Can't decide on a Zeagle

[txgoose]

the MOLLE system isn't a standard in diving.

This was my thoughts as I read. Finding stainless snaps on mil-spec type add-ons might be a trick. If using regular steel snaps, just be sure to disassemble, dry and maintain/lube well.

 

[jgttrey]

Agree. The BC looks fine & won't be a huge mistake in any case, but...

1. the MOLLE attachments are, at best, a neutral factor for the reasons expressed above. Maybe in the future, "it'll all be MOLLE" but right now it is more a gimmick to differentiate this BCD from other ones. If "modularity of attachments" was important, you'd be better off cutting off the plastic waist buckle and ends and going with a conventional buckle and then thread whatever you want on the belt.

2. plastic d-rings are useless for anything other than clipping off very small things. If you decide to sling a stage bottle or something (i.e., you take some "tech lite" sorts of extended range classes) you'll need something more robust.

3. 16lbs of weight is fine for most diving, but you may run into difficulties if you dive heavier wetsuits or dry.

Given your expressed goals, and not quite wanting a bp/w yet, I'd still recommend the Express Tech. It will take you much farther before you have to make your decision about a bp/w.

 

[Blasto]

Given your expressed goals, and not quite wanting a bp/w yet, I'd still recommend the Express Tech. It will take you much farther before you have to make your decision about a bp/w.

My one concern with the Express Tech would be the horseshoe configuration. I had a brief stint with horseshoes and their ability to adjust lift between left and right - with the ultimate conclusion that I hardly took any advantage of it the few times it was applicable.

For a novice diver, a donut is a bit simpler. But I haven't tried horseshoes as small as 24 lbs, so maybe that's different.
As for the decisions, the only decision in tech is sidemount vs BP/W. If you're past simple single tank, you're past the decision point.

 

[jgttrey]

FWIW, my experience is that a donut functions like a horseshoe until you get extremely head down. Otherwise, the bubble never gets back there anyway and on small wings it's less likely get too out of whack side-to-side anyway.

On bigger wings, yes, you can end up with a one sided bubble, but if I'm using a bigger wing that's an advantage because it's going to be in a configuration where it's nice to be able to park a bubble on one side to offset the weight of a stage bottle or something. Or, on wall dives, it's sometimes nice to park the bubble on one side and swim with my belly facing the wall a bit rather than craning my neck the whole time.

I generally agree that if you go tech, you're going to be changing anyway, but I'd still rather have the ability to securely carry a 30 or 40 (meaning, no plastic d-rings).

 

[JamesBon92007]

My one concern with the Express Tech would be the horseshoe configuration. I had a brief stint with horseshoes and their ability to adjust lift between left and right - with the ultimate conclusion that I hardly took any advantage of it the few times it was applicable.

For a novice diver, a donut is a bit simpler. But I haven't tried horseshoes as small as 24 lbs, so maybe that's different.
As for the decisions, the only decision in tech is sidemount vs BP/W. If you're past simple single tank, you're past the decision point.

Things seem to be a lot different these days. I (and just about everyone else) used to dive with no BC whatsoever so for me it's hard to imagine ever having more that about 5-8 pounds of air worth of lift in it and that's pretty much only at the beginning of the dive (unless you find some heavy treasure) so, at least for me, there's hardly ever any air in my BC so a shifting bubble is not much of a concern.

With my Express Tech if I fill it too full at the surface it tends to shove my face down into the water so that's just one more reason why I always carry my snorkel.

 

[claymore]

I'd avoid the Ranger, and I dive with an older one regularly. While it works for a lot of the diving I do, the drag is the threaded release for integrated weights. In an emergency, it's probably fine. But you don't want to have to re-thread it unless your life depended on it. My older unit lacks features newer ones have that are attractive, but the "ripcord" system turns me off.

If you're using BC-integrated weights, I'd go for something that has pockets that pull out as a unit. In particular, when I'm playing the victim in a rescue diver class, I have to remind the students I DON'T have integrated lead and to just undo the weight belt.

