seaquest
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If your mind is made up on getting a jacket-type BC, the ProQD+ is good as anything else out on the market. But make sure you get the latest version with the Sure Lock weight system.
I've been using one for a few years (100+ dives with it).
pros:
- comfortable with good adjustments,
- put together solidly,
- D-rings in the right places,
- trim weight pockets in the back,
- reasonable price.
cons:
- bulky,
- velcro weight system will wear out...but, it's possible to send the BC back to SeaQuest to have the velcro replaced (wear is a universal problem for all velcro based IW systems),
- limted pocket space.
My ProQD+ works well and it has never given me a reason to warrant replacement, but I do envy the guys that dive with the TransPacII or BP+TransplateHarness setup.
Is the "laditude" a name of another BC? I've never heard of it.
I'd stay away from SCUBA gear from obscure manufactures.
I've been using one for a few years (100+ dives with it).
pros:
- comfortable with good adjustments,
- put together solidly,
- D-rings in the right places,
- trim weight pockets in the back,
- reasonable price.
cons:
- bulky,
- velcro weight system will wear out...but, it's possible to send the BC back to SeaQuest to have the velcro replaced (wear is a universal problem for all velcro based IW systems),
- limted pocket space.
My ProQD+ works well and it has never given me a reason to warrant replacement, but I do envy the guys that dive with the TransPacII or BP+TransplateHarness setup.
Is the "laditude" a name of another BC? I've never heard of it.
I'd stay away from SCUBA gear from obscure manufactures.
RICHinNC
Contributor
Having had a SQPQD a while I would have to disagree with ifukada.....if you keep your velcro clean and properly maintained it will last a long time. I tried those Sure Locks and found nothing sure about them. There are lots of posts on here about them giving way. If the one you are buying is in good shape...and you take good care of it....you should get years of wear out of it.
My newest bcd is a DR ss bp (transplate) & wing. Going to do some pool testing with it tomorrow before I go out on a volunteer clean up dive of a local lake.
You will find it is a lot of personal preference and how you take care of your gear.
My newest bcd is a DR ss bp (transplate) & wing. Going to do some pool testing with it tomorrow before I go out on a volunteer clean up dive of a local lake.
You will find it is a lot of personal preference and how you take care of your gear.
Rich...
We've disagreed on velcro wear on another thread a little while ago.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=33855
Although I can't comment on the wear of the velcro on your particular ProQD (because I haven't seen it), I'm basing my comments on the wear of the velcro of 4 Pro QD+s (mine and 3 other divers in my dive group) that are 2~3 years old and have 100~150 dives on them.
Velcro wears out; it's just the nature of velcro (it's kinda pointless to argue this).
I will concede that improper maintenance may accelerate wear. But, after each day of diving, I soak my BC for about 30 minutes in freshwater, and slosh the inside of the bladder with freshwater. The BC then goes onto a BC hanger to dry in the shade, and the inflator hose soaks in the sink for a few hours. I think the care I give my BC is normal and reasonable.
Rich, you have never mentioned how many years and how many dives you have on your ProQD. I'd previously assumed that you did not have very many dives on your BC because, in the other thread, everyone that wouldn't ackowledge velcro wear did not own their BC for very long, or did not have very many dives on it. In this thread, you're suggesting that you've had your BC for much longer. How long? How many dives? Do you mostly dive in freshwater? If you have been able to put hundreds of salt water dives over the course of many years on your ProQD without significant wear on the velcro, you must be doing something the rest of us aren't.
I'm sure aquasport would like to like to know your secret since he's thinking about getting the ProQD+. I would certainly like to know because, I don't want to have to keep sending my BC to SeaQuest to replace the velcro every other year.
FYI: I've redistributed my weight so that I only have 6lbs of lead in each pocket. I'm hoping this will put less stress on the velcro.
