UTD Z+, Razor BAT or Xdeep Stealth 2.0

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Sorry - that sounds right in my head earlier but doesn't make sense when I have re-read it :) Basically there are two ways to attach the Z+, using the elastic tabs to connect the bladder to the upper (full tank) d-ring mountings on the harness waist, or to use the slider on the BC itself to mount it directly to the harness (mounting the rear waist d-rings on this slider). The elastic option leave the BC feeling a little 'loose' when slightly inflated, while the direct mounting option means the BC is held tightly against the harness so can't fully inflate. Hopefully that one is a bit clearer.

Thanks for the explaination, didn't realise there's different attachment options. Checked out the pdf manual online and it's perfectly clear now.


In short, yes - if you have the SMS50 give it a try, the main problem you will have is at the surface at the start of the dive when the tanks are full, I'd recommend leaching the two stages at the surface and putting them on on the decent or while under the surface. At the end of the dive try leaching the stages again and taking the SM tanks out of the bungees and left to hand from the harness waist d-rings, this will keep the tanks underwater and make floating at the surface much easier - having the tanks out of the water (if the bungee is left in place or stages clipped to the chest d-rings) will make it difficult to stay afloat, even with relatively empty tanks - keeping the tank volume below the water surface is the key.

Thanks for the tip on how to stay afloat. Think you've mentioned that in another post of yours too, have kept it in mind.


The alpha/delta trim might be the best fit, it's got 37 lbs of lift, fits streamlined around the body, due to the grommets in the centre it doesn't have noticeable air movement.....it fits between the z trim and z + for lift as its essentially a z+ with grommets to allow it to do BM as well, similar to the SM 100.

Hm... Yes the alpha/delta might be the best option considering it's going to be a tropical tech rig, even if I decide to use it here, I pretty much dive dry all year round lift capacity shouldn't be too much of an issue. The lesser air movement definately sounds good. Plus the fact that I love my SMS100 except for the physical size.

Just to make sure I'm looking at the right thing this is what I need to get yer?
UTD Online Store - +1 855 DIVEUTD (348-3883) or +1 760 585-9676 - sales@utdequipment.com
 
Yes, that's the one.....ill post my pictures tomorrow.

photo1.jpgphoto3.jpgphoto4.jpg

This is my cold water set up, Alpha/Delta trim device mounted to a SS backplate.
The first picture shows my original bungee, white with clip for D ring. Also, there is the black bungee that is attatched to the backplate and under the webbing and over a glide with shallow D ring and tied in a knot, keeps the larger D rings clutter free.
The black bungee is what i use now.
 
Last edited:
Sorry for the hijack.

... I'm not convinced by the Stealth 2.0 due to the separate inflation module. So that probably leaves me with the UTD Z+ or Razor BAT. The UTD Z+ do look bigger compared to the Razor so I guess my best option would be the Razor BAT system?

Anyone with experience with the Razor BAT in a 4 tank dive to share?

"mulla" nothing more wrong about separate BC from harness, I know its hard to believe every advantage that is broadcast-ed about Stealth 2.0 without trying
but there is plenty of advantages of having that made this way than fixed to the harness.

First one you will notice right away when setting up the rig, you will achieve perfect weight / buoyancy center balance in few minutes simply because moving the wing slightly up or down
sometimes changes the whole world !
In other systems with fixed wings divers often play with weights placement as a main trim regulators, here it will be most likely second tool then primary, and when you use slightly both you will get amazing results
easy to reconfigure and adjust in minutes to every exposure protection, tank numbers, their weight etc.

You can double up the wing easily for redundant BC diving wetsuit with heavy multi-tank configuration.

If you will take a look at our Facebook Instructional Gallery here: xDeep Stealth 2.0 Setup you can quickly notice the ease and versatility of that BC, simplicity and clean configuration.

Its a very secure, comfortable solution. I could be saying more and more but lets take a quick brake from pushing one another and look at the facts, check Stealth Facebook Users Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/443899082296325/ where hundreds of users, divers, sidemount instructors talks about differences, pluses, minuses - not many so far or none :)

Based on feedback gathered after selling first quite big batches of Stealth 2.0 in few days we're confident enough to say that will take back any Stealth 2.0 for full refund even if used to try.
You just have to put it to work and experience the essence of many conclusions coming from diving thousands times in many different sidemount systems, configurations and environments.

