Aqua Lung Package

[Jonny Wishbone]

I say if you like it and its in your price range, get it and go diving. I would not sweat looking for that super duper deal unless you had to. If its a fair deal go get ya some air fills and jump in...

 

[runsongas]

if you are considering starter packages, look for someone else selling their lightly used one. you can save several hundred dollars that way. buying dive gear is like buying a car in a lot of ways, if you pay full msrp, you are overpaying.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I think it’s good value as others have said. My only hesitation and someone else has mentioned this is I prefer wrist mount computers for primary. I don’t mind a console for backup though.

One thing about the octo - I know some people have issues with this particular model free-flowing easily and it’s frustrating but I have no personal experience.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

Just have the octo detuned a bit to reduce/prevent freeflow. I do not care for a wrist computers because hand motions set off the alarm and it thinks you just made a rapid accent.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Just have the octo detuned a bit to reduce/prevent freeflow. I do not care for a wrist computers because hand motions set off the alarm and it thinks you just made a rapid accent.

Thankfully, I have not had a problem with the alarms going off with hand motions. After taking rescue, I realized just how much more convenient it was to have on the wrist instead of the console when doing certain rescue scenarios. (Unresponsive diver at depth was one specific one.)

 

[glennster]

my wife and i both bought zuma bcd's a few years ago. they are a nice light travel bcd. however, with all the flotation in the back, they have a tendency to force you face down in the water while on the surface. its not a real problem until you are in rough water on the surface waiting for a boat pick up. or in the event of an unconscious diver at the surface, its a face down. we were in the keys a couple months ago, and it was pretty choppy. my wife bought an aqua lung pearl which has front flotation while we were there and is retiring the zuma,. i am going shopping this year at our world underwater in search of a different bcd for the same reason. with the integrated weights up front, its the nature of the beast. it is a nice bcd, well built and has given me good service, but try one first before making the plunge.

 

[outofofficebrb]

my wife and i both bought zuma bcd's a few years ago. they are a nice light travel bcd. however, with all the flotation in the back, they have a tendency to force you face down in the water while on the surface. its not a real problem until you are in rough water on the surface waiting for a boat pick up. or in the event of an unconscious diver at the surface, its a face down. we were in the keys a couple months ago, and it was pretty choppy. my wife bought an aqua lung pearl which has front flotation while we were there and is retiring the zuma,. i am going shopping this year at our world underwater in search of a different bcd for the same reason. with the integrated weights up front, its the nature of the beast. it is a nice bcd, well built and has given me good service, but try one first before making the plunge.

I have heard of people saying this about back inflates while on the surface. I have a back inflate and I have never had this problem - I think this tends to happen when it's over-inflated. I can actually sit comfortably on the surface in a lazy-boy-chair position. I know it's very YMMV and everyone's perception and preferences are very different and I appreciate and respect that.

 

[decompression]

That's a great travel package, I've used Mikrons for years as they are great breathers and super light. I prefer the Mikron octo but the LPO is ok.

 

[2airishuman]

I have heard of people saying this about back inflates while on the surface. I have a back inflate and I have never had this problem - I think this tends to happen when it's over-inflated. I can actually sit comfortably on the surface in a lazy-boy-chair position. I know it's very YMMV and everyone's perception and preferences are very different and I appreciate and respect that.

I believe that the tendency for BP/W and back-inflate BCs to push people face forward is a real problem and not "user error." It is situational however which leads some people to believe it doesn't exist. Floaty cylinders, like empty AL80s, contribute considerably to the face-forward tendency as does excessive lead especially if that lead is carried forward on the waist.

With, say, a steel twinset that is at least partially full, the negative buoyancy of the cylinders more than counters the face-forward tendancy of the BC. This is why we have cave divers show up on these threads and preach the idea that you can "kick back" like it's gospel, since that is how they dive.

Do the same thing in the ocean, with an empty AL80, and perhaps slightly too much lead on your belt, and there will be a face-forward twisting moment that is much more difficult to overcome.

 

[uncfnp]

For me it is also a large part of how much air is in the wing at the surface. Little air= little or no forward pressure. More air=more forward tilt. If needed divers can compensate somewhat by floating with legs forward and leaning back a bit. It has never really been an issue for me unless I was diving significantly overweighted and/or sporty seas.