Second guessing my BC choice (Hydros Pro)

[Nemrod]

I'm not falling for marketing the same way Jeep says "trail rated" but they fail to mention that they only test their vehicles with their own tests so that also has to be true!

You think this Jeep is not trail rated?



I drove it over a Prius so I know it is Prius rated. Of course a much heavier Jeep had pre-smoothed the Prius out for me .

You know, some things are what they say they are.



James

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

You know, some things are what they say they are.



James

Do you really think scubapro are the best regs? They are very good but lack Norsok certificaion. Kind of a bit deal for cold water.

 

[hedonist222]

, they don't mention that the Hydros comes with many features standard the BP/W doesn't include as standard and hence the price difference.

Like what features ya Burhan?

 

[astr0b0y]

In Aus, Hydros Pro is the same price as a basic BP/W (Hog, xDeep etc.). Would that change the decison?

 

[jrouss28]

This happens to me as well in my Hydros X.

I am by no means an expert, I am just shy of 50 dives. In my case, I have found air or water get trapped and I am off kilter usually ten to fifteen degrees I believe always to the left side. As for weight I dive with 6lbs balanced in the integrated pockets. Overtime, I have learned to look for water in the bladder and empty it. If it's just trapped air just maneuvering can fix it. From this thread it appears it happens to multiple divers so seems to be a thing with the BC but, other than that there is a lot to like about the BC. That said this has been my only BCD since training, so, it's a limited reference point but, I like it and wouldn't replace it unless I needed to.

 

[CaptainChris]

Good to know about this. I should check mine as I have 1kg in each for about 9 months a year!

 

[Nemrod]

Do you really think scubapro are the best regs? They are very good but lack Norsok certificaion. Kind of a bit deal for cold water.

There are a number of "best" brands available now. Scubapro uses 30% glass fiber content in their polymer second stages. I do not see that in a lot of other top tier regs. They also long history of performance and parts availability and seem to be the most copied so somebody must think they are pretty good.

Just to go diving, right now, I like my AL Core Supreme. It breaths great, rated Superior on the ANSTI machine, is super light and just works without all the knobs. But, yes, if push comes to shove, what is better than a G250/Mark 25 or G260/Mark 17? Does cheaper make something better?



I like the Deep Six and DGX sets a lot. Enough to buy one if I did not already have so many regulator sets I am think to unload some. Just curious though, not a jab, are the second stage cases fiber reinforced? The lack thereof would not put me off but it is something I look for but not a deal breaker. I think right now those rate well for best value. But best overall, like Atomic says, before them there was no best. I like titanium . Really, not sure what is best, for me, best is probably my Scubapro G250 sets on Mark 5/10/25 first stages. I like them a whole bunch and I trust them and for me, yes, that makes them best I suppose.

And the Trail Rated badge on some Jeep models means (used to) they are capable of running the Rubicon Trail, now I think it is an additional equipment package. I guess Jeep chose the Rubicon as a yard stick because it was a known trail and sounded cool. But the badges do mean something even still today. I used to think the Toyota Tacoma was the best until the head gasket blew four weeks ago stranding me in SoFla. Best can be a moving and evolving target that is hard to pin down.

The Hydros looks like an okay back inflate BC with some novel tech.

James

 

[James79]

I am by no means an expert, I am just shy of 50 dives. In my case, I have found air or water get trapped and I am off kilter usually ten to fifteen degrees I believe always to the left side. As for weight I dive with 6lbs balanced in the integrated pockets. Overtime, I have learned to look for water in the bladder and empty it. If it's just trapped air just maneuvering can fix it. From this thread it appears it happens to multiple divers so seems to be a thing with the BC but, other than that there is a lot to like about the BC. That said this has been my only BCD since training, so, it's a limited reference point but, I like it and wouldn't replace it unless I needed to.

I suspect that is not a "Hydros" thing and more of an "Any BCD" thing. If you try to dump air when the bladder is empty, some water will get in. If you dump air with the manual inflator button, a little water will run down the corrugated hose. Simply, the more you do the add/dump cycle, the more water will accumulate in the bladder. Check how much water is in the wing after each dive... you will find a correlation between how much you messed with it and how much water is in it. When I started (and my buoyancy was all over) having a cup of water in the wing after a dive wasn't unusual.... now that my buoyancy sucks less, and I hardly put any air in the wing/rarely have to adjust it, a tablespoon of water in it after a dive is more common.
In a vest style BCD you probably won't notice... it will run down to the front of the vest and not affect lateral balance. In a back inflate or BPW it is a little more likely to effect air distribution and therefore balance. The water is by definition neutral, so it only affects balance by potentially affecting air distribution.

