new with Pioneer/SS backplate

[mstudley]

The material covering the Pioneer 27 is thick compared to my old SeaQuest Spectum 2 and I never had leaks in that until after 8 years or so. Why are they easy to puncture? Is it a junk bladder? Can someone give examples of how they punctured theirs? Like with a knife or just bumping into a staghorn? Falling out of your trunk on the way to the dive dite? Doing boat entries like Mo2vation's avatar? Help. Hank

It's a great wing it just seems easier to puncture than the other wings that Halcyon makes since it doesn't have the protective outer covering. I love my Pioneer but I do wish they made it with the same covering.

That being said, I think if you take proper care of the wing you won't have any issues but accidents do happen.

 

[Hank49]

It's a great wing it just seems easier to puncture than the other wings that Halcyon makes since it doesn't have the protective outer covering. I love my Pioneer but I do wish they made it with the same covering.

That being said, I think if you take proper care of the wing you won't have any issues but accidents do happen.

Below is a quote from "the Scuba Shop's" (where I bought mine, which is on the way this week) webpage regarding the wing. I believe my SeaQuest Spectum2 was only 400 denier and the Specturm 4 was 800...pretty much like heavy canvas. Is this a new feature for 2005? It seems this is a pretty heavy duty covering material. Oh please, oh please.....

"All wings in the Pioneer system are made of 1000 Denier Weldable Cordura, RF Welded, and edge stitched."

 

[H2Andy]

I found mine with a knife hole through it one day.

maybe they were aiming to cut your hose... and missed?

 

[mstudley]

Below is a quote from "the Scuba Shop's" (where I bought mine, which is on the way this week) webpage regarding the wing. I believe my SeaQuest Spectum2 was only 400 denier and the Specturm 4 was 800...pretty much like heavy canvas. Is this a new feature for 2005? It seems this is a pretty heavy duty covering material. Oh please, oh please.....

"All wings in the Pioneer system are made of 1000 Denier Weldable Cordura, RF Welded, and edge stitched."

Look, you'll be fine with the pioneer wing. Here's some text and a picture from Halcyon's website that I hope helps:

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Halcyon builds the Eclipse's outer shell from 1680-denier ballistic nylon. We then add an inner bladder constructed from the same puncture-resistant 400-denier Nylon inner-bladder material used in the Explorer."

The Pioneer does NOT have this zippered outer shell thing. The wing is very durable but MORE puncture prone than the ones that have this outer shell. Don't worry about it. Put the thing together when you get it and go out and dive.
[/font]

 

[Hank49]

maybe they were aiming to cut your hose... and missed?

that was cold Andy...too cold...

 

[Hank49]

Look, you'll be fine with the pioneer wing. [/font]

That's pretty much what I figured. With every other BCD I've seen you'd have to try pretty hard to puncture it. But when you read these stories on the Internet.... where everything is true.....

 

[Hank49]

Well, it appears I'm not the only one in Belize "new with Pioneer bp/wing". The customs guys have been calling our office and me for three days trying to figure out what this thing is before they release it. Like, "you use a steel plate for diving"? "So, how does this wing thing work?. So this would be considered a water sports item"? GEEEEEEZ guys !!!! SCUBA diving gear!!! I'm hoping to have it by Christmas.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Must be the dry Pioneer wings that are puncture prone. My 27# wing has had four years of abuse and is just fine.

 

[kidspot]

Must be the dry Pioneer wings that are puncture prone. My 27# wing has had four years of abuse and is just fine.

I hear the secret in salt water is to either clean well after diving or never let it get dry between dives by going diving ... I like the sound of the second option myself ...

 

[Hank49]

This BP/wing is the best smelling BCD I ever had. It makes my hungry. And the wing cover looks pretty thick so I would guess it's alright. One of the grommet nuts was gone from Customs opening it up and trying for three days to figure out what it was. But I fabricated something in our shop to work.
Luckily it was assembled so I'm out there tomorrow unless the usually unreliable weather report is right for a change (calling for thunderstorms). They probably will be since I really want to get out and try this thing. The problem is it says "DIR" right on the thing. What will I tell my friends?