black diamond/chute 3/knighthawk

[Flotsam_old]

Thank you all for your comments. When you say bp and wings, your talking about more of a tech setup rather then a rec setup, am I right? And Groundhog is right, my rash guard is even thinner then a tshirt, I wear it primarly to keep the sun off me while I'm out of the water. I does provide some protection between my bc and my skin, but I'm going to lean toward some padding. Zippy, I don't know how big you are, but to me (6' 225lbs) bigger is better.

 

[Groundhog246]

BP/Wing is regarded by many as "tech". It's true that to dive doubles you pretty much need a bp/w and to get deep you pretty much need doubles (plus stage bottles). However, just because tech divers use em, doesn't mean Rec divers can't or shouldn't. I know several "tech" divers ( plus a couple who are working on it) and they do more Rec diving than tech. I don't dive a BP/W, I dive a Sherwood Outback, which is very similar to the Seaquest BD. If I didn't already have a great (my opinion) BC, I'd probably be looking at a bp/w. It's extremely flexible (closest you'll ever get to one size fits all). So if you wear a large and gain (or lose) a few (or a lot) pounds, you can adjust, rather than replace.
But, it's not the be all and end all either. For your diving, minimal exposure protection, thus minimal lift requirements (in other words you don't need a lot of lead) a great BC would be a US Divers Alcyone. I don't think it's made anymore, but maybe there's something similar. My wife dives one. It's weight integrated (but doesn't have the capacity of mine), packs real small, comfortable over bare skin, about 27 lbs lift (which is more than the amount of lead she requires) and very streamlined. If they had something like it, with a bit more lift and room for more lead (ie the same unit about 30% larger over all), I'd have one in a heartbeat.
I do think the Knighthawk is similar. As mentioned I have a buddy who dives one and she loves it. I don't think it packs quite as small as the Alcyone, but it packs smaller than my Sherwood.
Since YOU have to wear whichever you choose, I'd try and convince the dive shops to let you try them each, even if just in a pool.

 

[Gillty]

I have some experience with the Black Diamond and currently own a Knighthawk. I also have dove with people that used the Chute 3. I feel like the Knighthawk is the best BC for a recreational diver out of those three. It packs lighter, has more stability at depth, vents air better, traps air less, and IMO a more secure weight system. It does have it's drawbacks. The fold down pocket is a little annoying, and it seems a little stiffer than the Black Diamond. The Black Diamond is a bigger BC and if you just try them on in a dive shop it will seem more comfortable. I heard there was a recall on the Seaquest BC's something to do with the inflator, probably not a big deal but if you buy used I would check into that. All the people that I have met that dove the Chute have been happy with it until they had to pack it for a dive trip and then it was only to complain about the size of it. I have also dove the Seaquest Balance. If you are leaning towards the Black Diamond but feel it is to big you might want to look at the Balance. It was a very comfortable BC and the big pocket is more useful than on the knighthawk. My best advise is to keep an open mind, look at all your options and make the choice that fits your diving style and try out as many bc's and bp&w's as you can.

Gillty

 

[Zippsy]

Flotsam, you and I are about the same size. The Chute III comes in several sizes but unfortunately, I can't remember the size I bought. I'll try to remember to check tonight. When I say it's big though, I mean that it's big in the dive bag. You'll have noticed the lumbar padding - great on the back but the exact place that you have to fold the weight pouche holders over. You can take the pouches themselves out but it's still big in the bag - no matter which sive Chute III you buy.

 

[cortez]

I like the Knighthawk and the Black Diamond. Have a few dives in each but have never dove the Chute so can't offer an opinion. Overall I found the ScubaPro a little nicer. I like the weight pockets and the pack as well as backpad. The only thing I don't like about the Knighthawk (compared to the BlackDiamond) is how the wing is sown (at the top) to the shoulder straps. Underwater I've never noticed a tremendous issue with it, but at the surface with the wing inflated I found it to be uncomfortable.

 

[docmartin]

the chute is a great bc and trims like a charm. i always liked it a lot. i now dive a bp/wing and don't think it trims better. however, among other advantages, the bp/wing does pack a lot smaller.

 

[kd5izq]

To expand a little more on my earlier post, the Chute III is very comfortable, has lots of padding and is very easy to get your trim set right on. I've got something like 30 dives or so on mine, but there are 4 other instructors/dive masters are wearing them as well and the consesus is them among all of us. The only complaint is the one mentioned earlier that it is a bit on the large side in the dive bag, but its never been that much of a problem for us as we pretty much all use the typical mesh duffle bag unless its a "travel trip" then we break out the big bags. Something to note on the Chute is that Oceanic has begun using a new type of material that is supposed to be very good at resisting fading from chlorine, such as use in a pool. I've never dove the other rigs, but have read quite a bit about them on this board and I don't think you could go wrong with any of the ones in question, but my personal preference is the Chute III.

 

[ScottyK]

Flotsam- A compact BP/wing is even better for big people! We displace enough water as it is (I'm 6' 230).

I can't answer as to how comfy they are diving with a skin or tee shirt yet, but they are very popular in Florida. If you're curious, post that question in the Conch Divers section and see if you get some feedback. You could also try PMing Wendy. She's a warm water BP/Wing diver, and is always glad to give advice and opinions on gear.

Gillty- To address some of your comments on the Chute, from the perspective of someone who's actually used it for close to 1,000 dives (no offense intended). I've never had a weight pocket even start to get loose, I've never had it trap even a small amount of air, and it's been stable as a rock regardless of depth. I would catagorically disagree with those three third party observations.

I do however agree with you and everyone else that it's not the smallest BC in the world to try and stuff into a travel bag

Scott

 

[Gillty]

ScottyK

No offense taken but what I meant to say after "more secure weight system" was than the Black Diamond(must have been past my bedtime and my brain was getting foggy). The only comment I had intended towards the Chute was that it was a little bigger than what I prefer. I have used a sherwood bc with the same type of weight clips as the chute 3 and thought they were very solid. I have also never had any issues with the Seaquest weight system. I just thought the Scubapro was a little more secure.

Respectfully

Gillty

 

[ScottyK]

(must have been past my bedtime and my brain was getting foggy).

LOL- I don't post until I get at least a half a cup of coffee down for that same reason