How should a bcd fit?

[84CJ7]

My lds gives me fits when I ask questions (conflicting or very opinionated answers plus the answer is always something off the shelf) so iam avoiding them on this issue, long story short the rental vest bcd I used for my pool cert class had the cummerbund at my bellybutton (they were either too short or too big in waist on every size) which is unacceptable since it either had to be really loose or it restricted my breathing a whole lot. I have an older seaquest dimension d3 bcd in size large that I got used for my friend who is also getting certified later, and have totally fallen in love with it (i may steal it instead of give it to him in the spring when he comes up here) because its a back inflate so it doesnt crush when inflated like the vest in the pool did, plus the shoulders and waist are integrated straps so I can eat up the extra waist strap with my extra height. (6'0" and only 155 or so lbs) Plus ive added a rear lower dump where there was just a back plug so its even nicer now.

If I do give this bcd up to my friend, which I may do because its more of a travel bcd or something with basically no rings and no pockets which annoys me, what else can I get that would fit this nice, I like the extra lift capacity of a large, though many brands are standard between medium and large. I was looking at a zeagle brigade from Scubatoys (after reading the big zeagle debate thread) since I understand and like the combo of parts. That would be a back inflate like my D3 right? I see the sizing chart on their site, but I am not sure where to measure the waist (hip bones or just above?) because of how ill fitting my class bcd was, or where in the overlap of measurements I should buy. It looks like all the brigades have a standard lift size too.

Edit: If I got the bridgade since it uses the ranger (ltd?) vest I could just buy a larger bladder for it later if I decided I wanted to do tech or double tank diving couldn't I?

 

[StSomewhere]

The Zeagle website (www.zeagle.com) is actually very informative. All your questions are answered there.

Edit: All Zeagle's are back inflate (part of their modular system) or I'd probably own one right now.

 

[scubatoys]

If I do give this bcd up to my friend, which I may do because its more of a travel bcd or something with basically no rings and no pockets which annoys me, what else can I get that would fit this nice, I like the extra lift capacity of a large, though many brands are standard between medium and large. I was looking at a zeagle brigade from Scubatoys (after reading the big zeagle debate thread) since I understand and like the combo of parts. That would be a back inflate like my D3 right? I see the sizing chart on their site, but I am not sure where to measure the waist (hip bones or just above?) because of how ill fitting my class bcd was, or where in the overlap of measurements I should buy. It looks like all the brigades have a standard lift size too.

Edit: If I got the bridgade since it uses the ranger (ltd?) vest I could just buy a larger bladder for it later if I decided I wanted to do tech or double tank diving couldn't I?

Yes, the bladder is the same on a small as an xl... either way it's a 35 lb lift bladder. And yes, if you want, later you can take off the bladder and put on a 44, 60 etc... and it has the grommets for bolting up your twins.

For the fit, if you give me a call, with height, weight, waist size... that will be enough for me to get the right one. We have extra components in all sizes, so I've got large waist with medium shoulders and vice versa.

 

[crpntr133]

Glad to see the debate actually guided someone in the right direction.

Sounds like you pretty much had everything sized right. You are just a little smaller than I am ( 6'3" , 170lbs) and I bought a small Brigade. Seemed strange that I took a small but it works great. Puts the middle of the cumberbun right over the belly button. I have a 32" inseam and I might have gone with the next size up on the shoulder straps but then would have had a bunch of strap to deal with. I also figured that things might stretch just a bit.

Be sure and order the yellow mesh weight bags for the Brigade. I think they were $20 and well worth it. Sounds like you have done your homework so I won't go on.

 

[84CJ7]

The cummberbund is really supposed to be that high? that means that when I tighten it, it will probably restrict my breathing like the one in the class did. Either that or it'll just give my abs more of a workout than they need when I try to breathe around it. I don't look forward to that at all. I could just leave it loose, but that left a little more flop at the waist than was preferable.

EDIT: I just noted this on the zeagle site:

Are Zeagle BC’s worn differently?
Yes. Because of the uniqueness of the design, the Zeagle System will fit quite differently from a conventional BC. The waistband will be lower, well below the diaphragm (so it won’t restrict your breathing), the front of the BC is open, reducing restrictions further, and the buoyancy is low down on the back and sides, where it can expand outward without compressing your chest. The result is greater comfort and a more balanced attitude in the water.

This is exactly what I was looking for, zeagle it is then.
Assuming the brigade isn't changing or going anywhere any time soon (in which case its an immediate credit card affair) i'll order one closer to spring when I can afford it better. (the abyss i just got from them on sale with octo and inflator hose beat me up enough already)

 

[crpntr133]

You are also going from a vest to a back inflate...big difference. You can inflate that sucker all you want and it won't squeeze you. Even some of the newer designed jackets don't squeeze as much.

If someone tells you that a back inflater will dump you on your face they are full of it. I dove my Brigade the first time with no weight in the trim pockets and fully inflated, no problem.

 

[frenchy07]

Love my Brigade and I had the same problems you are going thru. Got short legs and a long body (we won't talk about the beltline issue ). Thing I always hated is that the cumberbund always wound up around or above my naval, something I hate. I first went with a sherwood outback (really nice product) then before I got it wet sent it back (pushed my shoulders forward when it was inflated) and took some good advice from a friend (a friend to all his customers) named Larry in Texas and purchased the brigade. The more I progress in my education the less weight I wear. I do have to put ballast in the trims (it does try to push me over but learning to deal with it) so I can get comfy on the surface but underwater it is a great feeling to be so free.

I find myself reaching back to feel if I am wearing anything during a dive I am so comfortable. It does stretch a bit (or I shrink) so I do a little adjusting from time to time but I would do that anyway. The harness allows me to expand or shrink my cumberbund when I go thru those little ups and downs in life and makes me very happy.

Sometime in the future (next year or so) i'll have to make a move to a oceanic or seaquest but the brigade will always go with me on trips, I can pack the thing into a 12 x 12 x 6 space. Don't think I can do that with products from oceanic or seaquest. Oh and you will probally be asking why I am switching in the future, LDS sells these and when I enter the DM program I will support them by using the products they sell.

If only we had a LDS that carried Zeagle products I could do my training with.