Which Bcd would you pick?

[Dr Dog]

Hey folks

My wife and I are in the market for a couple new BC's, we will probably select the same model of BC, we normally do with any other equipment, she will be my main dive buddy, so know each others bc, like it is our own, to me....is just smart, also allows us to have spare parts on hand at all times, instead of one brands O ring, slightly diff from other

A bit of background about us. We live on the Great lakes with very close proximity to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario so colder water diving will be the norm. My ultimate goal here is to do an ice dive in the Arctic in about 10 years time. I grew up very North, so it seems to be a full circle type thing. We will also be making at least once a year trips to Coz or another similar destination

Currently my wife and I are OW divers, and have plans on adding Peak Performance Buoyancy and Nitrox this year. We will have to add our AOW and Cave Diving very soon. I am currently unsure if we plan on adding sidemount diving to our skills, was I wont feel comfortable in an area which would require sidemount and not allow standard dual tank config.

The dive shop we mainly deal with, and are our training shop, is pretty steadfast on DIR diving, and has been pushing hard for us to get fitted with Halcyon gear, I like the gear, but to get BC's and Regs from Halcyon it is over 2k each, I would rather spend money like that on a trip, not a minimalist setup, I am not sure is worth the money.

So what I am kind of looking for is a back inflate low profile BC, that is upgradable and will easily be converted to single, dual, etc... From Reef to overhead environments and will last me for the next ten years of about 20 to 50 dives a year, perhaps more.

Also keep in mind that I will need one that will work with a drysuit also.

Here is what I have in mind

Hollis SMS 100

Diverite Transpac

Halcyon Explorer

Zeagle Ranger

Hollis HTS 2

I personally have my eye on a Ranger, I like the weight pockets. I do not need the basic harness, even though I will mainly be diving DIR, I also would like something a little more that something I feel can have manufactured at any metal shop for 50 bucks. The backplates are cool, but very expensive for 5 dollars of aluminum and some nylon strapping with a few d rings sewn in.

I will be getting my reg setup changed to the DIR long hose setup, so if you see any issues using any of these bc's in that cnfg, please let me know

Many thanks for your input

 

[TSandM]

I voted for the Halcyon of the choices you listed, but there are a number of ways of getting a simple backplate/wing setup that won't cost you near as much. You could look into Deep Sea Supply or Hog, for example.

Many people are convinced that simple harnesses are either not going to be comfortable, or are going to be difficult to get in and out of. You are lucky, because you have people local to you who can help you adjust your harness; if you get that done properly, a simple harness is very easy to get in and out of. It's nice to be able to replace it easily with new webbing, if yours becomes worn, or even just with bright colors (if you get tired of black). And it's nice to be able to move all the d-rings around until they are precisely in the right spot for you to find and use them. Also, I think you'd really benefit from the stainless steel plate where you are going to be diving. All the other BCs you list are soft and have padding; that means you're going to carry at least a couple of pounds of ballast just to sink them. A plate becomes five or six pounds of your required ballast, meaning you carry 7 or 8 pounds less in weight pockets or on a belt. In addition, the DSS plate system allows you to bolt lead plates onto the backplate, making the BC rig an even larger part of your ballast.

Especially for your wife, I'll be the total weight she has to haul around on land is at least an annoyance, if not a nuisance. Dropping the total weight of the rig can make diving much more enjoyable.

 

[RJP]

"We wants it! We needs it! Must have the precious!"

"One wing to rule them all..."

 

[nimoh]

At the risk of causing further digression into a DIR debate, I'll offer my opinion: sounds like your dive shop knows what they are talking about.

There is no greater cause of buyer remorse in diving than buying a BC that is not made by Halcyon!

 

[Broct]

+1 on Halcyon.

I own one for my single tank setup and just bought a 2nd one for my doubles. All I can say is that you get what you pay for.....

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

 

[ajtoady]

If you go with the Zeagle products you might want to let your wife go with the Zena. It is made for a woman and could fit her better than a Ranger. I went with the Ranger Ltd. It also comes with the weight pockets and the extra d-rings. However if you have a few buddies and they have the gear you listed in the poll, a few bribes or beers may get you a trial dive in their gear. Don't rush into any purchases until you try at least a few options. I know it's only money and they print more every day, but , why waste it.

 

[rhwestfall]

"H", the "new" "S".....


TSandM said it best. I'm switching to that very soon. And you and I dive the same cold waters.....

 

[John Larsen]

Halcyon buy it once and it will last you forever !!
I dive one and so does my 11 year old as he grows we just have to let the straps out a little to fit him!

 

[scubasam1212]

The scubapro xtec line is modeled very closely to that of the halcyon so i would compare those together

 

[CT Sean]

The scubapro xtec line is modeled very closely to that of the halcyon so i would compare those together

If I remember correctly, the Scubapro is even more expensive than Halcyon. Personally I wouldn't get any of them. The SMS100 is a sidemount system, the Halcyon is - as noted very expensive- and from what I can tell a doubles rig? The Transpac and the HTS2 are different versions of the same basic thing - an overly "fluffed" version of a basic harness (in my opinion) and I've just not into "regular" BC's such as the Ranger - I know a lot of people like it - but you asked what I'd pick

I'd recommend what others have said - at least try a basic harness - you may be surprised how comfortable it is. what I personally like best about it is that I hardly even notice my BC when diving. I used to have a "standard" big. complicated full featured back-inflate BC. I spent my entire dives with it noticing it - how it shifted, how it floated up on me.