Travel BC: Zeagle or Scubapro?

[EL Pistoffo]

Torn between choosing a Zeagle Scout or Scubapro Litehawk travel BC, for traveling. Need to buy 2 sets, one for the wife and myself. Limited budget $300/BC max. Only warm water diving, nothing else. 3mm shorty suit.

Zeagle Scout $299

Scubapro Litehawk $239

 

[Aqua-Andy]

It all depends if you want ditchable weight or not. The Scout is built with much heavier and robust materials but has no provisions for ditchable weight. The problem with Zeagle BC's is they are designed fit the user lower on the waist than a normal BC and which makes it hard to use a standard weight belt. If I was in your situation I would look at something like this DRIS Dive Gear 28lb BP/W System | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL and use it for all your diving not just travel. I'm sure if you contact DRIS and let them know you are purchasing two sets you may qualify for some kind of special pricing to bring it closer to your $300 max. I just don't like the idea of "travel" BC's just due to the fact that they are built with light weight materials and are not meant for constant use.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

Ditch-able weights not required. I have no problem using weight belt. I have looked into the BP/W quite a bit. Can't get them within this price range. I can and most likely wiil get one in the future but not at this moment.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'd go for the Express Tech. Less than the scout and you can customize the heck out of it down the road. You can buy it on amazon with free shipping for 20 bucks less than the scout - Amazon.com: Zeagle Express Tech BC, Ultimate Travel Rig Diving BCD: Sports & Outdoors

 

[agilis]

I have no experience with the Scubapro BC, but I've had my Scout for more than 10 years and I love it. It's an early model, made without pockets. I had Zeagle add pockets to it after the new model Scouts came out. Tough as nails, but light and easy to pack. The 24 lb lift can be increased, but that will add to the cost. I'm a warm water diver, so it's not an issue form me.

I've found no weight belt problem. Put it on last and it will drop right off, unless you have all sorts of entanglements hanging off you, in which case there is a problem. Besides, you should be at nearly neutral buoyancy without your BC in most sport diving situations. I can't imagine needing all that buoyancy for the kind of diving I (and lots of others) do. Without my weight belt and with my BC empty I tend to float wearing a 3mm wetsuit, even with a full tank on my back.

 

[rasher]

Wifey and I just did our first pool dives with our new Zeagle Express Techs and we're both in love with 'em. We stripped off the "deluxe" harness with all clips and chest straps and gewgaws and strung 'em a simple hogarthian harness and couldn't be more delighted with how small and easy the whole rig is. We're newish divers (30 logged) and we've rented/tested many different fancy jacket-type BCDs and this modular Zeagle system is far more versatile, comfortable, durable and IMO, safer than everything else I've used.

 

[RJP]

Do you currently own a "non-travel" BCD? If so, just travel with that... seriously.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

Do you currently own a "non-travel" BCD? If so, just travel with that... seriously.

Don't own a BC or Dive computer. I have the rest. Travel to Indonesia next year plus I do other traveling to the Caribbean and cruises. Being light and easy to pack, especially when it's two of us, is a huge benefit.

 

[rhwestfall]

BW & oxycheq 18# wing.......

 

[rasher]

Oh man... 18lb wing. The 24# on the Zeagle is tiny, I can't imagine how much smaller the 18 must be.