Mares AirTrim System

[cbrussell]

Waht are the experiences/thoughts on teh Mares AirTrim sytem use d on teir Dragon BC? What about the Mares Dragon BC? Pros/cons.
Thanks

 

[blainer]

My wife dives with a Dragon with air trim, ans she loves it. She had taken her cert with a dacor that had it and really liked it. I think it is a great system, i have not tried it as her bc is too small for me, but it really works well for her. So well that i am thinking of upgrading my bc to a dragon AT. As for the BC itself the quality is great. It is a little on the heavy side, almost 10 lbs. But a really well made BC.

 

[marvin.denney]

I'm also interested in a comparison between the Mares Air Trim and Aqua Lungs i3 BCDs.

 

[Sirto]

Waht are the experiences/thoughts on teh Mares AirTrim sytem use d on teir Dragon BC? What about the Mares Dragon BC? Pros/cons.
Thanks

I've used the AirTrim system for about 6 years and really love it. I also know exactly where to reach for the controls and can vent in almost any orientation without having to grab for different vent controls.

The mechanism does add some weight but I think it's worth the weight. Be aware tha you need to have air pressure to open the vent valves.

 

[blackcloud]

I have a Dragon with the airtrim for 3 years and if anything were to happen to this one I would buy another in a heartbeat. very easy to use and it feels very natural to just reach down and hit a button without fumbling for your inflator hose.

 

[Djstorm100]

I've used the AirTrim system for about 6 years and really love it. I also know exactly where to reach for the controls and can vent in almost any orientation without having to grab for different vent controls.

The mechanism does add some weight but I think it's worth the weight. Be aware tha you need to have air pressure to open the vent valves.

I know this thread is old, sorry for that.

But! You can vent almost any orinetation? What about inverted? I have one as well and cant seem to dump once I go inverted. Don't ask me why I do this..I do lol. Sometimes I like going head first.

 

[Sirto]

But! You can vent almost any orinetation? What about inverted? I have one as well and cant seem to dump once I go inverted. Don't ask me why I do this..I do lol. Sometimes I like going head first.

There is a valve in the back of the bc at the bottom which should allow you to vent while inverted though I've never actually tried doing this.

 

[Djstorm100]

Reason I ask is because I have one. I went inverted and I started to ascend (go up) I exhuasted and started to let air out of my BC but I didnt hear/see/feel any bubbles (air) coming out. I was weighted properly. When I would hit the button to release air out of the bc I would hear the vavles clicking. Well its one click but you get the idea.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have had a Mares Dragonfly air trim for 10 years and love it. The clicking you hear is the valves opening and closing, so they are working. The valves work with air pressure. so they will work in any position. But when I first got mine the valves were stuck closed because the factory put too much silicone grease on them. I just wiped some off and they have worked fine ever since.

 

[Djstorm100]

Yea I understand how it works. 10 years eh? makes me feel good about the quality of the BC as long as I maintain it. I'm ANAL as hell when it comes to cleaning the gear. I'll clean my gf and I's gear after a dive even if it is in fresh water, I'll clean it as if we were in salt water then let it air dry in the garage out of the sun.

Maybe it was because when I went inverted I started to breathe different holding more air in my lungs which caused me to be more buoyantt, when then made me rise and with the air expanding it made me accelerate up toward the surface? Just a idea.

I've also notice that not all 100% of the air comes out of my Mares Dragon AT, maybe like 98% if I pull on the back up valve on the right shoulder the other 2 % of air comes out. Is this normal?