please tell me your fav bc & why

[Gator Diver]

I like the Seaquest Balance or Zeagle Escape (as far
as BCs go). Both are streamilined and do not
contain unneccessary pockets in my opinion.
They both give a sense of increased freedom
of movment compared to a Ranger type BC.

 

[Blue Kangaroo]

BCD's I like

Buddy - quality but heavy. I don't like the air2 though.

Zeagle wing - nice and light for travel + great quality

Anything by seaquest - great fit and bullet proof.

I personally don't like Mares - they don't stand up to diving day in day out. The pockets rot, stitching breaks and they quickly look awful. However I did see a posting by Sydney_diver saying that Mares was bullet proof. So who knows.

any Comments on Mares gear ?
The fins are truly great (- with the exception of the fiddly little ski boot clips. These break, get lost - keep it simple.) but I've heard poor reports on both regs and Bcs.
Mares seem to invest a lot of cash in to marketing and innovation - which ( IMHO) is a good thing.


Interested in comments

Blue

 

[kd5izq]

BC
I have fallen in love with the Chute III, lot's of pockets, but not a lot of bulk (not real able to pack small though, but we won't do but maybe one blue water trip a year). Back inflate, which to me is more comfortable and easy to manuver in in the water. Very well made and as said before lots of d-rings to hang your goodies on. Had been diving a Genesis Recon, it was a very nice BC, just too big for me.

Regs
USD Micras were what I started out with, and my wife took those over, she and I both prefer the smaller platform and easy of breathing. Since she took those I went with the Oceanic Zeta. VERY, VERY, VERY easy and dry breather regardless of position, though is very prone to run away free flow's at the surface if it get's just "thrown" into the water, but I don't care I still love my Zeta.

 

[ScottyK]

BIGSAGE136 once bubbled...
It has 2 convenient and roomy side velcro pockets, and a large fold out mesh pocket that are easy to get to with gloved hands.

Safe diving.

You're kidding me

I bought a new Chute III this spring after my Chute II's seventh birthday. The II still looks and performs like new, by the way, but I wanted the updated weight pockets.

I've been diving it all summer, and never even noticed the fold out mesh pocket. I gotta check that out when I get home tonight.

So much for being observant

Scott

 

[kd5izq]

Thats the tricked out thing about it, it's on the right side, and tucks up in the bc, behind the weight pocket. It has a little plastic d-ring that you can use to pull it out. Really cool, I know a buddy that has the Chute III as well and he had in that one pocket, 1 pair reef gloves, flashlight, and a surface whistle.

 

[ew1usnr]

Maybe its a "special use" BC, but I find myself using it more and more. I like that it allows me a choice of either using it if I'm doing a deep dive, or just using the back pack if the dive is shallow. I like the bright yellow color and the simpicity of the manual inflator. An auto-inflator is a needless complication if I don't have an inflator hose. I also like the virtually indestructable rubberized material that it is made of. And it is light weight and packs very easily in a dive bag. And I liked the price at $15 new in the box.

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Folks at one time this was the epitome of HI TECH!=-)

 

[ew1usnr]

I think that I was just called a "Technical Diver"!

 

[jplacson]

Halcyon BP with Pioneer 27 wings. I was actually looking at the 18# wings but Halcyon doesn't make them anymore.

This is my very first BC after all the years of rentals.

I like it (just like any other BP/wings setup) cuz it feels like you're not wearing a BC at all!!!

It's like swimming with just your wetsuit and fins... it's fun.

I also like the fact that the wing extends a bit higher than most BCs and acts like a pillow between my head and your reg. I wear the plate a bit higher than normal, it's more comfortable for me that way.

 

[Waterborne]

Just woulld like to get a sense of the following from as many of you as possible:

1) favourite bc for recreational scuba diving - general use, day to day
3) favourite bc for special circumstances & what you use it for

I use a BP/wings setup for all of my diving. I have a Pioneer 27 for singles and an AUL 55 for doubles. I have an AL and an SS backplate depending on what tanks and wing I'm using. The key to it though is that everything is the same across the board. All I have to do is change tanks and wings. Also in the water it is extremely comfortable.
For regs, my singles rig is, Scubapro MK16, G250 (older style) primary, R380 backup, and an OMS brass SPG. For doubles, add another MK16.