I dive and highly recommend the Zeagle Ranger. And before I tell you why, let me give you some pointers in selecting a BC.
First, no matter what manufacturer or model you select, your
primary goal is comfort! If your BC is too small or too big, you will always be fidgeting with it and not enjoy the dive. You want your BC to fit you in such a way that when you are in the water, it literally dissapears and you forget it's there.
Second, you need to
decide if you want a weight integration or not. Wieght integration allows you to carry some or all of your weight in special pockets on the BC. And the designers have put some thought into the location of these pockets so that they assist in providing the optimum "trim" with regards to your center of gravity so you are in the correct swimming position.
Third, decide on
back or vest inflation. [red]Vest inflation[/red] has the bladder coming around the front like a life jacket and will provide you a positive feedback as to the volume of air by squeezing your middle. [red]Back inflation[/red] has the bladder "wrapping" up around the tank. The benefits of this one is that it is more hydrodymanic (similar to aerodynamic), the bladders can be switched out when more lift is required, and you don't get squeezed like a toothpaste tube when fully inflated.
Fourth, and probably most important, decide on
what level of diving you will be doing both now and 3-4 years in the future. The life expectancy of a well maintained BC is more than 10 years, so choosing a BC can be compared to choosing a motor vehicle. Are you going to always be driving on the highways with a car(recreational diving) or do "off-road" or "work" with a truck (technical diving). Tehnical diving includes doing anything in an overhead environment (such as entering ship wrecks, caverns, and caves) and requires a different configuration. So if you desire to do any tech diving, then the recreational BC's should be passed up.
Now that you have some good tips on selecting your BC, let me tell you why the Zeagle Ranger should be one that you really need to look at.
[red]Fit [/red]-- The Ranger can be easily customized to fit your body, whether your a round person or a stick person. All parts of the harness and bladder are interchangeable. So if you have wide shoulders, long torso, and a narrow waist, the correct components can be obtained to provide a custom fit. The bladder can also be changed to one that provides additional lift.
[red]Rec or Tech?[/red] -- The Ranger is one of the best BC's to carry you through any recreational dive through to moderate technical diving. It can be setup for double tanks and has plenty of attachment points for gear.
[red]Back Inflation & Weight Integration[/red] -- The Ranger is classified as a back inflation BC. As such, I have found it to require a bit less effort to swim than the vest BC's I used during my o/w training and overseas dive trip. And it's nice not to be squeezed like toothpast. (Regarding floating on surface and face planting. This is something of a false myth. I have absolutely no problem with the Ranger doing this, and besides, you want to be under the water, not floating on top!). The weights fit easily into the side pockets and Zeagle even makes a nice weight pouch that slides right into the weight pockets.
The Ranger is a bit more than some other BC's, but it has been getting great reviews both in the magazines and on the street. Many of the contributors to this board dive the Ranger and love it as much as I do. So I encourage you to consider it.
One more good tip: If you can, try to borrow the BC's you are considering and do at least a pool dive with them. Trying them on in the store over street clothes won't tell you as much as getting them wet will.
And if you have anymore questions, feel free to ask!!!
