Bcd noob

[greenliger]

OK,

I have been up, down, around, and sideways over the scubaboard. Lots of great info so far. But I'm a NOOB. First let me get some basics down first before people start asking "what kind of diving do you do?" I am new to diving just got my OW. I am looking to get my own gear (have most except BCD). Now as for what type of diving I want to do is well I want to do it all of course. But mostly I figure I want to do some travel to warmer waters and I also want to do some wrecks in the Atlantic. I also would like to get someday get into diving with twin tanks. WAIT I know I have read so much about just get a BP/W. Well I don't think I'm ready for that yet. So here is what I have come up with. For now I thinking about going with a Zeagle Ranger LDT. LOTS of options here. From what I gather I can add onto the Ranger LDT as I need them and also I can swap out the bladder for a smaller one that would make it better for traveling. Now here is where it gets tricky. At some point I figure that I am going to start to dive twins at which time I'm going to try and mod the Ranger to mount them. And at some point if that is diving that I will be doing more and more then look at purchasing a BP/W system.

So the main question of all of this is does this seem like a good plan? Or is there a BCD out there that can do better?


Thanks for your input.

 

[parzdiver]

Not sure where you are and how your local shops are, but I think, especially since you are considering it down the line, to give a couple tries with a backplate. Near me (outside Philly), there are a couple shops that will rent backplates. There is also a shop that will let you try one in the pool for no charge. There are also many people on the board that will let you try theirs at Dutch Springs.

I was in a similar situation when I was looking to buy my first BC. The LDS in which I was shopping, Indian Valley Scuba, listen to what kind of diver I claimed to be and even though I claimed to not be ready for that scary technical gear, they invited me to try a back plate in the pool. After just that little bit of diving in a pool I was completely sold. So glad I went with the backplate.

Now, if you still aren't interested in a backplate, there are a couple systems that let you add a plate later, check the Apeks WTX, the Hollis system and other similar rigs. They make the step to a plate very easy without changing everything.

 

[Dr Wu]

By the time you start fooling around with doubles the money you spend on a BP/W will be meaningless.

Why do you think you will want doubles anyway?

 

[Teamcasa]

... At some point I figure that I am going to start to dive twins ..

If diving a twin set is something you are seriously planing on, just get a BP and wing sized for a single tank now. When you are ready to slap on the twins, all you will have to buy is a new, larger wing and away you go.

OTOH, if twin set diving is a long way off, the Zeagle is a good, interim BC but do not plan on modifying it for diving doubles.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

The Ranger LTD is a lot of money to spend for a starter BC. It is not what you really want now and will definitely not what you will want later. I would suggest something like the Zeagle ExpressTech at ScubaToys around $225 with the Scubaboard discount I don't think you can get a more capable bc for even close to that price. If you do purchase the ET and don't like it the wing will fit on the ranger or any other Zeagle bc for warm water trips. If you bought just a bare wing with the inflator and dumps later for the ranger it would cost close to $225 so why not purchase the ET now and possibly avoid the $700 purchase of a ranger all together? You know I just might have myself sold on one of thees and I already have a single tank rig.

 

[greenliger]

Why doubles? Why not. 1 seems like a good goal for me to get too. 2 either more air or a back up depending on the setup.

Next question is then why not use the Ranger to just get into diving with twins? I'm curious as to why the BP/W is the better setup and not to bother with Ranger. I understand the money aspect of if, but why spend a ton of money on something you may not like? Where as spend a little money try it and if you decide that it is for you then spend the big bucks.


Hmmmm.

 

[fisheater]

You'll save a TON of money if you buy your second set of gear, first.

I strongly recommend that you start off with a BP/W. I have nothing bad to say about Zeagle Rangers. Heck, I own one and dove a lot with it. Until I tried a BP/W. The difference was considerable.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Next question is then why not use the Ranger to just get into diving with twins? I'm curious as to why the BP/W is the better setup and not to bother with Ranger. I understand the money aspect of if, but why spend a ton of money on something you may not like? Where as spend a little money try it and if you decide that it is for you then spend the big bucks.

Been there done that. When I first was certified I read lots and lots about how BP/W was so much better than a regular BC, I started off with a Sherwood avid that sprung a leak after one year and had to be returned to Sherwood( after fighting with them for around a month because they did not want to warranty there defective product the dive shop gave me my money back for the bc). Now starting from scratch I was looking at BP/W again but was to intimidated by the process of building a system fom pieces, so I ended up purchasing a Zeagle brigade from scuba toys. The brigade I found out was not what I wanted either, I had to make several modifications to make it work for the diving I was doing. So I started to get into tech diving and found I had no way to mount a can light to this bc and I needed a larger wing for doubles and had to add a d-ring to the tank straps to so I could carry a stage bottle properly and after all that it was still a poor tech platform. So I purchased a BP a 50 lb wing and harness all much less than I spent on the Brigade. I now have a single tank wing for the plate and realized that it is a much better setup all around. That is why I recommend the ExpressTech it is a complete system that you can purchase for a reasonable price and is still very similar to a BP/W. If you insist on a ranger I would purchase one used on in the classifieds section, there must be a reason there are a bunch of them for sale.

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

OK,

Well I don't think I'm ready for that yet.

Thanks for your input.

There is nothing to be ready for! A BP&W is ideal for everybody. We just had a Seal Team (kids 8 & 9) Class this past weekend and you should have seen the control these kids had in the water and it was directly due to the fact that they were using a BP&W (fit them properly/kept in trim). It's the number one BC in our shop and when you ask the divers why they choose it over another BC they typically say because of "control & freedom".

Not sure where in the NE you are but if you happen to be in the Tri-state area, give me a ring, stop in the shop and I can walk you through it and get you a test dive.

Feel free to contact me anytime.