HydrosPro Hydros Pro Men vs. Women model difference?

[stuartv]

@stuartv

Thanks for the reply, but I would like to ask you if you had a chance to compare the women's strap(shoulder) next to men's? I'm not doubting you, I just want to confirm.

I dive a Hydros, but I have not physically compared the men's and women's versions. What I know about the shapes comes from a discussion with the ScubaPro tech rep last February, when I took the ScubaPro regulator technician class. We talked briefly about the Hydros and the tech rep started talking about the investment SP had made just to bring the Hydros to market. He mentioned how they had created something like 8 different molds (which are each very expensive) just to make the different shoulder straps for the different sizes and the different shapes for men vs women.

So, I have no direct empirical evidence either way.

 

[tridacna]

Marketing hype...

 

[stuartv]

Marketing hype...

Absolutely could be. But, it was told to a roomful of scuba industry pros. It seems pretty detailed and easy to disprove, if it was a lie. Maybe I misunderstood and it was the back plate part that is different? I am *pretty* sure he specifically mentioned having different shapes for the shoulder straps, but my g/f would be the first to tell you my memory isn't always the best....

 

[tridacna]

I was also told that the Hydros wing had “multiple compartments when inflating” in front of a bunch of Pros. Anyone seen that happening?

 

[stuartv]

I was also told that the Hydros wing had “multiple compartments when inflating” in front of a bunch of Pros. Anyone seen that happening?

Well, that's pretty funny! But, if it was coming from a sales guy, it wouldn't surprise me much at all.

The guy that told me about the molds for Hydros parts was the tech guy teaching the reg class. I would expect better of him.

 

[Geobound]

I don't know how difficult it would be to inflate with multiple compartments, but it sure would be a PITA to deflate if it did?

Remembering to take the weights out of the BCD before turning it upside down to purge the water has already proven to be a mental block for me, so could you imagine the brain power required to empty multiple compartments.

 

[ladra]

SOLVED, I think.

I think I understand a bit more, thanks to a dealer who called SP tech support.

I was correct about there being only 3 sizes for shoulder straps. However, I was wrong on which shoulder strap size goes with what.

So for Men's it appears Men's Small and Medium HydrosPro both use MEDIUM shoulder strap, meaning Medium shoulder strap is the smallest for Men's HydrosPro.

Now, that means the SMALL shoulder strap is exclusively used for Women's HydrosPro (I dunno if it's for all three sizes, XS-S, M, L). Therefore, the Small shoulder strap could be called "designed" for women. Dunno how different it is compared to Medium and Large shoulder straps other than length and such...

At least that solves the shoulder strap mystery. ha ha