BCD Size Question

[goodbytes]

I haven't been on a dive in over a decade. My brother and I used to go with our dad when we were younger and now that we're professionals with a little money and spare time we'd like to go diving again. I took the old regulators and BCDs in for service and picked up what needed to be replaced. I was reminded that BCDs are expensive and I'd like to continue using the Zeagle Rangers we already have at least in the short term. Trouble is they're mediums from when we were younger and now we're considerably larger than we used to be. I'm 6' even 250 lbs, and he's an inch shorter at the same weight. The Rangers are highly adjustable and just fit when fully extended but what I'm wondering is what the lift capacity on these are. With an aluminum 80 and 5mm suit we'd need somewhere around 23lb of lead. Supposedly the Rangers have a lift capacity of 44lbs so we should be good. Is there an immediate necessity to upgrade these units or will a medium be functionally the same as a large even though they could fit a little bit better?

 

[diversteve]

Standard lift on a Ranger is 44lbs. My buddy dives one from about the same time as yours.

even though they could fit a little bit better?

if you're having a problem with fit, most of the component pieces are interchangeable thru your dealer.

The Personal Fit System is a system of interchangeable components that allows your Zeagle dealer to custom fit a buoyancy system to your body and your style of diving. Waist size, chest size, and torso length are fitted independently.

 

[AZNetEng]

What I have found so far (in the last couple of years) is that the BCD sizes vary a bit across the manufacturers. When I started diving I was 310 pounds and I wore an XL jacket style (Aqualung). Im closing in on 260 (on the way to 200) and can now strap on a L jacket style (Aqualung) and a ML hybrid (Aqualung) easily. I tried two other brands (Zeagle and Cressi) and couldnt get an XL to fit well in the Zeagle. The Cressi was a travel model and was still an XL.

In terms of savings Id look to see if you could get strap extensions to give yourself a little extra room. If you can go an dive them and see how they feel at 32 ft. Might be enough compression that they are only a little uncomfortable at the surface.

 

[Bob DBF]

When I was looking for the lift capacity of a jacket I was replacing, I emailed the manufacturer and had an answer by the next day.


Bob

 

[Patoux01]

The volume required in your BCD depends on two things only:
-suit compression at depth
-amount of gas you carry
(-whether or not you want your rig to float without you in it, ie just inflate the thing and throw it in the water, will it sink?)

The amount of weight you carry is irrelevant.


So the only question here is how bad the fit is. If you think it's too bad, get a new bcd or modify this one (remember, BPWs would still have been with you now You'd just have grabbed a longer piece of webbing for 15$)

 

[johnnywulff]

The lift capacity is enough yest go and tryout before buying, you will be ok

 

[goodbytes]

Thanks for your help everybody. I now have a much clearer understanding of lift capacity and its functional relationship to buoyancy at different depths. Good bonus lesson for me to look in to.

I called the local Zeagle dealer and they said the shoulders could be ordered for 80 and the waist could be ordered for 200. Kind of pricey but I'll shop around and see if I can get a deal.

 

[diversteve]

try Zeagle Express or Scubatoys. call Scubatoys they won't list parts on their website.