We've disagreed on velcro wear on another thread a little while ago.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=33855
Although I can't comment on the wear of the velcro on your particular ProQD (because I haven't seen it), I'm basing my comments on the wear of the velcro of 4 Pro QD+s (mine and 3 other divers in my dive group) that are 2~3 years old and have 100~150 dives on them.
Velcro wears out; it's just the nature of velcro (it's kinda pointless to argue this).
I will concede that improper maintenance may accelerate wear. But, after each day of diving, I soak my BC for about 30 minutes in freshwater, and slosh the inside of the bladder with freshwater. The BC then goes onto a BC hanger to dry in the shade, and the inflator hose soaks in the sink for a few hours. I think the care I give my BC is normal and reasonable.
Rich, you have never mentioned how many years and how many dives you have on your ProQD. I'd previously assumed that you did not have very many dives on your BC because, in the other thread, everyone that wouldn't ackowledge velcro wear did not own their BC for very long, or did not have very many dives on it. In this thread, you're suggesting that you've had your BC for much longer. How long? How many dives? Do you mostly dive in freshwater? If you have been able to put hundreds of salt water dives over the course of many years on your ProQD without significant wear on the velcro, you must be doing something the rest of us aren't.
I'm sure aquasport would like to like to know your secret since he's thinking about getting the ProQD+. I would certainly like to know because, I don't want to have to keep sending my BC to SeaQuest to replace the velcro every other year.
FYI: I've redistributed my weight so that I only have 6lbs of lead in each pocket. I'm hoping this will put less stress on the velcro.
RICHinNC
Contributor
You have much better memory than me...but that happens to me a lot the older I get. I would def agree that velcro wears out eventually....all things do....but, I would still take old velcro over those Sure Locks. I am basing that on trying them out myself...not from hear say. I had pockets dislodge and fall out twice in a test dive with under 10lbs in each pocket. I am 54 so there were no great acrobatics involved and ...yes...I am sure that they "clicked" into position.
I dive in fresh water and living in NC I dive a lot off our coast. My vacations are usually in the Caribbean or the West Indies so I am familiar with salt water as well. As far as gear care, after each dive (regardless of the type of water) I spend a good deal of time in the shower cleaning my gear. And, no surprise, I spend a good deal of time on the velcro.
I find a number of people dont take the time to really clean the velcro, pick out the little hairy things that accumulate in the hooks, or ever take a toothbrush and soap to the velcro. It will extend the life greatly and keep the grip strong. Also, do not store the bcd with the pouches attached and the velcro engaged. I didnt come up with that suggestion....a professional tailor I met did. Has something to do with over or unnecessary prolonged compression of the soft part of the velcro.
Not sure if you are serious about the "every other year" comment, but if you are, I can def understand your desire to go to some other method. I would be curious as to what SQ charges to replace the velcro.
Take care and enjoy the CA sunshine....we are due for rain in NC this weekend. If you ever come out this way...give a yell...I would be glad to take you out off the coast. We have a lot of good wrecks. I am doing some more tweeking of my transplate tomorrow in the pool and get to take it on its first dive the 24th.
Later...Rich
I dive in fresh water and living in NC I dive a lot off our coast. My vacations are usually in the Caribbean or the West Indies so I am familiar with salt water as well. As far as gear care, after each dive (regardless of the type of water) I spend a good deal of time in the shower cleaning my gear. And, no surprise, I spend a good deal of time on the velcro.
I find a number of people dont take the time to really clean the velcro, pick out the little hairy things that accumulate in the hooks, or ever take a toothbrush and soap to the velcro. It will extend the life greatly and keep the grip strong. Also, do not store the bcd with the pouches attached and the velcro engaged. I didnt come up with that suggestion....a professional tailor I met did. Has something to do with over or unnecessary prolonged compression of the soft part of the velcro.
Not sure if you are serious about the "every other year" comment, but if you are, I can def understand your desire to go to some other method. I would be curious as to what SQ charges to replace the velcro.
Take care and enjoy the CA sunshine....we are due for rain in NC this weekend. If you ever come out this way...give a yell...I would be glad to take you out off the coast. We have a lot of good wrecks. I am doing some more tweeking of my transplate tomorrow in the pool and get to take it on its first dive the 24th.
