Zeagle Brigade & rear weight pockets

[Big A]

I'm fairly new to the diving world with just 16 dives under my belt, but not bad for just getting my C card this year. I'm looking into a Zeagle Brigade BCD for my first BCD as it appears to be a very good choice after a lot of reading. I'm wondering do I need to purchase it with the rear weight pockets and if so can you explain to the new guy as to why? Thanks for your help! I've found this site to be very helpful as I'm sure many of you have.

 

[DiveMaven]

Having weight distributed around your body helps with trim. If you're diving a steel tank you won't need rear weights, but I find with an AL80 that putting weight in the rear pockets helps me trim out very nicely.

 

[crpntr133]

I dive steel tanks and I still need them. Not like I use to but still do.
Like many people, I even moved mine to the top band.

 

[alchemist1024]

Big A. I too am new to diving and the zeagle brigade is my first BC. I love this BC and would highly recomend it. OK about the rear weight pockets. I dive with a 7mm 2pc wetsuit freshwater. I am 6'1" 185lbs and with an 80AL tank I usually use 26lbs of weight (slightly overweighted). 10lbs in rear pockets 16lbs in front. I usually use 40percent of total weight in back pockets with the balance in the front. When I dove in Florida (saltwater) with a 3mm shorty I had 8lbs in front pockets only. Both these setups work great for me. Hopefully this will give you a good starting point. Let me know if you have any other questions. Always glad to help

Jeff

 

[crpntr133]

Big A. I too am new to diving and the zeagle brigade is my first BC. I love this BC and would highly recomend it. OK about the rear weight pockets. I dive with a 7mm 2pc wetsuit freshwater. I am 6'1" 185lbs and with an 80AL tank I usually use 26lbs of weight (slightly overweighted). 10lbs in rear pockets 16lbs in front. I usually use 40percent of total weight in back pockets with the balance in the front. When I dove in Florida (saltwater) with a 3mm shorty I had 8lbs in front pockets only. Both these setups work great for me. Hopefully this will give you a good starting point. Let me know if you have any other questions. Always glad to help

Jeff

alchemist1024 brings up a good point. 60-40, front to back, seems to be the majic ratio.
To also show how the trim pockets work. When I dive my 3mm farmer john I use 10 pounds..all in the trim pockets. If I put anything in the front pockets I am way out of trim. Without them I would be standing up trying to dive.

 

[highdesert]

If you purchase your Brigade (which I recommend ... I love mine too) from a certain popular dealer often praised on this board, and bump up your purchase total with some other gear, there just might be a chance that they just might throw in the weight pockets, if you get my drift. But yes, I would get them, so you can have the flexibility of moving your weight around as required for your gear setup.

 

[Big A]

Jeff,

Did you too go through all the decision process of which kind of BCD to buy? Will it be a vest type and if so what kind, what brand and so on. And is a back inflation right for me? I mean I've spent a ton of time reading on the difference and what a tough call, and it's not any easier being a fairly new diver. Tell me what brought you to "pulling" the trigger on a back inflation type of BCD?

Aaron

 

[berick]

Ive got a little over 150 dives on a brigade. I love the rear weight pockets and agree with the 60-40 ratio being about right with al80.

Have fun.

Berick

 

[alchemist1024]

Jeff,

Did you too go through all the decision process of which kind of BCD to buy? Will it be a vest type and if so what kind, what brand and so on. And is a back inflation right for me? I mean I've spent a ton of time reading on the difference and what a tough call, and it's not any easier being a fairly new diver. Tell me what brought you to "pulling" the trigger on a back inflation type of BCD?

Aaron

Aaron,

Yes I had most of the same problems making a decision on a BCD. As far as back inflation being right for you? Unfortunatly that is something only you will find out when you try one. When I was looking I was told that back inflate is more challenging at the surface having a tendancy to float you face down. However they also said that the back inflate was better underwater. In my experiance I found with proper weight distrabution and not over inflating the wing the balance was good (no face down float) underwater for me is much more streamline. I bought this BCD without ever trying a back inflate just took the jump. I too did many nights if reasearch. The only other thing I wish I would have considered was a backplate and wing setup. I did my cert. dives and maybe a couple post cert. in a jacket style and got right into the back inflate after maybe 6 dives. The transition for me wasn't hard. The only info I had when I tried out back inflate was the 40-60 rule and what I read in the manual that came with the BCD. Hope this helps!

Jeff