Mares SLS lock system - BAD and dangerous

[Soarhuff]

Iam an advanced diver and recently lost one of the Mares Bolt weight pockets from the BC on a dive when I am 100% positive it was correctly locked in with the green color "lock" showing in the window? It pulled me up without a safety stop because my buddy couldn't hold me down. Is their a recall on these SLS weight systems? Has anyone had similar problems with this SLS system? Will the Mares manufacture acknowledge a serious problem with htis design?

I am very disappointed with this Mares Bolt SLS BCD?

 

[Alastor]

It happened even with the previous Mares MRS system.
I think that the risk to loose a pocket is intrinsic in every system that requires you pull something to dutch weights.
You can accidentally pull it, entagle somewhere and pull, or just the system can become loose with wear.
Because dutching weights should be anyway a feature you should have (unless you dive with very little ballast) I prefer those having a sort of clasp to retain pockets. They can be easily inspected, give a positive lock and, even if they are not totally failure proof, they should break when locking being no stressed during the dive.

 

[Kharon]

You couldn't vent air to stay down?????

 

[Alastor]

I suppose the question is for the OP.
And on his behalf (hoping he'll forgive me) I'd say that it depends on how many kilos (lbs) there were in the pocket he lost.
Supposing at the end of the dive, with an empty tank and 2-3 Kilos too positive (4 - 6 lbs) could be a problem to stay down doing your safety stop.
Your buddy, if correctly weighted and inexperienced could have his trouble trying to keep you down.
I often saw people doing their safety stop in a quasi-vertical position while being slightly positive is far more easy to stay horizontal and correct the positive tendency finning.
Anyway, a weight system should be reliable and ditch-able, as every agency is teaching since OW.