Zeagle 911 BC

[f&rdiver241]

Anyone using the zeagle 911 BC?....anyone know the pro's and con's of this Bc?

 

[yknot]

I have a 911 and 50-D. The 911's are very rugged BC'c and hold a lot of weight which may be important if you use a neo dry suit. They are also, IMO, way too much wing size (65 lbs lift) for a single tank. For about half of the money, look at the Concept II which has virtually the same weight integration system as 911 (Zip cord) and also a more compact 44 lb wing. If I had it to do over I would at least try a BP & W because the Zeagles are heavy when wet and exiting the water. I would buy the 50-D again without hesitation. With any Zeagle product they offer some sort of lifetime warranty and appear to be as good as any other scuba manufacturer when it comes to standing behind their product and doing service.

 

[AtomicWalrus]

I've got a Zeagle Tech. A 911 is basically the Tech shipped with the optional crotch strap, reflective striping, and a couple of pockets for long hose storage between the vest & the bladder. In terms of in-water performance, there's not really any difference between the Tech and the 911. I recommend using the crotch strap with either BCD, though - the Tech design doesn't incorporate a cummerbund and the BCD tends to ride up when you're on the surface unless you use the crotch strap.

The back-inflate design is very comfortable, and I've found the d-ring locations to be fairly useful. I also like the ripcord weight release system. The only thing I don't really care for in the Tech BCD is the inflator/deflator hose. You have to hold it rather high in order to get it to purge properly.

The 65 lb bladder may or may not be overkill for you. I've always found it nice when I'm wearing my drysuit and assisting with courses - a fully inflated bladder gives me a lot of buoyancy, which is really useful if you're towing someone back to shore or dealing with a panicky diver. On the other hand, I just had my Tech out in the Caymans with me where the 65 lb bladder was complete overkill! It tended to trap air, which meant I ended up carrying some extra weight on me to ensure that I could maintain control during my safety stops.

 

[yknot]

I've got a Zeagle Tech. A 911 is basically the Tech shipped with the optional crotch strap, reflective striping, and a couple of pockets for long hose storage between the vest & the bladder. In terms of in-water performance, there's not really any difference between the Tech and the 911. I recommend using the crotch strap with either BCD, though - the Tech design doesn't incorporate a cummerbund and the BCD tends to ride up when you're on the surface unless you use the crotch strap.

The back-inflate design is very comfortable, and I've found the d-ring locations to be fairly useful. I also like the ripcord weight release system. The only thing I don't really care for in the Tech BCD is the inflator/deflator hose. You have to hold it rather high in order to get it to purge properly.

The 65 lb bladder may or may not be overkill for you. I've always found it nice when I'm wearing my drysuit and assisting with courses - a fully inflated bladder gives me a lot of buoyancy, which is really useful if you're towing someone back to shore or dealing with a panicky diver. On the other hand, I just had my Tech out in the Caymans with me where the 65 lb bladder was complete overkill! It tended to trap air, which meant I ended up carrying some extra weight on me to ensure that I could maintain control during my safety stops.

Absolutely the 65 lbs is overkill with a single in tropical waters. I recently bought a used Concept II for my kids and it has all of the features and functionality I like about Zeagle for a fraction of the cost and may ultimately be more streamlined because of the smaller wing. With every major piece of gear their tends to be some compromises when compared to any other and these huge flappin wings are it for Zeagle but the rip cord system and above average customer support do help compensate. Your point about dumping air also reminds me that they don't dump that well from the lower pulls either. Because the bottom of the wing isn't tied together with an air channel the wing tends to trap some air in one side or the other but I'm sure no worse that any other integrated back inflate. Bonus is that these are American made.