Second guessing my BC choice (Hydros Pro)

[MiloR]

I've had about 30 dives on it

30 dives is not very many to be making a big decision about changing. I am not sure if your listed Total dive count is correct but if it is I would suggest the following:

1) Make 100% sure your weighting is correct for total weight & placement of weight.
2) Make 100% sure the shoulder & waist straps are tight
3) Spend 50% of each of your next 25 dives focused solely on hovering, balance, and trim.
4) Stop reading the internet and other peoples issues. You have no idea WHY those people had issues and many times people read something and try to make it fit their situation so they have an answer.

If, after those 25 dives, you are still having issues then consider making a change. My bet is doing the 1st three things I listed will show a great improvement in how the Hydros functions and the 4th one wil be great for your mental health. Wins all around!!

 

[scubadada]

I've been diving a Scubapro Knighthawk (discontinued) since 2006, about 2050 dives. It works fine. The Knighthawk has a round/oval wing, I would imagine the Hydros Pro does too.

I have not dived a Hydros Pro, but have seen many on boats. I would think they would also work fine. Consider user error to correct, weighting, weight distribution, harness adjustment...

 

[BackAfter30]

I had an issue with rolling with mine. Once I got my total weight and trim sorted out, it’s been fine. Make sure you are not weighting based on your previous bc. The HP is very negative compared to a conventional jacket bc, and for me, overweighting makes me unstable.

 

[PalmettoDiver0215]

I had an issue with rolling with mine. Once I got my total weight and trim sorted out, it’s been fine. Make sure you are not weighting based on your previous bc. The HP is very negative compared to a conventional jacket bc, and for me, overweighting makes me unstable.

I've dropped my total weight a bit (4lbs) from when I had a jacket BC. Generally, I go 12-14lbs with 6 in the trim pockets and the rest in the front pockets.

 

[lexvil]

I've dropped my total weight a bit (4lbs) from when I had a jacket BC. Generally, I go 12-14lbs with 6 in the trim pockets and the rest in the front pockets.

Try 4lb or less in the trim pockets and the rest in front.

 

[Nemrod]

When you say it is rolling I am not sure I follow? Is your body rolling side to side or the cylinder rolling/flopping to one side or the other.

None of the major companies understand the wing/BP (Mares may be getting the picture). The result is over complication and too many plastic buckles and excessive D-rings and fit adjustments. A true Hog harness wing/BP has not any adjustment or very little once set up and fitted to the individual. That is part of why they are so simple and minimal and they do not use plastic buckles and multiple straps.

I have not used the Hydros but it looks like a decent "major company" interpretation of a tech look back inflate BC. I actually like the weight integration design and the soft rubber plate. But the wing is too large lift capacity (for me) and there are too many plastic snap lock buckles. The only place IMO a plastic snap lock buckle is acceptable is the crotch strap and for some uses (drysuits, heavy wet suits etc) not even there.

I think you should use it and wear it out. It is a sharp looking back inflate BC. The plate looks like a rubber Freedom Plate if I recall!

James

 

[bvanant]

OMG plastic buckles, we are all gonna die. I don't get the worry from plastic buckles. I have about 4000 dives mostly on trips with groups of 10 or more so say 40,000 person-dive experiences. Not a single broken plastic buckle yet. Most US military gear now has only plastic buckles. Same arguments for Carabiners, many divers hate them, climbers use them to keep from dying.
Bill

 

[doctormike]

Not worth it at all in my experience and no reason whatsoever for recreational single tank diving. I have a bp/w bc I hardly use for single tank diving but the Scubapro gets used most of time.

Don't let the noise on the internet especially on SB make you take unnecessary and wasteful decisions.

There may well be reasons why on balance, it's not worth it for a new diver to sell their BC and try something new. That's probably the case with the OP. But I wouldn't be so quick to make a sweeping statement like that.

The whole point of this forum is for divers to get other people's opinions (like the one that you just provided). Ideally, those opinions would be (1) from people with a lot of relevant experience, and (2) backed up by something. Yes, those criteria aren't always satisfied, but if you are just going to preemptively dismiss anything the OP might read here as "noise", that's not helping.

In the meanwhile, I'll post what I always post in these threads.

If you are planning on going into tech diving, diving doubles or doing dry suit diving, then get a BP/W. But if you are absolutely sure that you will only be doing single tank, warm water, recreational NDL diving, then get a BP/W.

 

[BoltSnap]

There may well be reasons why on balance, it's not worth it for a new diver to sell their BC and try something new. That's probably the case with the OP. But I wouldn't be so quick to make a sweeping statement like that.

I started my post with qualifications of what I said later. The OP already has an excellent BC, as pointed out by several people who own the same BC. There is no reason for him whatsoever to get rid of it just to get a BP/W BC. There are many folks here that are very aggressive in their advice pushing BP/W bc's based on dogma and peer pressure that are unwarranted.

I aggree with you that if one is going to go into Technical diving or diving with double tanks, they will need a BP/W bc. They don't if they are only doing recreational single tank diving. I have a BP/W for doubles and use it strictly for double/tech. diving and use a jacket/back inflate BC's for recreational single tank diving. Although I have one BP/W BC for single tank diving, I hardly use it and don't miss it at all for rec. single tank diving.

 

[Ukmc]

There may well be reasons why on balance, it's not worth it for a new diver to sell their BC and try something new. That's probably the case with the OP. But I wouldn't be so quick to make a sweeping statement like that.

The whole point of this forum is for divers to get other people's opinions (like the one that you just provided). Ideally, those opinions would be (1) from people with a lot of relevant experience, and (2) backed up by something. Yes, those criteria aren't always satisfied, but if you are just going to preemptively dismiss anything the OP might read here as "noise", that's not helping.

In the meanwhile, I'll post what I always post in these threads.

If you are planning on going into tech diving, diving doubles or doing dry suit diving, then get a BP/W. But if you are absolutely sure that you will only be doing single tank, warm water, recreational NDL diving, then get a BP/W.

Haha. BP/W it is, but not for me.
I know people can customize their BP/w to anything they want, but I like how hydros customized to what I want already (the reason I chose it - so I did not have to pick out all the individual features).

Hydros - what I like -
quick release integrated weight system
quick release buckles
quick adjustment for straps
rubber straps - dry quick and comfortable
rubber backplate - clings to me so well, I do not need a crotch strap (what? No crotch strap - herecy! ) Also comfortable and also dries in an instant
i like SP tank strap buckles
i like that trim pockets are wide set (not on the tank strap)
I like all the “S”s all over the BC

Among few other things I like about Hydros