So in summary, the Docor is a POS.
If you absolutely have to get a BC right now and you can't wait until more $$ is available and you have a better idea of what you want, here are some tips:
- Stay away from anything that markets its lift capacity. Diving single tanks, 20# is usually enough, 35# is as big as I would get. Anything over that and you're just hauling around excess bladder with you. Let me know if you don't understand how to figure out how much lift you need.
- Avoid BCs that *look* technical. In truth, no tech diver would ever wear such a thing and all of the extra gizmos on the BC are just things waiting to break and cause clutter. Keep it simple.
- If you want integrated weights, stay away from velcro. My first BC, a SeaQuest QD, dropped a weight pocket twice. The first time, I was a newbie diver and had too much weight anyway so it wasn't a problem (except I couldn't find the pocket since I didn't notice it until much later). The second time was in Cozumel and it happened just as I was nearing the bottom at 70' or so. If I hadn't of been 3 feet from the bottom, I wouldn't have been able to get it before shooting to the surface - I'm lucky.
- Avoid non-standard methods of operating the BC. I've seen those weird inflator mechanisims on some of the Dacors and Mares BCs and I don't know how to operate them. If I saw a diver unconscience on the bottom with one of those, I couldn't help him until I figured out how to use it. Hopefully, I'd find the manual laminated in his BC pocket.
If you absolutely have to get a BC right now and you can't wait until more $$ is available and you have a better idea of what you want, here are some tips:
- Stay away from anything that markets its lift capacity. Diving single tanks, 20# is usually enough, 35# is as big as I would get. Anything over that and you're just hauling around excess bladder with you. Let me know if you don't understand how to figure out how much lift you need.
- Avoid BCs that *look* technical. In truth, no tech diver would ever wear such a thing and all of the extra gizmos on the BC are just things waiting to break and cause clutter. Keep it simple.
- If you want integrated weights, stay away from velcro. My first BC, a SeaQuest QD, dropped a weight pocket twice. The first time, I was a newbie diver and had too much weight anyway so it wasn't a problem (except I couldn't find the pocket since I didn't notice it until much later). The second time was in Cozumel and it happened just as I was nearing the bottom at 70' or so. If I hadn't of been 3 feet from the bottom, I wouldn't have been able to get it before shooting to the surface - I'm lucky.
- Avoid non-standard methods of operating the BC. I've seen those weird inflator mechanisims on some of the Dacors and Mares BCs and I don't know how to operate them. If I saw a diver unconscience on the bottom with one of those, I couldn't help him until I figured out how to use it. Hopefully, I'd find the manual laminated in his BC pocket.