Express Tech

[The Chairman]

So you buy a "deluxe" version... stripping it down is easy enough and they're still cheap enough that way. FWIW. my student BCs have weight pockets the tank and my personal has the Zeagle rip cord weight pocket on my waist. Great additions to the basic unit.

 

[Jason]

So you buy a "deluxe" version... stripping it down is easy enough and they're still cheap enough that way. FWIW. my student BCs have weight pockets the tank and my personal has the Zeagle rip cord weight pocket on my waist. Great additions to the basic unit.

You like the rip cord better than the zip touch? I was wondering which i should get for my son (or whether I should just strap on XS Scuba quick release pouches).

 

[MRadke]

I know that you didn't ask me, but I have the Rip Cord on my Ranger and Zip Touch on my Express Tech. I much prefer the Zip Touch.

 

[The Chairman]

I haven't tried the Zip Touch to be able to comment.

 

[mi000ke]

I bought an ET at the same time as my sister and brother-in-law. They got the ripcord and I got the zip touch. They said the rip cord is a PITA to rethread if used. I have no personal experience with the ripcord, but the zip touch is a simple velcro pouch. The simpler the better as far as I'm concerned.

 

[AdivingBel]

I don't find the rip cord to be an issue. Just need to sit down once with the instructions. After that it's easy (actually pretty elegant). Upside it drops both pockets with one pull. That said, I have zip touch I picked up cheap on eBay on my ET. The wife has rip cord on her Stiletto. I used inverted XS scuba pockets on my ET before the zip touch. I dive tropical and don't use much weight. They worked fine, but probably weren't a forever solution. I like how the zip touch attach to the plate and don't take up space or move around on my waist webbing. Also the zippered top saves the velcro release. YMMV.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

They said the rip cord is a PITA to rethread if used.

If you need to dump your weights, rethreading the ripcord should be the least of your worries! If your sister and brother-in-law are dropping their weights often enough for rethreading to be an issue, please advise them to stop diving until they get more training. I've been diving for ten years and close to 500 dives and have needed to drop my weights exactly zero times. The time it takes to rethread the system is a non issue. I can rethread the ripcord in less than five minutes, I think it's the perfect solution to integrated weights. No pockets to purchase, so no worries about losing an $80 weight pocket that may not even be available anymore and the system is dead simple.

 

[MRadke]

I don't think that the point was that the rip cord is a 'bad' design, but more that on the ET the zip touch takes up less space and is more convenient. As stated before, I have both.

Since weight dumping was brought up, I still prefer the Zip Touch because I can dump just one side if I choose to, and either side at that. I realize that you can carefully pull the rip cord to only dump one side but the zip touch does it better.

 

[mi000ke]

If you need to dump your weights, rethreading the ripcord should be the least of your worries! If your sister and brother-in-law are dropping their weights often enough for rethreading to be an issue, please advise them to stop diving until they get more training. I've been diving for ten years and close to 500 dives and have needed to drop my weights exactly zero times. The time it takes to rethread the system is a non issue. I can rethread the ripcord in less than five minutes, I think it's the perfect solution to integrated weights. No pockets to purchase, so no worries about losing an $80 weight pocket that may not even be available anymore and the system is dead simple.

They have never needed to drop weights while diving other than practicing dropping weights in a pool to make sure they knew how the system worked. I don't know what you mean about losing a weight pocket.

I don't think that the point was that the rip cord is a 'bad' design, but more that on the ET the zip touch takes up less space and is more convenient. As stated before, I have both.

Since weight dumping was brought up, I still prefer the Zip Touch because I can dump just one side if I choose to, and either side at that. I realize that you can carefully pull the rip cord to only dump one side but the zip touch does it better.

This.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

They have never needed to drop weights while diving other than practicing dropping weights in a pool to make sure they knew how the system worked. I don't know what you mean about losing a weight pocket.

By losing a pocket I mean the weight pocket falling out because it was not properly clipped in. It happens more than you would think.