Pearl i3 - looking for feedback

[diverinpink]

Can anyone give me their opinion on the women's Seaquest/AquaLung "Pearl" vs the "Pearl i3"?? The pockets seemd small and the pocket zippers "sticky".

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Be vary cautious with the I3, read the following post and see how it almost cost the diver his life.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3443054-post47.html

 

[carrielsal]

I have the Pearl i3 that I wear with classes. I went with this BC because it fit me well and I wanted to free up my left side from hoses. I use a Viper Air computer with transmitter when I wear this BC, hence no hoses and nothing dangling from my left side.
At first I thought the i3 was kind of gimmicky. It took a few dives before I instinctively know which way to move the inflator lever. Now it's the only BC I will wear on recreational dives.
I had one issue with it, though. Our local lake has a sunken pecan grove that I frequently dive in. The trees are relatively close together with lots of branches, so entanglement is always an issue. I was at about 100' when I started rising very suddenly . I exhaled, but it made no difference. I grabbed a tree branch and started dumping air. I think what had happened was that either a small tree branch or fishing line caught on the i3 inflator, thereby pushing the lever down self-inflating.
I think the Pearl i3 is an extremely comfortable woman's BC. I still like the i3, but I no longer wear it where I am not in wide open spaces.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

I have the Pearl i3 that I wear with classes. I went with this BC because it fit me well and I wanted to free up my left side from hoses. I use a Viper Air computer with transmitter when I wear this BC, hence no hoses and nothing dangling from my left side.
At first I thought the i3 was kind of gimmicky. It took a few dives before I instinctively know which way to move the inflator lever. Now it's the only BC I will wear on recreational dives.
I had one issue with it, though. Our local lake has a sunken pecan grove that I frequently dive in. The trees are relatively close together with logs of branches, so entanglement is always an issue. I was at about 100' when I started rising very suddenly . I exhaled, but it made no difference. I grabbed a tree branch and started dumping air. I think what had happened was that either a small tree branch or fishing line caught on the i3 inflator, thereby pushing the lever down self-inflating.
I think the Pearl i3 is an extremely comfortable woman's BC. I still like the i3, but I no longer wear it where I am not in wide open spaces.

Sounds like your 50/50 chance of dieing turned out for the best...Welcome back & Thanks for sharing....

 

[carrielsal]

Sounds like your 50/50 chance of dieing turned out for the best...Welcome back & Thanks for sharing....

 

[diverinpink]

thanks for the responses. I'm still researching. To Carrie - what BCD do you use if you're not in wide open water?

 

[carrielsal]

If I am not with classes I am in my hog rig. Doubles with ss backplate wing.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

If I am not with classes I am in my hog rig. Doubles with ss backplate wing.

Do you only dive doubles with the BP/W?

 

[shoturtle]

The wife likes the Mares Kalia, more room uptop for more well endowed. She did not care for the funny chest thing of the pearl.

 

[carrielsal]

Do you only dive doubles with the BP/W?

This year if I'm not DM'ing for classes I'm always in doubles. It keeps things simple. I have thought about getting a DSS wing for a single tank, but there's always something else scuba related I'd rather spend that money on.