Bought Balance BCD w/ Apeks ATX50/40

[sucnip]

Hi all. I bought my first BCD and regs set yesterday and have some comments/observations/questions I'd like to share with the forum.

I was planning to buy the gear mailorder, but after an incident with the shipping (the gear arrived a day too late!) I decided to go local. My LDS was only a few hundred above the mail order price anyway - roughly 25% off retail.

I had a choice between titan LX and Apeks ATX50 regulators for the same price. I understand both are very good regulators, but the Apeks had a few more features (overbalanced 1st stage, adjustable cracking pressure) but sadly not the free service parts the Aqualung regs have here in Australia. I went with the Apeks without having breathed them mainly from comments posted on the board. I have the swivel bit on the top. How do you have your regs setup?

For a BCD I bought the Seaquest Balance SureLock. I'm 6'2" and 175 pounds. I bought the ML as the Large seemed like it would be far to big and two separate dive shops recommened the ML. I need the large for my height, but the waist size would have been far too big. I noticed that on land the weight pockets tended to rest on my waist rather than on my hips. Is this normal?? Walking on land geared up was not comfortable. Perhaps it takes some time for the padding to mould to my back?

I was a bit dissappointed by the weight pockets as they did not accomodate three 3 pound blocks well. I managed to cram them in, but I don't think they were designed for more than two blocks. Perhaps I will need to buy larger 5 pound blocks and/or some 1 pound weights. My 6.5mm semidry is very boyant and I normally dive with 21 pounds plus or minus. Any suggestions on the best way to weight the BCD?

I did consider a BP/wing combo but went with the Balance because it met my needs as a traveling recreational diver. No BP/Wings flames please.

Cheers,
David

 

[Hallmac]

Two fours in each ditchable weight pocket and one three in each non-ditchable would work easy enough! congrats on the new gear!

hallmac

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Congrats on the new gear, and good choices!!! I used a Balance for a few years, and I liked it. I used to split the lead up by putting some in the nonditchable pockets in back, and then the majority in the two front weight pockets...
Do some fiddling and you'll figure it out...

 

[MikeS]

David,

IMO both are good choices and you’ll be happy. As previously suggested, don’t forget about the trim pockets. The best thing to do is take it to the pool and work out weighting and trim in the shallow end.

One thing to keep in mind about the Balance is that it has a horseshoe shaped bladder that tends to trap air, a little practice in positioning your body to move the air goes a long way. When dumping air you need to pay particular attention to keeping your left shoulder the highest point or air will tend to become trapped on the right side especially if you are oriented slightly head down and you won’t be able to dump it. If you feel yourself rolling to the right, it probably means more in the left side than the right ; so you need orient slightly heads up and roll to the left to shift some of the air to the right side. Also if you feel feet heavy you need to tilt head down to cause some of the air to shift to the rear of the bladder.

Have fun with the new toys,
Mike

 

[Brian Gilpin]

I dive with an integrated BC like yourself but I have gone back to using a belt for some of my weight. The BC is easier to handle on land and the belt gives more trim options in the water. Also when small boats such as pangas are used it is much easier to get equipment aboard. In an emergency one belt is easier to drop than two pouches. Especially if the pouches are overstuffed.

 

[saintsfan]

I dive with the balance,by the way I love it,I dive with a 7mm semidry with a built in hood and vest so my suit is very buoyant. I dive with 28 lbs with 10 in each front pocket and 4 in each rear,I also use a steel 95 so I have a little more tank weight than some but that setup is perfect for me.I also dropped my tank 1 " lower for balance under water hope you enjoy as much as I do.

 

[UWSojourner]

I dive the Balance and am happy with it. I've found that I put about 1/4th of weight needed in the back pockets. I used about 16 lbs on dives this week in Maui (3 mm wetsuit) - 2 lbs in each back pocket and 6 in each side. That gives me pretty good trim. When I'm in WA, I need about 34 lbs. I use about 28 lbs in BC - 10 in back and 18 in both side pockets and then 6 lbs on weightbelt.

Good luck.