Best technical BCD

[m1ck]

Yep. Save your money and save your sanity. Just get a BP&W and move on with your life.

Those tech bc's are designed to appeal to the consumer. They have to add a bunch of padding, pockets and other gack to justify the price.

Hi Iceberg, have I seen you on a dive before ... your pic looks familiar. Anyhow, too late to save my sanity. The bruises on my forehead are starting to show up now. My hasty bidding on a Transpac w.Rec wings US$600 make my plans look like an A320 in the Hudson. Mick

 

[cwkline]

M1ck,
Is there a possibility of just backing out of the bid? $600.00 seems pretty steep to me. I think I put together both of my plates for about the same amount by shopping and catching deals and sales. My OMS Al plate and harness were had on special for $120.00 and the wing was on sale for $149.00. My doubles rig is a Zeagle plate and harness from Scuba Gear Scuba Diving Equipment Discount dive gear and Wetsuits Cheap online. I don't remember the price, but Larry helped me with that and pricing. I bought the doubles wing used on this board. I am not saying to forego Tobins gear, as I hear it is great stuff. He gives some very good advice and you should contact him if you are considering his gear.
Good luck and Safe Dives
Charlie

 

[JDostal]

Get a backplate and wings. Any brand will do really. A backplate and it's associated harness are all basically the same. Dive Rite, Halcyon, OMS, whatever. It's a bent plate with some holes in it and some webbing.

You an get fancy harnesses but they just cost more and are a PITA. Webbing is cheap.

Slap a wing on it and be done with it. Most durable and flexible system you will ever dive.

 

[m1ck]

M1ck,
Is there a possibility of just backing out of the bid? $600.00 seems pretty steep to me. I think I put together both of my plates for about the same amount by shopping and catching deals and sales. My OMS Al plate and harness were had on special for $120.00 and the wing was on sale for $149.00. My doubles rig is a Zeagle plate and harness from Scuba Gear Scuba Diving Equipment Discount dive gear and Wetsuits Cheap online. I don't remember the price, but Larry helped me with that and pricing. I bought the doubles wing used on this board. I am not saying to forego Tobins gear, as I hear it is great stuff. He gives some very good advice and you should contact him if you are considering his gear.
Good luck and Safe Dives
Charlie

Hi Charlie,

The kit is now in transit to Australia.
I put in zero $0 for postage and thought they may have tried to squeeze the shipping dollars out of me. The plan was then to make a big deal of it and then say 'no' to the whole deal. Alas, they promptly debited my Visa card and gave me a UPS shipping number. Yet the UPS Global Home website is not showing me anything for the tracking number DiveRiteExpress gave me (CJ221384363US).

I don't think there will be a problem getting my order. I suspect it's one UPS issue?

I'm down but not beaten - I will soon have a brand new kit and brand new should be much easier to sell than once-used.

I will check out Scuba Toys and do my research all over again.
If a job's worth doing it's worth doing well.

Mick

 

[Straegen]

Yep. Save your money and save your sanity. Just get a BP&W and move on with your life.

Those tech bc's are designed to appeal to the consumer. They have to add a bunch of padding, pockets and other gack to justify the price.

Not that I disagree with the BPW over the BI BCD, but in straight up costs the BI actually wins these days. You can get into a Zeagle Brigade for under $400 with the board discount and can find Zeagle Ranger deals for around $400. With a hog setup, I have seen a couple of BPWs in that price range but most start at over $500. Short term cost wise, it looks like the BI is the better value.

A good example is what I am faced with in my current decision. I am considering the Brigade along with the DSS BPW. The Brigade would cost me around $360 while the DSS will run just north of $525. Is the DSS worth the extra $150 plus that is for someone else to decide, but I can tell you out of the box which is cheaper and it isn't the BPW.

Food for thought.

 

[cool_hardware52]

A good example is what I am faced with in my current decision. I am considering the Brigade along with the DSS BPW. The Brigade would cost me around $360 while the DSS will run just north of $525. Is the DSS worth the extra $150 plus that is for someone else to decide, but I can tell you out of the box which is cheaper and it isn't the BPW.

A complete DSS single rig, with a Large SS plate, Hogarthian Harness and any single wing, and a pair of cambands and wedge blocks is $470.00

This is what I'd recommend, not the Pro-Fit adjustable harness.

Tobin

 

[ligersandtions]

The DSS gear is definitely worth the additional $110....I'd go so far as to say it's definitely worth the additional $150 that you quoted. You will be happy, and you won't have to upgrade in a couple years.

 

[Straegen]

As I mentioned, I didn't want to get into the value aspect just the cost. There seems to be somewhat of a myth on this board that tech BI BCDs are more expensive and in reality if you hunt around for the best deal on both sides it is the tech BI which is less expensive. I personally am leaning towards the DSS for a variety of reasons, but cost savings compared to a tech BCD isn't one of them.

 

[BabyDuck]

but that only holds if you buy both new. used, there are lots of deals on either.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yes, over the years I have bought lots of stuff lightly used at what amounts to a very steep discount including lights, plates, wings, regs, scooters, etc.