High end BCD

[Missdirected]

I’m hoping to get some input on a good quality new bcd. I’m a very firm believer that you get what you pay for. I’m lucky enough to say money isn’t a problem.

I’m very new to diving and cant see myself needing allot of the things a tek wood need. But having a few extras would always be nice. I just received my atomic T2 today so ill be needing a bcd for starters.

So I plz ask that you give me some opinions on some very high end bcd`s to get me in the right direction.

Thx to all who reply to this!!

Ha today is your lucky day Zeagle Ranger. Here is a link: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=146381 The fella selling it is a MOD here on SB and an awesome diver. PM him if you would like. Additionally, you will be helping a great cause - another diver on the board. http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=507 Too perfect.

 

[Atticus]

I have a zeagle ranger and I use it only for teaching. For recreational "fun" diving I use my halcyon bp/w. The Ranger is good, but the bp/w is better.

 

[divingjd]

OK, here's a recommendation for something else: Scubapro Classic Plus or Knighthawk. Scubapro BCs are very high quality, they have by far the best tank band in the business (never slips, easy to adjust, no need to wet the strap), and outstanding warranty and customer support. I originally bought a Classic NT and when it developed a tiny leak on a seam, I sent it back and Scubapro swapped it out for the new Classic Plus. The Classic Plus is the current version of the Scubapro stabilizer jacket, a vest-style BC with weight integration. It has plenty of lift for cold-water diving. I know a fellow instructor with thousands of dives logged who has done lots of very deep Great Lakes wreck diving, technical diving including trimix, and rebreather diving and owns an OMS backplate/wing setup, who likes the Classic Plus so much he is going to rig it for doubles. Out of the box, it is set up for a single tank, but it can be set up for doubles. I have never experienced any of the downsides to a jacket BC you usually hear. I do not feel constricted or squeezed by the BC and it is extremely good at promoting a horizontal swimming position. Unlike many jacket BCs, it does not concentrate the air cell under the arms. The one downside I have seen is that it is sometimes a little difficult to get into it with my drysuit, because of the vest-style construction it has no adjustable shoulder straps. The Knighthawk is Scubapro's back-inflation BC. Scubapro makes a great BC. I know lots of people who love them and I see lots of old Scubapro BCs on dive boats. On this board, and in this thread, you may get the impression that the backplate/wings setup is the predominant gear configuration, but look around any dive boat (other than a charter for technical diving) and you will not see many. Different people have different needs and preferences and jacket-style BCs seem to satisfy a lot of people, including lots of well-trained, experienced, highly capable divers.

 

[Damselfish]

Would somebody please come on here and vote for something from Scubapro or somebody else? I'm starting to feel as though the assimilation is complete . . .

well I love my Ladyhawk, but he probably won't buy one of those.

 

[DiveMaven]

I'm with you Damselfish....I love my BC...my Zeagle Zena....but he probably won't want one of mine either.

 

[rongoodman]

I had my BP/W on for the first time in the pool last night, after using a rental BC in my OW class. Very nice in the water, handles the weight better out of the water. I found that initially I missed the feedback of the vest when i added air--I was used to feeling that little sqeeze from the BC which told me how full it was. Next week the long hose!

 

[LavaSurfer]

Zeagle is a top rated mfr who offers both soft-back and hardplate (bp/w) rear inflation BC's.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both designs. If you're traveling a lot a bp/w will pack up as nicely as a Zeagle Escape or Scout. If you're not planning on diving twin tanks or techie stuff like that you will probably get a lot more pleasure over the long term from all the creature comforts available to you in a BC like one of the Zeagle soft-back's.

They are very nice units. There are other quality mfg's out there too I'm just partial to the Zeagle brand and dive a Stiletto myself. BTW: I travel a lot too and the Stiletto up packs pretty well.

Luck..........

I always love hearing how a soft backplate or a padded backplate are "Comfortable"
I have a DSS Hog setup and find it SO much more comfortable than any BC I have ever worn. The reason is the super fine size tuning you get from a harness vs. the Mass produced S/M/LG/XL concept of the BC where you have Velcro or buckles to adjust the fit. They all tend to hike up on me and the crotch strap, I hated the concept at first, is almost a necessity for comfort.

My biggest worry in buying a bare Stainless Steel backplate was that it would be uncomfortable on my back.

I was Soooooooo Wrong!

OK, so I am now on the BP/W Preaching pedestal. So What I am assimilated!

 

[LavaSurfer]

Is that a DSS he is wearing or maybe a Halcyon, its hard to tell!

 

[djanni]

I always love hearing how a soft backplate or a padded backplate are "Comfortable"
I have a DSS Hog setup and find it SO much more comfortable than any BC I have ever worn. The reason is the super fine size tuning you get from a harness vs. the Mass produced S/M/LG/XL concept of the BC where you have Velcro or buckles to adjust the fit. They all tend to hike up on me and the crotch strap, I hated the concept at first, is almost a necessity for comfort.

My biggest worry in buying a bare Stainless Steel backplate was that it would be uncomfortable on my back.

I was Soooooooo Wrong!

OK, so I am now on the BP/W Preaching pedestal. So What I am assimilated!

I took a DSS single rig with Deluxe harness, sans chest strap, on an 8 day trip to Coz last year and put 20 dives on it.

Very nice rig. I was impressed. It fit well, handled well and certainly packed up for travel well. I didn't particularly like the hassle of a weight belt and especially having to mess around with croch strap going over the belt or under the belt but I suppose I could have eventually gotten confortabe with that. Just as I had gotten spoiled by a good integrated weight system on my Zeagle.

Oh sure you can put integrated weight pouches and pockets and dangles all over a bp/w but when you do that you've given up any bp/w benefits unless your a techie. I missed the built in amenities of the Stiletto. The DSS was like drivng an army jeep comparried to Cadillac Escalade.

Anyway.... I see comments like yours from time to time and I can only imagine that the bc's you wore prior to the bp/w must have been poorly fitting pieces of crap!

For the kind of diving I do I would never trade my Stiletto for a bp/w. Ugh, perish the thought.

Zeagles are infinately adjustable for fine tuning fit.

 

[EliotD]

Im surprised nobody mentioned DiveRite...transplate and transpac are both excellent systems.