Respectfully,

James

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

There are a number of "best" brands available now.

I don't believe there are a number of "best" brands. In my Highlander voice, "there can be only one." There are many offerrings that are very very good. For me, the evaluation of the best is one that can handle the most extreme condition: water temperatures close to freezing. Handling O2 up to 100% is another (rules out titanium that you said you liked).

There's just way too many outlandish claims being made in this thread and others in which no backing data is ever provided.

Scubapro uses 30% glass fiber content in their polymer second stages. I do not see that in a lot of other top tier regs. They also long history of performance and parts availability

What advantages does the glass fiber content give? Just strength? If so, how much? I'm a data guy, so if there's a 10% increase in strength, I don't consider that significant. If it is 10x, then yes I am. Asking out of curiosity. Parts availability are not available direct to consumer, only accredited shops, unless you have a connection to such a shop and someone there willing to sell you. That's not an advantage to me.

and seem to be the most copied so somebody must think they are pretty good.

I don't think you can say that. There's not much variety to regs. They do have some unique features, but so does Deep 6 (a "turbine piston"). Despite their uniqueness, one individual insists that they are copies of Apeks. I don't know how to convince this particular flat earther that the world is round. You may hear ScubaPro fanbois making this claim, but without the data of timeline of reg introductions and detailed analysis of the construction, such claims are farts in the wind.

Just to go diving, right now, I like my AL Core Supreme. It breaths great, rated Superior on the ANSTI machine, is super light and just works without all the knobs. But, yes, if push comes to shove, what is better than a G250/Mark 25 or G260/Mark 17? Does cheaper make something better?

Cheaper with equal performance means better return.

I like the Deep Six and DGX sets a lot. Enough to buy one if I did not already have so many regulator sets I am think to unload some. Just curious though, not a jab, are the second stage cases fiber reinforced? The lack thereof would not put me off but it is something I look for but not a deal breaker. I think right now those rate well for best value. But best overall, like Atomic says, before them there was no best.

I can't say which regs do and do not have "second stage cases fiber reinforced." I haven't heard of that being an issue. That doesn't mean that an issue doesn't exist, just that I haven't read of any. My ears are open to anyone who can explain with real data.

I like titanium .

I don't due to the oxygen percentage limit.

Really, not sure what is best, for me, best is probably my Scubapro G250 sets on Mark 5/10/25 first stages. I like them a whole bunch and I trust them and for me, yes, that makes them best I suppose.

And the Trail Rated badge on some Jeep models means (used to) they are capable of running the Rubicon Trail, now I think it is an additional equipment package. I guess Jeep chose the Rubicon as a yard stick because it was a known trail and sounded cool. But the badges do mean something even still today. I used to think the Toyota Tacoma was the best until the head gasket blew four weeks ago stranding me in SoFla. Best can be a moving and evolving target that is hard to pin down.

The trail to the Confluence in Canyonlands National Park is a famous spot for Jeeps tipping over due to the short wheelbase and tight turn (a longer wheelbase and making adjustments is allegedly the better way to go, like a Landrover Defender 90 - no personal experience as as I walked it as I was driving a non-trail rated SUV).

The Hydros looks like an okay back inflate BC with some novel tech.

It isn't a bad product, but I'm not sure what you mean by "novel tech". I think the OP may have a defective one, and no product out there doesn't have some instances of defects, so can't knock ScubaPro for that. XDeep got screwed by an issue from a supplier for their regs with a tools issue. They didn't deserve the bashing they received for that.

But at $1100, that is stupid expensive. I'm all for paying for quality gear, but at some point the diminishing returns become zero. A crazy almost expensive Halcyon Eclipse is at $920, over 15% less. Is anyone going to claim that the ScubaPro is as durable as the Halcyon? GTFOOH. And I'm not Halycon fan. Good gear, but way too expensive.

For warm water diving, it is hard to beat an XDeep Ghost, which is less expensive than both. I regret selling mine as I'd have my wife or daughter use it one day.

James

In general, people are generally happy with the gear they have purchased, with rare exceptions. I've owned/own Deep 6 Signature, ScubaPro MK25 Evo / S600, Atomic M1, Apeks XTX50, and Aqualung. Anyone buying those brands is likely to be happy. Some might even claim that they are "the best".

But there is no best. There's easiest to service. There's lightest. There's strongest. There's can handle coldest water. There's all sorts of criteria/preferences that people have.

But the truly best regulators are on rebreathers!

 

[BoltSnap]

There's Mercedes and there is "Toyo Auto" and everything in between. They all take you places but there is a world of difference between them; Safety, longevity, financial stability, R&D, innovation, worldwide availability, global support, on and on....

To argue otherwise is just a matter of sour grapes