Zeagle Ranger for women or Mares Dragon??

[Roey77]

Hi everybody,

I'm a new OW diver with 22 dives under my belt at the moment . All my dives have been in tropical waters (Asia).

I'm ready to buy my own BCD but am torn between the Zeagle Ranger for Women or the Mares Dragon. They both seem to get great reviews and are priced similar. I am looking for a BCD for boat dives and one that is good for travel.

I am a size 6 (Australian) which makes me a size 2 USA and 4 UK (according to the net). I am 1.57cm (5'2) and 43kgs (99lbs).


Cheers

Roey

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Have a look at the Mares Kaila. It is the womens version of the Dragon. The instructor I work with has one, and she is hard on gear. She puts about 200 dives a year on hers.

 

[DiveMaven]

You need to choose the one that fits you best, not the one with the "best reviews". Fit is everything in gear choice IMO, and there is simply no one that can tell you what is best for you, regardless of what they choose themselves. Try as many different BCs that you can get your hands on and choose from there.

I will say, however, that IMO you cannot beat Zeagle's customer support and quality is top notch. When you call Florida, you actually get to speak with a person, and Scott's support via ScubaBoard is phenomenal.

 

[jvevil]

My wife is also small. She currently owns a Zeagle Zena (XS). It absolutely fits her like a glove. She loves it!!!! Best fitting BCD she has ever worn. The fit doesn't compare to anything else she has ever tried on.
Good luck.

 

[jvevil]

BTW, it's lightweight and great for traveling. The front panel can be easily removed and packs nicely.

 

[Roey77]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!!!

I would love to be able to try on several different BCD's but I'm in a town where scuba diving is not that popular due to the tiger sharks, jellyfish and crocodiles .

I was also considering the Zeagle Zena but how does the zipper go after awhile?? Does it stick??? I have also been told to check out the Zeagle Lazer.

I've researched the Mares Kaila but alot of people seem to have issues with weights falling out.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

99% of the time the problem with weight pockets is human error or loading more weight in them then they were designed for.

 

[DiveMaven]

I'm probably the biggest Zeagle Zena fan on the board, and I can't say enough good things about the BC. I've had my Zena for going on 7 years with almost 400 dives on it and have never had a problem with the zipper or anything else. As a matter of fact, it still looks exactly like it did when I took it out of the box. ScottZeagle was once asked about the durability of the zipper on the Zena and he shared that they've never had one come back for service. Pretty good track record since the BC has been on the market for at least 10 years!

What I like about the Zena is that there is NO cumberbun. There are 6 points of adjustment, providing you with a BC that literally never moves once adjusted. I find that I literally never feel any pull or pressure from anywhere on my BC, and honestly forget it's there since my tank never moves. The BC is basically a corset with a wing, very minimalist, no pockets to speak of, but plenty of D rings and the availability of an add-on pocket.

I do recommend women looking for a minimalist, back-inflate BC check out the Zena. It isn't a BC for everyone since no BC is right for everyone, but definitely worth checking out for those who are interested in a BC that never moves (rolls) or rides up on the body.

Regarding weight pockets, the Zeagles have drop in pockets that can take any type of weights. There are no pull out pockets to try to cram weight into, and no risk of losing one. My husband's first BC had pull out pockets and on our 3rd day of liveaboard diving one popped out. Not only had the weight pocket never been removed in 3 days, but he had checked it prior to the dive (like he always did) and it was secure. It also only had 4 pounds in it, so no reason at all to come out. $25 to replace it and he was already considering switching to a Zeagle. Then on our next liveaboard, we found 3 weight pockets at various dive sites in the Bahamas and his mind was made up...he sold his BC and bought a Ranger!

 

[Damselfish]

For another viewpoint, I've tried the Zeagle weight system and hated it. I prefer the very structured weight pockets in my Ladyhawk and have never lost any. Not all weight pockets have issues with coming out, and while it may often be user error I'd be concerned about lots of reports of them falling out. (Definitely avoid any held in with velcro, if you can even find that type anymore.)

As said, fit is really important, and may be more challenging for you since you're small. The fact that you don't have dive shops around doesn't change that. So you should be focusing on the question what will best fit someone your size? And perhaps be prepared to just order a couple to try on and eat the shipping for returns. It's worth it to get something that feels right.

Or if your next trip is to anyplace with a bunch of well stocked dive shops, you could just wait and make it a shopping trip too...

 

[Scared Silly]

While a fan of Zeagle gear, (I have dove a Ranger and my wife has a Concept) I would not recommend the Ranger if the vast majority of your diving is going to be tropical. I would look at one of their other BCDs that are a bit more compact and with a smaller wing. Something like the Stiletto I would think would met your needs better.