Oceanic's Outrigger HLT BCD - Has anyone tried it?

[cadiver67]

Hi,

I am looking to purchase a BCD and want a back inflate type but am a little worried about the tendency go forward at the surface.

The Oceanic Outrigger HLT has a front bladder that inflates to keep you upright.

Has anyone tried it out. Is it cool or just a dumb idea?

Thanks
cadiver67

 

[amascuba]

going forward on the surface isn't bad. You just lean back and relax like you were laying on a inner tube. I've not used the outrigger, but I've used the Chute 3, which the outrigger was derived from and the Chute 3 is a good bcd IMHO.

 

[ronbeau]

Hi,

I am looking to purchase a BCD and want a back inflate type but am a little worried about the tendency go forward at the surface.

The Oceanic Outrigger HLT has a front bladder that inflates to keep you upright.

Has anyone tried it out. Is it cool or just a dumb idea?

Thanks
cadiver67

I have the same question that you do. My LDS is supposed to get a Oceanic Outrigger HLT demo unit in arond the beginning of April. I am interested in it for the same resons you are.

Send me a PM as a reminder to send you a message once I have had an opportunity to try it.

If you get more information in the mean time let me know.

 

[dcoller]

I have one and I like it a lot. Its very streamlined. the ONLY thing it could use is more weight pockets. Mine hold 20lbs max and I dive with 24lbs (Im a big dude and its cold here!

I actually have a brand new XL outrigger for sale if anyone is interested.

 

[ZzzKing]

Sounds like a solution in search of a problem to me.

 

[pasley]

Hi,

I am looking to purchase a BCD and want a back inflate type but am a little worried about the tendency go forward at the surface.
...

Back inflate BCs do not push you forward in normal use. Normal use at the surface is floating with yoru chin out of water. If you remember that a BC is at the surface is only suppose to keep your head out of the water you will be fine.

The trouble comes when divers attempt to inflate the BC too much so they float high out of the water (some seem to want to be verticle with their navels out of the water) with their chest above the surface. When you try to ride high out of the water using a back inflate bc, naturally you have put air into almost all if not all of the bladder. The bladder in turn attempts to rise out of the water and ridesup onyour boddy and this in turn pushes you face down into the water.

In a Jacket BC the air is distributed more around you and so as the BC attempts to rise above the water you don't go face down. Jacket BC also are designed to float you with your head or at most shoulder out of the water.

I dive a jacket BC (becasue that is what I bought when I got certified), but recently rented a back inflate. I did not notice any issues of the back inflate pushing my face into the water. But then, I only put a little air in my BC, enough to establish flotation and keep my head above the water.

To put it another way, this new BC sounds like a great solution to a non-existent problem. IF you feel like your back inflate BC is pushing you over, and planting your face into the water two solutions come to mind; 1. let a little air out of the BC and 2: install a crotch strap.

Bottome line, buy the BC you like for the performance DURING the dive. A BC is not a life perserver, but a buoancy Control device. The surface swim with it is a minor part of the dive and IMHO should not be the controling factor in the purchase of a BC, the dive performance should be.

 

[cerich]

Pasley gave an excellent description of diving with a back floatation BCD.

Just a few points in regard to the Outrigger

Everyone I know (including me) when they first see the unit have questions as to how helpful the outrigger front bladder actually is, that's normal when you consider how different the unit is compared to others in the market.

To start to appreciate it you need to actually dive it, a shop demo is actually a bad demo because it just doesn't look right. We have a video that we had produced showing the unit in use in water for that very reason.

It is one of the most comfortable diving BCD's I have used, and many instructors that I have had dive it all comment the same, including some very initially critical ones!

I see particular value in deploying when floating around waiting to be picked up after a dive or when the sea isn’t so calm as to allow you to just inflate enough that you aren’t pushed forward is feasible.

 

[300bar]

And where can we see this video:huh:
As a dutch oceanic dealer i love to see it,but have not heard
of it yet

 

[Nova SS]

I looked at it (online) and the Excursion and I purchased the Excursion, price looked a little better to my eyes.

I just used it today and it worked great, even on the surface. Just use a little air and lean back a bit. I could float all day.

 

[Doug Krause]

And where can we see this video:huh:
As a dutch oceanic dealer i love to see it,but have not heard
of it yet

Our authorized dealers in the US have a DVD - will see what I can do to get it on the web site. In the meantime, if anyone's interested, PM or email me your address and I'll see that we send you a copy.

Doug