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My 11 year old Scubapro Knighthawk has almost no identifying information on it. It has been a great BC, will require replacement one of these days.
SP Hydros Pro vs Halcyon Eclipse
- Thread starter BullDiver
- Start date
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Curtis C
Registered
Which is funny because I have a 18 year old ProPac that says Scubapro or has the big S all over it.
- Messages
- 19,801
- Reaction score
- 18,672
- Location
- Philadelphia and Boynton Beach
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
Curtis C
Registered
Wow! not that many. It got semi retired early on because of my switch to a BP/W. I still use it once in awhile. It actually looks new still.
I'm idly curious, but I'm not interested in purchasing one. I'm quite happy with the plethora of BP/W rigs I have. The only new rigs I could possibly see in my near to mid-term future are maybe a sidemount rig and/or maybe an Aqualung Outlaw BCD (if I have to have an integrated BCD for doing DM work with OW classes).
Hello. This is my first post on this site. I own both the SP hydros pro and Halcyon Adventure plus, with a lightweight carbon fiber backplate, paired with the 30lbs Eclipse wing. I dive in warm water so only need 6 lbs trim weight. I have also tried the xdeep ghost (deluxe harness). Notes below (not exhaustive).
SP Hydros Pro:
+ very light, and remains lightest post dive. Much more so than the rest
+ packs smallest of the group
+ lots of lift at the surface, but does ride up a bit. Probably can be addressed with a crotch strap.
+ has a handle built into the monprene "backplate".. extremely useful
- small chest D rings. Not great if you're going for a DIR config, which would require 3-4 bolt snaps on the right shoulder.
- not a hogarthian harness, so extra bits of webbing hanging under the pinch clips when tightened. And the articulated joints feel like a failure point. SP extols the easy field repairs, but compared to a standard webbing harness that doesn't require repair.. this is a negative..
Halcyon:
+ As light pre dive as the SP, but feels like the wing material retains more water than the SP so post dive weight perceptibly higher than the SP
+ Very DIR, which is an approach I'm beginning to appreciate
+ has a handle stitched on the wing. You don't have as much control as having the handle on the backplate like the SP, but very useful vs not having a handle.
- cambands have a grippy bit of rubber hanging separately. Sometimes requires a bit of fiddling about with...
- at the surface, a lot of the wing is outside the water so not providing lift. You can comfortably lie back and keep your head above water, but in a straight up position, a little less lift than I'd like (with the 30lb wing). (The "infinite" adjustability unfortunately doesn't include adjustment of the wing relative to the BP..)
XDeep:
+ the wing sits lower down than on the halcyon and is smaller at the top and wider at the bottom. Best of the three at the surface for lift.
- no handle on the BP, or wing. But very easy to use cam bands... best of the three...
- I didn't find the Y crotchstrap any more comfortable than a traditional one..
+ All three have good trim in the water... but deflated, the xdeep has the lowest profile / becomes thinnest. I'm not sure whether this has any practical benefit at the type of speeds we're talking about... but it probably packs smaller than the Halcyon...
- in both standard and deluxe setups, the harness is not a standard one piece.. the waist belt is separate from the shoulder straps. Not a negative, but worth noting.
My order of preference would be Ghost (with a standard harness), Halcyon, SP. SP last because I want a standard D ring at the shoulders, and prefer to avoid the the extra webbing associated with pinch clips. I'd choose the Xdeep over the Halcyon for the much better lift at the surface. The practical thing I'd be giving up is the handle that's stiched on the Eclipse wing. Bit of convenience lost but more gained by having better lift at the surface.
SP Hydros Pro:
+ very light, and remains lightest post dive. Much more so than the rest
+ packs smallest of the group
+ lots of lift at the surface, but does ride up a bit. Probably can be addressed with a crotch strap.
+ has a handle built into the monprene "backplate".. extremely useful
- small chest D rings. Not great if you're going for a DIR config, which would require 3-4 bolt snaps on the right shoulder.
- not a hogarthian harness, so extra bits of webbing hanging under the pinch clips when tightened. And the articulated joints feel like a failure point. SP extols the easy field repairs, but compared to a standard webbing harness that doesn't require repair.. this is a negative..
Halcyon:
+ As light pre dive as the SP, but feels like the wing material retains more water than the SP so post dive weight perceptibly higher than the SP
+ Very DIR, which is an approach I'm beginning to appreciate
+ has a handle stitched on the wing. You don't have as much control as having the handle on the backplate like the SP, but very useful vs not having a handle.
- cambands have a grippy bit of rubber hanging separately. Sometimes requires a bit of fiddling about with...
- at the surface, a lot of the wing is outside the water so not providing lift. You can comfortably lie back and keep your head above water, but in a straight up position, a little less lift than I'd like (with the 30lb wing). (The "infinite" adjustability unfortunately doesn't include adjustment of the wing relative to the BP..)
XDeep:
+ the wing sits lower down than on the halcyon and is smaller at the top and wider at the bottom. Best of the three at the surface for lift.
- no handle on the BP, or wing. But very easy to use cam bands... best of the three...
- I didn't find the Y crotchstrap any more comfortable than a traditional one..
+ All three have good trim in the water... but deflated, the xdeep has the lowest profile / becomes thinnest. I'm not sure whether this has any practical benefit at the type of speeds we're talking about... but it probably packs smaller than the Halcyon...
- in both standard and deluxe setups, the harness is not a standard one piece.. the waist belt is separate from the shoulder straps. Not a negative, but worth noting.
My order of preference would be Ghost (with a standard harness), Halcyon, SP. SP last because I want a standard D ring at the shoulders, and prefer to avoid the the extra webbing associated with pinch clips. I'd choose the Xdeep over the Halcyon for the much better lift at the surface. The practical thing I'd be giving up is the handle that's stiched on the Eclipse wing. Bit of convenience lost but more gained by having better lift at the surface.
Last edited:
Divechk103
New
I have a halcyon eclipse and I love it. It helps you become more stream line in the water. It nice because it's easy to travel with. I am a female about 5'4 200 lbs and I have the 30 lb lift. My air consumption is incredibly less with the wing. Very versatile and reliable. I am becoming tech certified and I don't have to buy a new bcd.
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