Good luck !
 
Decompression - Thanks for the photos, understand the knotted bungee option now. The SS Backplace is your BM setup yer? For SM I just need the Z harness? What's the biggest number of tanks you've dived with in that setup?

Seabaworld - I definitely can see some of the advantages of having a separate adjustable inflation device, however, to me it's another piece of gear to contend with when gearing up, another bit of equipment that may get misplaced while traveling? But it would be nice if I could try one. Pity we are such a small market here in this country, not many of these SM systems are available locally :(

I'm hoping to make a decision by 1st quarter next year, get some test dives in and be ready for a trip mid year :)
 
I'll be putting my Razor II up for sale as soon as I get home. It's striking how much more stable the Stealth is in the water,with much less opportunity for the gas to move around.
 
Decompression - Thanks for the photos, understand the knotted bungee option now. The SS Backplace is your BM setup yer? For SM I just need the Z harness? What's the biggest number of tanks you've dived with in that setup?

Seabaworld - I definitely can see some of the advantages of having a separate adjustable inflation device, however, to me it's another piece of gear to contend with when gearing up, another bit of equipment that may get misplaced while traveling? But it would be nice if I could try one. Pity we are such a small market here in this country, not many of these SM systems are available locally :(

I'm hoping to make a decision by 1st quarter next year, get some test dives in and be ready for a trip mid year :)

I usually dive 2 steel HP 120's with the delta wing, easy to add one or 2 al 40 deco bottles....with drysuit. The z trim is fine for 2 al 80's and a deco bottle. I like the backplate option for cold water as it gives an extra bit of weight and doesn't really affect mobility considering the tanks, drysuit, etc. it's a big plus to be able to switch your wings between harnesses and back plates.....
 
Thanks everyone for the input and advice! Plenty of food for thought until I'm ready to pull the trigger, hopefully, would meet some fellow SM divers locally too and check out their setup.
 
I presently use a Z-trim. I'm looking to get a higher capacity sidemount wing for diving 2 Al80 cylinders and possibly deco bottles in the near future. I like the modular harness/wing system. I am presently looking at the 3 wings. Any recommendations, comments or suggestions?

Thanks,

Richard

I'll be using the Z-trim 9kg/20lbs wing again for Chuuk Lagoon 5-16 Oct; last year's first time trial with the Z-system, buoyancy at depth with two AL80's and two AL30's deco bottles was excellent --perfect & easy horizontal trim & hover (1mm skinsuit with a 2mm hooded vest and no added extra lead/weightbelt needed).

The only problem I had was on the surface at the beginning of the dive with the two full AL80's & AL30 deco bottles: the Z-trim/20lbs wing could not float me comfortably on top of the water. . . (not really the fault of the Z-trim since its buoyancy is designed to provide lift at your lower back).

I would recommend staying with the Z-trim, and if need be --consider a tropical drysuit like a DUI 30/30 for thermal comfort and to augment surface buoyancy as well.

[Add: the AL80's were the standard S80 --not the neutral buoyancy when empty, heavier "compact" C80 AL80]
On the UTD website, AG says that the Z-trim 9kg/20lbs wing can support four AL80's (S80's); after another week here in Truk Lagoon, all you really need to comfortably breath floating on the surface pre-dive is a snorkel. The Z-trim wing will float you fine in the prone horizontal position -with all the tanks noted above- but face down in the water. . ,
 
I presently use a Z-trim. I'm looking to get a higher capacity sidemount wing for diving 2 Al80 cylinders and possibly deco bottles in the near future. I like the modular harness/wing system. I am presently looking at the 3 wings. Any recommendations, comments or suggestions?

Thanks,

Richard

I was told the XDeep sidemount system will allow you to float at the surface upright. I do not know for a fact, just what I was told but I will know since I do have one on order. The first time I be able to get in in the water will be the 16th of Dec.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom