belt buckle and eliminate the crotch strap if one desired to minimize travel weight. For an ultralight setup, Oxycheq makes a "soft" BP that several here on SB seem to like. I haven't weighed such an ultralight setup, but I think it would come in at around 3 lbs.
I totally understand where herman is coming from, though. The "typical" AL BP/W warm water rig probably weighs just about the same as the Zuma.
The Zuma presents an interesting choice for a dive traveler who feels more comfortable diving a jacket BC. It weighs 4.4 lbs. and rolls up nicely since it is designed without a hard backplate. It incorporates very flat, proprietary OPV/pull dumps (probably expensive to replace) and has the Surelock weight-integrated pockets which work well. As with most items marketed by Aqualung, it is overpriced. At a retail price of $400, I think the Zuma will lose out to the Zeagle Tech Express, which is a lightweight, rear-inflate travel BC priced at $250. If Aqualung dropped the price of the Zuma to $300, then there might be more competition IMO.
Performance-wise in the water, an experienced diver should be able to make any of the lightweight BCs work. In warm water conditions, the diver is probably not wearing a very thick exposure suit or using an extremely large, negatively buoyant tank, so the amount of air in the bcd will probably be minimal anyway. So long as the BC has approx. 15 lbs. of lift, securely holds the tank to one's back, and is easy to add/dump air from the bladder, "performance" is probably going to be a wash.
For me, the modularity of the BP/W design made it a very attractive BC option. This enabled me to transform my cold water BCD into a lightweight one with minimal additional cost (I use the same 30 lb. wing in both settings). For people who do several different types of diving (cold/temperate water, warm water, cave, technical), the BP/W probably has the most to offer. Just my 2 psi...
I totally understand where herman is coming from, though. The "typical" AL BP/W warm water rig probably weighs just about the same as the Zuma.
The Zuma presents an interesting choice for a dive traveler who feels more comfortable diving a jacket BC. It weighs 4.4 lbs. and rolls up nicely since it is designed without a hard backplate. It incorporates very flat, proprietary OPV/pull dumps (probably expensive to replace) and has the Surelock weight-integrated pockets which work well. As with most items marketed by Aqualung, it is overpriced. At a retail price of $400, I think the Zuma will lose out to the Zeagle Tech Express, which is a lightweight, rear-inflate travel BC priced at $250. If Aqualung dropped the price of the Zuma to $300, then there might be more competition IMO.
Performance-wise in the water, an experienced diver should be able to make any of the lightweight BCs work. In warm water conditions, the diver is probably not wearing a very thick exposure suit or using an extremely large, negatively buoyant tank, so the amount of air in the bcd will probably be minimal anyway. So long as the BC has approx. 15 lbs. of lift, securely holds the tank to one's back, and is easy to add/dump air from the bladder, "performance" is probably going to be a wash.
For me, the modularity of the BP/W design made it a very attractive BC option. This enabled me to transform my cold water BCD into a lightweight one with minimal additional cost (I use the same 30 lb. wing in both settings). For people who do several different types of diving (cold/temperate water, warm water, cave, technical), the BP/W probably has the most to offer. Just my 2 psi...
All the rest includes D-rings, harness buckles and anything else connected to the BC, it all adds up. By integrated weights I meant integrated weight systems- not the weights themselves but I suspect you understood that. If you are comparing the 2 you must include them because the Zuma has them. I don't disagree the BP/wing is fairly light and packs small, nor do I think things like pockets or integrated weights are necessary but the fact remains that when you add those components to the BP/wing to make it a feature for feature comparable bc it is not the lightest or the least expensive. It is certainly a viable option but to make blanket statements like its half the weight or less expensive is not accurate.
I do see I need to add an apology, you never brought up price. That was something I added into the conversation.
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