Strapping baby BC born today, 'she's 19 lbs!

[scubafanatic]

...well, finalizing the assembly of my new single wing BC today, although at 19 lbs, not as lightweight as I'd hoped !

Deepoutdoors Matrix LIMITED harness/AL plate $ 450
Deepoutdoors single tank adpater $ 108
Oxycheq 40 lbs Vertex EXTREME donut wing $ 315
Deepoutdoors 19" inflator assembly $ 112
Halcyon 10 lbs 'vertical release' weight system (X2)$ 206
Halcyon zipper pockets (X2) $ 152
Oxycheq small velcro pocket $ 25
Small knife $ 23
DR Jon Line $ 36
Apollo tank straps (version 2) (X2) $ 106
Deepoutdoors fixed/bent D-rings (X2) $ 60
DR tank no-slip 'pads' (X4) $ 7

Total so far: $ 1600 (YIKES!)

(still need to add Halcyon SMB's (X2) approx $ 200) and not counting $ spent on assorted SS/plastic webbing 'keepers' ...black surgical tubing to secure SMB's/lights/BC inflator hose.)

Karl

 

[halocline]

That's a nice joke!

You are kidding, aren't you?

 

[scubafanatic]

That's a nice joke!

You are kidding, aren't you?

...nope, not kidding...wish I were! ...and that's my prices after assorted discounts off retail. (and yes, I shop @ Scubatoys as much as possible, or DiveRite Express....and got decent discounts off 'list' (Halcyon/Deepoutdoors) on other components @ Lone Star Scuba/Ft. Worth.) .....for my purposes, I went ahead and included a few extra 'bits' (knife/Jon line/pockets/SMB's) as those items are always on my BC anyway so for me they're intregal parts of the BC and not 'separable'...essentially part of my BC 'unit'.

...no need to tell be I could have gotten a Zeagle Brigade @ Scubatoys that would have weighed 4 ozs and only cost me $ 12.95.....

...actually my 'unit' has turned out pretty well...mixing/matching various brands/components to achieve my desired result......I'm kinda high-maintainance/picky about my gear..it's functionality/design/layout is critical to me, so an 'off-the'shelf' solution doesn't work for me......my 1st BC was a Zeagle Ranger, which I still have as a light-weight (relatively) back-up BC...but isn't remotely as modular/upgradable/flexible/intelligently-designed as my um...custom units are....and I just checked Scubatoys...their price on a 2009 Zeagle Ranger Limited is almost $ 800....so all in all, compared to something like that, I feel that although I've paid twice the price, I've certainly got at least twice the BC !

 

[Jonny boy]

Problem is that once you have added all of that 'crap' to the BC you have pretty muched massacred the concept of a BP/W which is to be as 'minimal and streamlined as possible.' Sure, you have loads of nice brand names there but is it all really necessary? Looking at the list you have 2 weight pockets, 2 H zipper Pockets and another velcro release pocket - Where do you put them all (unless the 'H' pockets are on your legs)?

 

[RJP]

Total so far: $ 1600 (YIKES!)

$450 for a harness and plate? Were they out of bridges and swampland?

 

[herman]

19 lbs? Whew, I don't carry that much stuff including my reg and weights (unless I am diving dry). I would hate to haul that thing.

 

[redacted]

Just think how great it will perform with a gold plated Mk25/A700.

 

[scubafanatic]

Problem is that once you have added all of that 'crap' to the BC you have pretty muched massacred the concept of a BP/W which is to be as 'minimal and streamlined as possible.' Sure, you have loads of nice brand names there but is it all really necessary? Looking at the list you have 2 weight pockets, 2 H zipper Pockets and another velcro release pocket - Where do you put them all (unless the 'H' pockets are on your legs)?

...um, actually I have FOUR (4) weight pockets...not 2..... (they're 5 lbs capacity each, vertical release 'version'...which is the only size vertical release capacity Halcyon makes.....also, Halcyon doesn't use velcro, another 'plus'.)

...nope, no pockets whatsoever on my legs.....no knives there either.

...it's not that I don't understand the whole 'streamlining' thing, but for me there are advantages to diving a unit with 'quick releases' versus a continuous-webbing HOG harness.

...and, by the way, if I were into the 'branding' thing...I'd likely have gone 100% Halcyon, versus 30% Halcyon......Deepoutdoors isn't exactly a household word, is it? I bought the best designed components from whomever manufactured them.

Karl

 

[scubafanatic]

$450 for a harness and plate? Were they out of bridges and swampland?

...well, the plate is 100% genuine Aluminum!

 

[RJP]

I bought the best designed components from whomever manufactured them.

Whether you needed them or not!



Where on earth are you going to put SEVEN pockets? (Unless you weight 400lbs or otherwise have a 52" waist.