Looking to upgrade, advice?

[emttim]

Ok, so here's the deal. I have an Oceanic Excursion BCD, an Air 2 integrated inflator/secondary air source, so obviously my octo has 3 hoses instead of the traditional 4.

I want to upgrade to a Zeagle or Dive Rite BCD primarily because they can support interchangeable wings so I can modify my configuration based on my dive profile. I don't like the fact that I can't dive doubles if I choose to with my current BCD. Firstly, how hard do you guys think it'd be to sell a barely used Air 2 or Excursion? I don't want to take a complete dive, no pun intended, by not getting any money back out of the equipment.

Also, what would you guys recommend for a new octo? I want to keep my regulator, I love that Aqua Lung Titan, but I want to switch to a traditional 4-hose octo with the alternate air source separate from the inflater hose. I'm looking at either the Zeagle Brigade from Scuba Toys or maybe a Dive Rite BCD. I'm kind of on a budget...to be honest, I'll probably be financing this upgrade in large part due to the stimulus rebate check. But hey, I'll be doing my part by spending it to help the economy get back on track! (we'll forget the fact that the large influx of money without any change in GDP will only cause an increase in inflation since no one can expect policy makers to do anything intelligent more than once in a blue moon)

 

[Papa_Bear]

Okay sonny here it is, don't up grade until you graduate! Put the extra money into Exxon-Mobile stock and put your learnin to practice! You have to separate needs from wants! Then for graduation get a dive-rite and the new Aries II Reg! Dive safe!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What dive rite BC are you looking at? If you plan on diving doubles in the future save yourself alot of grief and buy a BPW( back plate and wing) set up with a standard HOG harness. I recommend the DSS (Deep Sea Supply) products. As for octo get one that breathes as well as your primary. Since your diving an AL reg get an AL octo. Eitheer the Titan/ Calypso or the xtx40 or 50. If you're getting the 600 stimulous you can get the DSS single tank rig( SS plate, HOG harness, and your choice of most of their wings for 455 bucks from them direct) and the Titan octo and most likely still have change left over! An octo and hose that will serve you well should run you no more than 100 bucks or so.

 

[emttim]

Okay sonny here it is, don't up grade until you graduate! Put the extra money into Exxon-Mobile stock and put your learnin to practice! You have to separate needs from wants! Then for graduation get a dive-rite and the new Aries II Reg! Dive safe!

Well, fair enough. although I've found oil exploration stocks seem to be where it's at right now, the Exxon & Chevron stocks are so high-priced right now with little chance of moving that much up or down that there's not much money to be made off of them except maybe in the long term.

What dive rite BC are you looking at? If you plan on diving doubles in the future save yourself alot of grief and buy a BPW( back plate and wing) set up with a standard HOG harness. I recommend the DSS (Deep Sea Supply) products. As for octo get one that breathes as well as your primary. Since your diving an AL reg get an AL octo. Eitheer the Titan/ Calypso or the xtx40 or 50. If you're getting the 600 stimulous you can get the DSS single tank rig( SS plate, HOG harness, and your choice of most of their wings for 455 bucks from them direct) and the Titan octo and most likely still have change left over! An octo and hose that will serve you well should run you no more than 100 bucks or so.

Hmm, yeah an AL octo sounds about right. I'm honestly not sure what Dive Rite BC I'd want...I would prefer a BC with interchangeable wings so I can adjust the BC to whatever dive I want to do, whether it's singles, doubles, or something else, although I can't see myself doing tech diving in the near future since I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of rec diving so it's not like I'm bumping up against any limits.