Mares Morphos Pro BCD

[creamer]

I completed my OW a few months ago and am starting to look at building some gear. I found a used Mares Morphos Pro BC for $250. Seller says it is in really good shape on only has 20 dives on it. Price wise it looks good, from what I can see, they used to retail between $600 and $900 new. I am just concerned about whether it will suit my needs now and in the near future.
It appears to be a hybrid style, from what I see that it back inflates primarily but as it gets close to full, it inflates side bladders. It says it provides 14 kg(30 lbs) of lift.
Now I am diving single tanks fresh water/cold water locally and some travel to tropical as well. I am planning to do a dry suit cert with my AOW this summer and will dive that locally as well. In the next few years I am interested in expanding my diving, adding ice, nitrox and maybe some deco. Eventually I would be interested in getting into some tec diving but that is down the road and I don't expect this BC to follow me there.
I know there are a lot of proponents of BP/W on here and I am considering that as well. In any event i is hard to beat the $250 price tag I think. I am concerned about the lift in relation to the diving I want to do. Also does anyone have experience with the AirTrim system? It seems weird to go rom what I am used to but the reviews I have read have said it is a natural transition.
Is there anything else I should consider here? Thanks.

 

[RJP]

Eventually I would be interested in getting into some tec diving but that is down the road and I don't expect this BC to follow me there.

Why not get one that can?

In any event i is hard to beat the $250 price tag I think. I am concerned about the lift in relation to the diving I want to do.

RJP's immutable law of dive economics:

The best way to waste money in diving is by getting a good price on the wrong gear.

 

[runsongas]

if your budget doesn't permit a new bp/w then maybe look into a used one.

 

[diversteve]

My personal opinion is it's a bad idea.

My problem with AirTrim is that it's a pneumatic system that extensively over-complicates the simple $25 inflator mechanism most other mfr's use. Using a pneumatic system underwater just strikes me as a leak waiting to happen. Also your local Mares Dealer is the only one with the parts/trained tech to service one. All just to push a button to ascend/descend.

Also since the Airtrim also controls the dump valves they're also proprietary. So check with your Mares dealer about parts availability - it's about 10 years old now. Apparently a good thing about it is on the previous Airtrim's Mares hid the manual inflator in a zipper pocket - now it's exposed.

So someone coming to your aid is going expect a standard inflator hose. Failing that they'll probably see the Airtrim. However if your problem is you just ran out of air or had a reg fail, it's not going to work. So then they have to find the Mares hose - which is smaller and inside a tube above the Airtrim. I think this is it:



And know to pull it out fully before it will work - I believe there's a one-way check valve that activates when you do. At least on the Morphos Mares thought to include manual pulls on the dumps also so said rescuer has an awkward way to vent it while attempting to bring you up. Be prepared to explain this ^ process to everyone you dive with also.

It also has looks to have a proprietary fitting on the Airtrim end and the hose is longer than a conventional hose so should you ever find yourself on a trip and renting regs, you're going to have to ask them to swap yours onto their reg set to use your BC.

It's really not a travel BC either. Pretty big and bulky from what others have posted. Being 10 years old it probably has the old style weight pockets also. I've found two of those near different moorings, my friend has lost two from her similar vintage Mares (not Morphos) BC.

It's mentioned here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...d-weight-systems/44005-mares-morphos-pro.html
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...36-anyone-own-familiar-mares-morphos-pro.html

Personally I'd pass. But I'm admittedly not a Mares fan. They use too many gimmicks IMO to differentiate themselves. And a lot of plastic. A woman here recently posted that her Mares tank suspension system broke off on both ends - at 100 dives. At 10 years old, I'd wonder what the effect is on used Morphos components.

I could be wrong but I believe that for drysuit diving a BP/W is more optimal since there's nothing squeezing the drysuit when all the inflation is behind the plate on your back. At least everyone I know diving drysuit recreationally in SoCal (cold all year) dives one. Or a Zeagle or similar back-inflate style.

 

[creamer]

Thanks for the input. I am leaning even more to the BP/W.
I have to admit, I didn't even consider the non-standard issue in rescue of the air trim inflator. That is a very good point.