aceswerling2
Registered
I recently returned from a trip to Hawaii where I shore dove with the Zeagle Ranger I've had since 1998. Clearly, I've loved this BC for a while as it served me very well when I dove off my own boat in the Florida Keys and as I dragged it around the Caribbean and Pacific. I replaced its 44# bladder for a 24# bladder years ago to keep the size under control, especially since I didn't need that much lift with the tropical diving I do.
The Ranger is very comfortable, fits well, and is generally bulletproof. It's like a hug when I put it on and it feels like it becomes part of my body. Those characteristics motivated me to change from my Seatec Manta that used to be the hotness in the late 80s.
But during this Hawaii trip, I started to see some of the Ranger's drawbacks. It's really big and this BC takes up most of the room in my large travel dive bag, motivating me to consider replacing it. That's especially true since I'm no longer living in the Keys and all my diving involves airplanes. I've got an old Seaquest jacket-style travel BC that's nicely made and plenty light but doesn't have integrated weights, isn't very comfortable, and isn't all that stable across my back.
To that end, I'd appreciate suggestions for BCs options that are more streamlined but otherwise similar to my Ranger, especially around comfort. I've looked stuff like the Scubapro Litehawk, Oceanic Biolite, AL Rogue & Dimension, Subgear Levo, Hollis LTS, and various BP/W setups. I haven't been considering other Zeagle options because they all look bulky like the Ranger with not enough difference to make it worth a change.
My impression is that fully custom BP/W setups are the new hotness, and I understand the benefits, but those nylon straps and metal plate don't look very comfortable. In fact, they look about the same as the old Parkway Cayman I used in the mid-80s. Am I wrong on this?
Many of the other BCs look somewhat like my Seaquest with sacrificed comfort, stability, and robustness. Some of them look like they're not fully engineered. I got that feeling with the Litehawk and Biolite. The Oceanic Jetpack looks like an interesting concept but appears discontinued based on mixed customer feedback. The AL Rogue and Hollis LTS appear to be reasonable options as they look more comfortable than the others.
What do you all think? Where would you point me based on your collective experience?
Thanks in advance...
The Ranger is very comfortable, fits well, and is generally bulletproof. It's like a hug when I put it on and it feels like it becomes part of my body. Those characteristics motivated me to change from my Seatec Manta that used to be the hotness in the late 80s.
But during this Hawaii trip, I started to see some of the Ranger's drawbacks. It's really big and this BC takes up most of the room in my large travel dive bag, motivating me to consider replacing it. That's especially true since I'm no longer living in the Keys and all my diving involves airplanes. I've got an old Seaquest jacket-style travel BC that's nicely made and plenty light but doesn't have integrated weights, isn't very comfortable, and isn't all that stable across my back.
To that end, I'd appreciate suggestions for BCs options that are more streamlined but otherwise similar to my Ranger, especially around comfort. I've looked stuff like the Scubapro Litehawk, Oceanic Biolite, AL Rogue & Dimension, Subgear Levo, Hollis LTS, and various BP/W setups. I haven't been considering other Zeagle options because they all look bulky like the Ranger with not enough difference to make it worth a change.
My impression is that fully custom BP/W setups are the new hotness, and I understand the benefits, but those nylon straps and metal plate don't look very comfortable. In fact, they look about the same as the old Parkway Cayman I used in the mid-80s. Am I wrong on this?
Many of the other BCs look somewhat like my Seaquest with sacrificed comfort, stability, and robustness. Some of them look like they're not fully engineered. I got that feeling with the Litehawk and Biolite. The Oceanic Jetpack looks like an interesting concept but appears discontinued based on mixed customer feedback. The AL Rogue and Hollis LTS appear to be reasonable options as they look more comfortable than the others.
What do you all think? Where would you point me based on your collective experience?
Thanks in advance...
