Scubapro Knighthawk or Zeagle Ranger?

[billvb]

Hi all,

We just came back from a trip to the Caribbean and I had a terrible dive experience with shoddy gear that has steeled me to getting our own regulators and BCs and schlepping them to all future dives. I'm really partial to BCs with the inflatable bladders on the back - I bought an At Pac in the late 70's, the original integrated backpack/weight/back-mounted inflation BC. There was some controversy about these, but I loved it - the balance and stability in the water is perfect; I sold it and all my other gear during a long land-locked, non-diving stint (nearly 20 years ago...).

So, I'm looking at getting a pair of BCs with back inflation for my daughter and myself. I like and trust Scubapro equipment - with my own gear and all of the rental gear I've used I've never had a bad experience - and some folks on the 'net seem really happy with their Knighthawks. On the other hand, the Zeagle Ranger has some serious fans, and I'm always happy to buy stuff that was made by folks working here in the US. Does anybody have experience with both of these? Any strong preferences?

Thanks for the help!

-Bill

 

[JustinW]

I'm not strongly opposed to the ranger but i really like the fit and feel of my knighthawk. I like the buckle system with the scubapro and the way the bladder is designed. to not flop around. Oh the downside, i don't like the current buckles on the shoulder straps. I have seen 4 or so fail as the tabs for the side release buckles snap off and can't support the load of a cold water diver, should be great if you are just using it for resort diving in the tropics.

-Both companies stand behind their product
-both make good products

i say look at the features and decide which features are more important to you. The buckle system for the tank wins hands down on the scubapro IMO every time.

 

[Jason Ooi]

I will recommend Zeager Ranger is "Great"

 

[Hoosier]

Knighthawk.....

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

sure do love my knighthawk...it's well made.

 

[Scubagolf]

Another option is the Zeagle Brigade, which is a Ranger equipped with a smaller (35 lb.) bladder. I have a Brigade and love it. It has plenty of lift for me (6'2", 210#) diving single tanks. It is available only from ScubaToys.com.

 

[CompuDude]

Both are solid choices. It's a tough decision between the two if you have ready access to local shops that service both.

If you ever need support in the Caribbean, however, ScubaPro might be a better choice, due to their extensive international network.

On the other hand, the Zeagle warranty is much better, assuming you have access to warranty service when you need it.

Oh, obligatory bp/w recommendation: Have you considered a backplate and wing instead of a bulky BC? Just something to ponder. www.deepseasupply.com

 

[DiveTub]

GO the Ranger
A Much stronger and better built BCD, I had a Knighthawk and all the stiching started to come apart after a hundred dives or so, I have seen Rangers with over 1500 dives and still going strong

Cheers
Chriso

 

[dl348]

The Ranger fits me great, and I like the Ripcord system. It's definitely built very well and has plenty of lift. Also, Zeagle has a lifetime warranty and their customer service is awesome. I'm going to be buying my wife a Zeagle Lazer later this year.

 

[DiveMaven]

Can't beat Zeagle's quality and customer service IMO.