Well chaps,
Thanks for your replies!
Today, I took all the remaining mystery out of things, as I went and actually got me one of these suckers
My local DS was doing a Spring promotion (on all their stock), and made me a pretty cool offer, which I could not refuse
So, although I have not dived with it yet, I can definitely confirm that is does “fully” inflate on the sides as well, albeit that the area is more slender than on the Prestige, for example.
I do not know what the availability is elsewhere in the world, but in Belgium the hybrid seems to have been on sale for at least a month (possibly longer) – However the thing in real life does not correspond 100% to the photo on the mares website (namely there is just a back “suspension system” lubber support – and not a hyrocushion as show on the web
). I also did not get any user manual nor storage sack, in which to fold it up in.
Equally, I have to say that the Mares website is not very consistent and misleading, as it highlights the “Backmounted” icon stating that the bladder is entirely in the rear, yet misses out more obvoius icons - i.e.
· It does not highlight the icon to say that it is “Foldable”
· Nor the “Egro inflator”
· Nor the “Knife grommet”
· Nor “Trim weight
· and there generally seems to hash between the “she dives” version
What is a real pain, is that there is no downloadable manual :cussing:
Fortunately, I managed to hunt down this video on You Tube, which at least gives some notion on how the thing can be folded up and for which I have no problem watching over and over again
. You can also see the lubber support band “suspension system” as mentioned previously.
YouTube - Hybrid2011.mpg
Needless-to-say, I cannot wait to do my first drive with it and see how it goes. Naturally, I will post my feedback.
Cheers
Terence