pool report--Triple-L Stratos BCD

[Moogyboy]

hey all

I went to assist a friend of mine with an underwater photo shoot yesterday at my LDS, and so I thought to use the opportunity to try some of my more recent gear purchases in the pool. I used my just acquired US Divers Pro Diver as my reg, see short review in Regulators forum. I also tried out my new Stratos BCD (size L), over just my swim trunks and about 9 or 10 lbs of weight in my pouch belt.

First thing I noticed on getting it wet was that the velcro and maybe other fabric seemed impregnated with starch or something from the factory, I could feel it on my fingers. No biggie, it's brand new, I expect something like that. The BC seems a bit heavier than my old Nautica, and stiffer fabric. Again, no surprise. Once I got it on in the water, loaded with tank and regs, is when it got interesting. It almost seems as if it got bigger in the water, as in fit more loosely than I'd thought it did on land. In particular, I noticed that the whole BCD rides up when I've inflated it. Uh oh, I think to myself, please don't tell me that even this one is too big on me. I didn't think to try trimming my buoyancy and all in a horizontal position, or dropping my weights, but definitely at the surface I felt like I was inflating too much and not riding as high as I thought I should. I mean, I don't want snug as it almost too small, but I was thinking that my Stratos might still have been a little to loose, and I'm not sure what adjustments I can make outside of the shoulder straps. Perhaps a crotch strap is in order, although you shouldn't need one with a jacket BCD, should you? Keep in mind, like I said, that I wore no wetsuit under it; perhaps with one it would be more snug.

I also know now why others have complained about the strap and buckle in front, over the cummerbund, that elastic thing. BAD design. How is that supposed to stay put? There's really almost nothing there to keep the strap taut; just another loop or two in the buckle would help. Is there any way to replace this?

I do hope that I don't end up really really disappointed, because physically it's a nice effin BCD. I will keep yall posted. And if you have any insights/recommendations/tips/etc please let me know.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[RICHinNC]

I had the same experience with my first bcd that was a vest style. I just couldnt get that cumberbund tight enough and the whole thing would ride up.

Solved the problem.......bp and wing.....what else??
rich

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I had the same experience with my first bcd that was a vest style. I just couldnt get that cumberbund tight enough and the whole thing would ride up.

Solved the problem.......bp and wing.....what else??
rich

Wow...first reply is bp/w advocation...y'all are getting quicker.

Moogy:
Thanks for the report! Sorry it didn't seem to fit too well in the pool. Can you adjust the cummerbund where it connects to the BC? Like close it in tighter that way? Just curious because I haven't seen the Stratos before.

I'm trying to picture the elastic strap everyone talks about. Is it like those elastic chest straps you see on backpacks that allow you to take a deep breath by being stretchy?

Again, thanks for the report. Keep us updated

Gregg

 

[Moogyboy]

Wow...first reply is bp/w advocation...y'all are getting quicker.

*groan* Of course the first reply is gonna be bp/w advocation. This is ScubaBoard, what do you expect? It's like a station ID on television. "All backplates all the time." Moving on...

Moogy:
Thanks for the report! Sorry it didn't seem to fit too well in the pool. Can you adjust the cummerbund where it connects to the BC? Like close it in tighter that way? Just curious because I haven't seen the Stratos before.

I'm sure I can, but I'm not sure that's the problem. I'll play with it. As for the Stratos itself, it's just a fairly unpretentious, pretty well-built, weight-integrated jacket BCD, black with yellow lettering and trim, hard backpack, fairly standard issue design.

I'm trying to picture the elastic strap everyone talks about. Is it like those elastic chest straps you see on backpacks that allow you to take a deep breath by being stretchy?

The strap material is quite stretchy, and also doesn't have much "tooth" in the texture like nylon webbing, but I don't think that's the whole problem. It seems to be more the quick disconnect buckle, which has only one "loop" to thread the strap through and therefore there's no way to "lock" the strap like say on a tank band or a weight belt where you thread the strap material through a maze of at least two "loops". Problem is, the strap is sewn together in such a way that you need to destroy the stitching to remove the lousy buckle. Hopefully it is somehow possibe to replace without too much trouble, though.

Again, thanks for the report. Keep us updated

But of course.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[CHUD]

I have a Stratos too, and what I'm going to do eventually is replace that elastic strap entirely with a "normal" strap. I think the buckle doesn't really help matters much with the "one loop" design, but I believe the strap itself is the real problem.

But I still like the BC.

 

[Moogyboy]

I have a Stratos too, and what I'm going to do eventually is replace that elastic strap entirely with a "normal" strap. I think the buckle doesn't really help matters much with the "one loop" design, but I believe the strap itself is the real problem.

But I still like the BC.

Assuming the thing really isn't too big and I end up selling it or something, I would like to do the same thing so keep me informed on what you do and how you do it.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Marek K]

Billy--

Thanks for the report. Like I've said, I probably won't have a chance to get my new Stratos wet before next summer, so it's interesting to hear your experiences in the meantime.

Regarding that elastic strap in front, I've just got a feeling it's not supposed to hold everything tight... that it's rather just supposed to keep the fronts of the pockets from flapping around. What were the designers thinking? I tried asking Triple-L about that on their chat line, but got no response... but that's another issue that's been covered in another thread already.

It may just be the cummerbund's function, rather than the strap's, to keep the waist snug... and just be a matter of getting used to the elastic strap not being tight. Were you able to snug up the cummerbund?

Still, I agree with you that I'm probably going to have to get rid of the elastic strap. Seems like the buckle should hold just fine, with a normal non-elastic 1-1/2 inch webbing strap. With other BCs, I've always had to tug on the straps once in a while anyway to snug them up, or loosen them if necessary. This type of buckle is designed to be able to loosen it by lifting up on the "back" end.

What stitching were you saying you'd have to destroy to replace the strap? I don't see where anything would have to be un-stitched other than the elastic strap itself. Seems like it should be easy enough to order some webbing; get a tailor shop with a heavy-duty sewing machine to attach the new webbing to the existing oblong loop on the left pocket; thread the webbing through the buckle; then finally secure the existing D-ring to the other end of the webbing.

--Marek

 

[Bigkidneys]

Just got my Orion model and have to say I am very pleased. The only thing I don't care for is the chest strap which looks very cheap with nuts and bolts facing outboard for everyone to see. Easy fix though. Just take them off and fit it with a homemade loop and cinch. Worked great on my Alice pack with the Marines. I have noticed that these BCs are very functional but would all benefit with a little DIY creating for those little things like we have all mentioned in this thread. Still worth the cost IMO.

Jason

 

[Marek K]

Anybody know what the webbing straps used in scuba equipment are usually made of?

See above... I intend to replace the 1-1/2" elastic cummerbund strap on my Stratos BC with a normal non-elastic 1-1/2" webbing strap. I'd guess straps like this are usually nylon. But one web site selling bulk strapping says that nylon stretches when it's wet, and is usually not used in wet applications. (Which is why we wet our tank bands before putting them on our tanks, huh?)

The other possibilities are polypropylene or polyester. I don't think these types of straps are usually polypro; they don't feel "slimy" enough. And polyester doesn't sound right either.

I still think nylon... at $0.35 per foot.

By the way, it may not be necessary to stitch the webbing. Looks like I should be able to use nylon "slides" to lock the webbing together ($0.35 each), rather than looking for a tailor with a heavy-duty sewing machine.

--Marek