I have seen to many of the integrated weight pockets mis-installed or snagged on something and go falling into the blue. The Zeagle ripcord system is almost impossible to loose weights accidentally. As far as re-stringing the ripcord system if you have to use it re-stringing would be one of my last worries as it is kind of tedious but not hard.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I have seen to many of the integrated weight pockets mis-installed or snagged on something and go falling into the blue. The Zeagle ripcord system is almost impossible to loose weights accidentally. As far as re-stringing the ripcord system if you have to use it re-stringing would be one of my last worries as it is kind of tedious but not hard.

Good point. I've never lost a weight in the Ranger. I've also never lost a weight pocket from a more standard integrated BC. I did lose a weight belt once, in a full 7 mm farmer johns and jacket wetsuit in the days before integrated weights. It's amazing how hard you can swim down when you have to.....

I suspect like a lot of things, there are tradeoffs here. How easily can it be dumped in an emergency, how well does it stay on when it's not an emergency, and how easy is it to hand over the gunwale of the boat to a tender. Ripcords do the first two well, but make the third tougher. For pockets, I've seen some that are potentially too easy to remove in an emergency so they are more likely to fall out, and some that will never fall out but will be tough to dump in a pinch. You could make a case that items 1 and 2 are more critical to safety while diving, though arguably getting gear on the boat and the diver out of the water quickly and easily is a safety matter in some situations.

 

[Aviyes]

I suspect like a lot of things, there are tradeoffs here. How easily can it be dumped in an emergency, how well does it stay on when it's not an emergency, and how easy is it to hand over the gunwale of the boat to a tender. Ripcords do the first two well, but make the third tougher.

For the 3rd point, that is where accessory weight pouches like below come in handy when you will have to pass up to a tender.
Mesh Weight Pouch 10lb

 

[Seaweed Doc]

For the 3rd point, that is where accessory weight pouches like below come in handy when you will have to pass up to a tender.
Mesh Weight Pouch 10lb

I use those, but it requires unzipping the pocket. They're a little tough to grip with thick neoprene gloves on, but it's doable. Slower process in rough water than either handing up a belt or pulling an integrated weight.

Given the total weight it takes for drysuit/aluminum 80 combinations, I usually hand up the weight belt and let the weights in the pocket ride with the BCD, either coming aboard with me or being pulled up (if tied off to a line in the water) by a tender.

(With a heavier steel tank, I don't use integrated weights at all.)

 

[stash3630]

Ok, well you guys have officially scared/steered me towards the bp/w. As much as I like the idea of what out-of-the-box convenience the Covert XT is offering, the valid concerns you all have raised are giving me pause.

I have to admit, I'm a MOLLE fan. I still have a lot of issued and privately purchased tac gear and it is all MOLLE compatible. The facts that it's not standard in diving (despite what looks to ME to be an awesomely huge supply of attachment points on the vest for clips etc etc), that there are also not a lot of current accessory options available for it, and that it has a yet unproven resistance to water damage at the MOLLE snap attachment points and could require a fair bit of snap maintenance and lube are all causing me concern.

That said, I still like the idea of the out-of-the-box convenience of a BCD. Things like padded shoulder straps, lumbar pads and most importantly the confidence an all in one unit made by professionals that wasn't assembled by a novice like myself are all very appealing.

So, if I decide to go the bp/w route, what suggestions can you make on brands, style and accessories based on my diving desires and goals that I previously stated on page 1?

How about this offering from Zeagle? Is the wing removable?
Backplate Combo

The recent comments debated advantages and disadvantages of horseshoe vs donut; something I hadn't considered or even known was a thing until now. The BP link above is a donut, whereas the Covert XT (I believe) was a horseshoe. Are these important determining factors?

Are most of you using a weight belt in conjunction with the bp/w system? What are go to accessories or purchases when starting out on your bp/w setup?

Thanks!