Back Inflation...dumping air...help please

[TxHockeyGuy]

I haven't run into this problem, and I have a Zeagle Brigade, but I have seen 2 buddies have this problem. They thought they were vertical and weren't. Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not in anyway saying this is definetely what is happening to you but it is something to consider. Personally when I find I have too much air in my BC I try to go very vertical, drop my right shoulder, and use my pull dump. I'm not saying this is the way it should be done or the best way to do it, it's just what I do and works for me. YMMV.

 

[rjsimp]

I have the same issue with this BC. The older style bladder has the dump valve on the bottom. Well DUH! When you are swimming, air floats and it doesn't make much sense to have a valve on the bottom. Pulling the inflator hose doesn't work either most of the time unless you do a 360..

For whatever reason, this BC has the problem. My other BCs don't have a problem at all. Really sucks when trying to swim and take video, but I would rather do a 360 than do some sort of but wiggle upright manuver that has been suggested here. At least doing a 360 looks a bit more graceful!

In any case, there is a design problem because I don't believe other BCs have this kind of flaw unless someone wants to chime in with another brand BC with the same issue.

 

[herman]

It's pretty easy to get all the air out of them. First you have to raise your left shoulder so it's the highest spot on your body; the air in the BC has to move to the highest spot in the water column. Then hold the inflator hose ABOVE your shoulder and release the air. Lots of divers forget to raise the hose. If it's below the bladder connection the air will not come out unless you have a bunch of air in the BC. You can also use the shoulder dump by pulling the LP hose but I don't care for that method. I know it's made to do it but it seems like unnecessary stress on the BC to me. This worked well with my old Ranger and works fine with my Scout.