High end BCD

[LavaSurfer]

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!

I won't defend them. One was poorly fitting the others were fine just didn't like them.
Doesn't meen there arent good fitting ones but my experience.

I don't nessesarilly like the side air bags either.

Integrated weights are nice, I must agree there. I only need 2 lb when warm water diving so I strap them on the tank bands. For pockets I have a pair of x-shorts. They rock and do the job well.

With a BC I needed 6-8 lb and wore them on a belt. That was bothersome.

 

[djanni]

I don't nessesarilly like the side air bags either.

What are side air bags?

 

[djanni]

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.

Atticus: Do you mostly dive cold water in a dry suit? Are you into tech; i.e. doubles and etc.?

 

[LavaSurfer]

What are side air bags?

My futile attempt at being funny.

The wrap around air bladder in most Vest style BC's
All three vest styles I have used had them.
I just don't like them. I find them uncomfortable when inflated on the surface

I didn't say they were bad, I just don't like the vest style.

Personal preference

 

[BSea]

My advice is to try as many as you can from all types (jacket, Back inflation BC like the zeagle, and BP/W). Then get as many opinions as you can, then buy what you want. You're probably going to change to something else down the road anyway. I currently have 4 BC's. 2 are only for showing what we used to dive (I started diving in 1977, and still have allot of my original gear). And the only reason I keep my Zeagle is when I want to let a buddy try my BP/W.

About the only thing that I would highly recommend is a bc with 2 tank cam bands. I've seen too many tanks slip from the single cam band. And if you go with a steel tank, they are almost a necessity.

 

[djanni]

My futile attempt at being funny.

The wrap around air bladder in most Vest style BC's
All three vest styles I have used had them.
I just don't like them. I find them uncomfortable when inflated on the surface

I didn't say they were bad, I just don't like the vest style.

Personal preference

Oh, I should have figured that out on my own. I don't like that either and haven't worn a jacket style since buying my 1st BC, a back inflate. My wife wears an Oceanic Isla and while it's a jacket it somehow avoids the fully inflated squeeze found in the older tech jackets. I think all the newer Oceanic BC's do that. It's really pretty cool. I tried on a ChuteII while she was looking at the Isla. We hooked up a tank and fully inflated it. No squeeze!!! Same for the Isla.

 

[djanni]

My advice is to try as many as you can from all types (jacket, Back inflation BC like the zeagle, and BP/W). Then get as many opinions as you can, then buy what you want. You're probably going to change to something else down the road anyway. I currently have 4 BC's. 2 are only for showing what we used to dive (I started diving in 1977, and still have allot of my original gear). And the only reason I keep my Zeagle is when I want to let a buddy try my BP/W.

About the only thing that I would highly recommend is a bc with 2 tank cam bands. I've seen too many tanks slip from the single cam band. And if you go with a steel tank, they are almost a necessity.

Since I'm from ElDorado and bleed Razorback Red I'll forgive you for those missguided comments.

 

[jfoster33702]

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 . . .

OK, scubapro knighthawk. Comfortable, back inflate, and still very streamlined.

 

[Atticus]

Atticus: Do you mostly dive cold water in a dry suit? Are you into tech; i.e. doubles and etc.?

I mostly dive cold water, about 70% in a drysuit. I went to Cozumel in March with the bp/w and was very happy with it there. In Coz I had a 3mm wetsuit and put 4LB's into a soft weight belt.

I also dive trimix / doubles, but this is with a different rig than my single tank bp/w. By that I mean that I have one bp/w setup for single tank diving and a second for tech diving.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

The DSS was like drivng an army jeep comparried to Cadillac Escalade.

You are the second person from whom I've heard that comment. Maybe you guys should try a different rig.