Later...Rich
RICH,
Thanks for the response.
The level of care our BCs receive seems comparable (although your care is probably more meticulous than mine). We're rinsing our BCs, and keeping debris out of the velcro. The biggest difference I notice in our dive profiles is: your dives are mostly in fresh water, and mine are entirely in salt water. I suspect that this may have something to do with the difference in wear.
It's too bad that the SureLock system has problems.
You'd mentioned that you have a Transplate+BP setup as well. Nice BC. Does it work well with single AL80s?
Thanks for the response.
The level of care our BCs receive seems comparable (although your care is probably more meticulous than mine). We're rinsing our BCs, and keeping debris out of the velcro. The biggest difference I notice in our dive profiles is: your dives are mostly in fresh water, and mine are entirely in salt water. I suspect that this may have something to do with the difference in wear.
It's too bad that the SureLock system has problems.
You'd mentioned that you have a Transplate+BP setup as well. Nice BC. Does it work well with single AL80s?
RICHinNC
Contributor
You know you got me curious...so I dragged out my log and they are about 3/4 salt water and 1/4 fresh. Interesting. Quarry diving for me is a last resort because the vis at the quarry in Raleigh NC is really bad. Most here refer to it as braille diving.
Ahh...as to the bp....yes it does very well with singles. It has a gusset that can be adjusted to pull in the excess wing and it works like a champ. I was really amazed at the diff between the bp/wing and my standard jacket. I had read so much on here about it , but trying is believing and I am now a believer. The bouyancy control is just unreal. And, I was real fortunate I think in that I didnt experience any of the trim problems I have read about here on the board. It just seemed to work out fine.
I do find however that reaching the valve on my tank is next to impossible. I am barrel chested and dont have the longest arms so it is a chore to make it to the valve. But I will work with it.
Take care
Rich
Ahh...as to the bp....yes it does very well with singles. It has a gusset that can be adjusted to pull in the excess wing and it works like a champ. I was really amazed at the diff between the bp/wing and my standard jacket. I had read so much on here about it , but trying is believing and I am now a believer. The bouyancy control is just unreal. And, I was real fortunate I think in that I didnt experience any of the trim problems I have read about here on the board. It just seemed to work out fine.
I do find however that reaching the valve on my tank is next to impossible. I am barrel chested and dont have the longest arms so it is a chore to make it to the valve. But I will work with it.
Take care
Rich
RICH,
I now have no clue as to why my velcro wears out so much faster. But, I'm not going lose any sleep over it.
It's too bad that only the velcro on my ProQD+ shows wear...otherwise I'd have the excuse I need to go out and get the TPII that I've wanted for a while. But, after seeing the TransPlate harness, a BP + single-tank wing setup is beginning to look appealing too.
I am glad to hear that your BP setup is working out for you.
aquasport,
I apologize for getting off topic. It was not my intention to hijack your thread.
Regarding the SeaQuest "Latitude", I've never seen one and it's not in the SeaQuest catalog. But, Leisure Pro does sell this BC. I can't comment on a piece of gear based on a picture on the web.
If you prefer to the velcro IW system over the SureLock system, why not look for an older model ProQD or QD+ with the velcro IW system instead. The ProQD has a proven track record, and can be found relatively inexpensively on eBay.
DementialFaith
Contributor
One thing w/ my QD is its lift capacity.............
I weight about 105 pounds (I'm a guy...... btw), and when I'm in my dry suit, I need about 30 pounds of weight on me, and I couldn't seem to get enough lift from the qd from the surface, maybe it's because I'm using a small QD pro......... I dont know.......
I weight about 105 pounds (I'm a guy...... btw), and when I'm in my dry suit, I need about 30 pounds of weight on me, and I couldn't seem to get enough lift from the qd from the surface, maybe it's because I'm using a small QD pro......... I dont know.......
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