Scubapro BCs / stabilizing jacket design

[diveforfunmike]

Hi Fellow Divers,

I'd sure appreciate feedback from those of you who use scubapro BCs. The stabilization jacket design seems like it would work great for any underwater position. Does anyone else make BCs based on this design principle?

 

[erwin]

I have used the stabilizing jacket and it is true what you say about it holding any position underwater. Very good and solid BC.

ScubaPro now sells that same jacket ( with improvements ) as the Classic.

If you have the old model ( the orange one ) hang on to it since a Japanese friend told me that this model is prized by collectors in Japan and costs more than a new Classic BCD.

As far as copies of this jacket is concerned I know that Beuchat produced a copy of this jacket but I seem to remember other manufacturers also making this type of jacket. Try the Seac Sub website.

 

[Walter]

The Classic is not an improvement on the stab jacket. The stab jack is far superior. The Classic Sport is basically the same design as the stab without the liabilities of the Classic.

 

[ew1usnr]

The old orange Scubapro stab jacket is my favorite BC (for diving with a single tank). Underwater, it's easy to hold any position and air shifting as you change position is not very noticible. The one thing about them is since they do not have a webbing harness they are not very adjustable. So, it is more important than on an adjustable BC to make sure that you get the correct size (S, M, L).

An orange BC makes sense because it helps a diver be seen on the surface by boats. It seems that the overwhelming majority of new BC's are all black with maybe some color choice as far as trim. Why does every one want black BC's now? The only advantage that I can think of is that they do not show dirt and mildew as easily.

 

[backinthewater]

I have been using my Scubapro stabilizing jacket since 1980 and have never had single problem with it. If the newer models are similar, sounds great.

I do have a question for the other stab jacket divers out there. Since I replaced my wetsuit (new one has no pockets), and since my jacket has no pockets, I have no storage area. Any ideas? My jacket has two hooks, one on each side.

Thanks

 

[ew1usnr]

The pockets were an option on the old stab jackets. They were sold separately and came with clips that hooked onto rings on the BC. I don't know if Scubapro still sells the pockets. I've never seen just a pocket for sale on ebay. You may have to improvise. Dive Rite sells zipper bags. You could attach one of those to your BC, but they charge about $25 for those things. You could probably go to K-Mart or Wal-Mart and find a similar velcro-closure pouch (maybe a CD case?) that would work and be a lot cheaper.

 

[erwin]

While i agree with Walter the the stabilizing jacket is superior to the Classic ( as sold today ), you may recall that the old stabilizing jacket was sold under the name of Classic in the 90's with some improvements ( most noticeable of which was the addition of pockets ). If I recall correctly it was only in 1999 or 2000 that they started major tinkering with the old design ( ie. addition of integrated weights ) with the advent of the short-lived Classic NT.

Conclusion: You cannot say that just because the jacket has the name of Classic on it that it did not have improvements over the old stabilizing jacket.

 

[reubencahn]

I have a "Classic" purchased in 2000 that has only pockets, no weight integration or excess padding. My son's "Classic" purchased in 2002 has both. These are great bcs but you must get the sizing right since there is no shoulder adjustability. Try a size smaller than you think you need. I'm 6' 195lb and comfortably wear a medium. Having said that, I'm probably going to go the bp/wings route and sell mine.

 

[ew1usnr]

The wings devotees will argue, but this line from another thread illustrates what is nice about the stab jacket:

"I'm my open water class with a jacket BC I was rolling all around and unstable in the water, with the Halcyon unit I'm planted in a great horizontal orientation."

That's great. But the stab jacket allows me to roll around. That's not a weakness. That's it's beauty. The wings are fine if you want to be "firmly planted in a horizontal", but I like freedom of movement and don't want to be firmly planted in any position. On the wings there is a more noticible shift in air if you roll from side to side than in the stab jacket, because the stab jacket is wrapped around you and the air doesn't have to move as far.

I dive wings on my doubles and they are OK, but I don't want to roll to my side with the doubles anyway. For my single tank, I have a SeaTec and a Scubapro wings BC. I know what wings are like. They are OK, and I dive with them. But for me, the stab jacket allows more freedom of movement, and is more "forgettable", as if I'm not wearing a BC.