littlce
Contributor
Well, I just got my new BC in and tried it out in the pool and I thought I'd share my "newbie" impressions of the quality with you.
I cut back on buying a nighthawk from my LDS to save money toward buying a better reg setup, so I was looking around for good - inexpensive BCDs when I came across a review for a Triple-L or Scuba-L Orion. The review seemed positive and the cost was good, so I decided to look them up. Don't ask me why they have two names, but they seem to be moving away from Triple-L and moving toward Scuba-L as a brand marking. In any case, Please find below my impressions of this BC.
Their web site has two faces. The first is their US web site found at http://www.scubal.com. The other face is their international web site which can link from the US site or you can go directly there at http://worldwide.scubal.com. They have several BCs on their International web site, but not as many on the US site. It also appears that their newer models are released on the international site first which is where I found mine. What I got was a BC called the Cratos. It is the same BC as the Orion (back inflation) but with white markings and white pull tabs for integrated weights as opposed to the yellow of the Orion.
I asked their sales department which BC would fit my dimensions since I was squarely in between sizes. They put me at XL, but to be sure I read more reviews from users on SB. They all said that the chart was large and to order down if you were on the border between sizes. I'm so glad I followed their advice and ordered a Large instead. When the BCD arrived it fit me perfectly with room to spare... If you order from here... order down a size if you are on the border or if you are even on the bottom of your size dimensions from the chart.
I got my BC about 3 weeks after I ordered it because I also ordered two custom wetsuits (look for my coming wet suit review) and a gear bag. So the wetsuits delayed the order from shipping for a while, but once it shipped, they sent me a tracking number and it arrived quickly (DHL International Express.)
When I took it out of the box, I was expecting some assembly, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was already put together for me from the factory... and boy is this BC solid... It appears to be a soft (STIFF nylon) backplate/harness thingie with a fitting bladder assembly that fits like a jacket on the backplate's construction. If you puncture this bc, you can just replace the bladder or patch it and you are ready to go! There is a padded back also that is comfortable.
There are good quality Stainless D rings all over this thing! The web site says 11, but I count 12... 2 on the front of each shoulder strap (4 together), 4 on the sides of the back plate (2 on each side), and two underneath the "arms" (4 together) of the very solidly constructed cummerbund.
The cummberbund has a wide non-stretchy standard cinche belt that you tighten by pulling two d rings attached to a plastic buckle assembly that you see standard on most BCDs... of course there is the obligatory velcro to help it stay put while you tighten it. The cummerbund also has a pouch that you can pull off if you don't need it... it doesn't really reattach anywhere else that I can figure. There are also two interesting little modular pockets on the waist next to the bladder. They can be moved anywhere on the bc or kept in place. The pockets are divided in half and both halves have sturdy zippers to close them but there is also a buckle that wraps around them vertically further securing these pockets. I am really impressed with them. They easily fit my three lbs. trim weight in one half of the pocket with room to spare.
This BC has a modular design meaning you can take parts off and replace them with other parts, so if your bladder gets damaged you can replace it... or the jacket over the bladder... or the cummerbund or shoulderstraps.
The inflator/deflator hose looks cool (yeah it's cosmetic) and feels very sturdy. The controls are made of chromed stainless steel and it comes with its own low pressure inflator hose attached with a quick disconnect. The construction of the entire unit appears and feels very sturdy and very high quality. There is a standard dump valve at the beginning of the hose that works very well as the top dump valve. Two other dump valves are at the bottom lobes of the bladder... they also work very well.
The tank straps are VERY solid construction and double straps so your single tank will not shift. I don't know if this BC is able to be modified for two tanks, but I wouldn't think so.
The shoulders are adjustable, have two wrap straps (one for your inflator hose), an adjustable chest buckle, and also reflective tape strips.
The integrated weight system is good. I would have preferred a buckle system (available on the Orion3 on the international site), but this is a velcro only system - however it is well designed. There are even stiff backings on the pockets that aid you in inserting them... I hate floppy weight pockets
.
In summary, this BCD is a well designed and sturdy unit that will last a long time. It is well worth the money and then some and I would recommend this BC to anyone at all. It is that good.
If you have any questions please post them here and I will modify this review.
I cut back on buying a nighthawk from my LDS to save money toward buying a better reg setup, so I was looking around for good - inexpensive BCDs when I came across a review for a Triple-L or Scuba-L Orion. The review seemed positive and the cost was good, so I decided to look them up. Don't ask me why they have two names, but they seem to be moving away from Triple-L and moving toward Scuba-L as a brand marking. In any case, Please find below my impressions of this BC.
Their web site has two faces. The first is their US web site found at http://www.scubal.com. The other face is their international web site which can link from the US site or you can go directly there at http://worldwide.scubal.com. They have several BCs on their International web site, but not as many on the US site. It also appears that their newer models are released on the international site first which is where I found mine. What I got was a BC called the Cratos. It is the same BC as the Orion (back inflation) but with white markings and white pull tabs for integrated weights as opposed to the yellow of the Orion.
I asked their sales department which BC would fit my dimensions since I was squarely in between sizes. They put me at XL, but to be sure I read more reviews from users on SB. They all said that the chart was large and to order down if you were on the border between sizes. I'm so glad I followed their advice and ordered a Large instead. When the BCD arrived it fit me perfectly with room to spare... If you order from here... order down a size if you are on the border or if you are even on the bottom of your size dimensions from the chart.
I got my BC about 3 weeks after I ordered it because I also ordered two custom wetsuits (look for my coming wet suit review) and a gear bag. So the wetsuits delayed the order from shipping for a while, but once it shipped, they sent me a tracking number and it arrived quickly (DHL International Express.)
When I took it out of the box, I was expecting some assembly, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was already put together for me from the factory... and boy is this BC solid... It appears to be a soft (STIFF nylon) backplate/harness thingie with a fitting bladder assembly that fits like a jacket on the backplate's construction. If you puncture this bc, you can just replace the bladder or patch it and you are ready to go! There is a padded back also that is comfortable.
There are good quality Stainless D rings all over this thing! The web site says 11, but I count 12... 2 on the front of each shoulder strap (4 together), 4 on the sides of the back plate (2 on each side), and two underneath the "arms" (4 together) of the very solidly constructed cummerbund.
The cummberbund has a wide non-stretchy standard cinche belt that you tighten by pulling two d rings attached to a plastic buckle assembly that you see standard on most BCDs... of course there is the obligatory velcro to help it stay put while you tighten it. The cummerbund also has a pouch that you can pull off if you don't need it... it doesn't really reattach anywhere else that I can figure. There are also two interesting little modular pockets on the waist next to the bladder. They can be moved anywhere on the bc or kept in place. The pockets are divided in half and both halves have sturdy zippers to close them but there is also a buckle that wraps around them vertically further securing these pockets. I am really impressed with them. They easily fit my three lbs. trim weight in one half of the pocket with room to spare.
This BC has a modular design meaning you can take parts off and replace them with other parts, so if your bladder gets damaged you can replace it... or the jacket over the bladder... or the cummerbund or shoulderstraps.
The inflator/deflator hose looks cool (yeah it's cosmetic) and feels very sturdy. The controls are made of chromed stainless steel and it comes with its own low pressure inflator hose attached with a quick disconnect. The construction of the entire unit appears and feels very sturdy and very high quality. There is a standard dump valve at the beginning of the hose that works very well as the top dump valve. Two other dump valves are at the bottom lobes of the bladder... they also work very well.
The tank straps are VERY solid construction and double straps so your single tank will not shift. I don't know if this BC is able to be modified for two tanks, but I wouldn't think so.
The shoulders are adjustable, have two wrap straps (one for your inflator hose), an adjustable chest buckle, and also reflective tape strips.
The integrated weight system is good. I would have preferred a buckle system (available on the Orion3 on the international site), but this is a velcro only system - however it is well designed. There are even stiff backings on the pockets that aid you in inserting them... I hate floppy weight pockets
.In summary, this BCD is a well designed and sturdy unit that will last a long time. It is well worth the money and then some and I would recommend this BC to anyone at all. It is that good.
If you have any questions please post them here and I will modify this review.
