Zeagle Ranger

[scubatoys]

Anyway, Scott, what was Larry talking about when he mentioned that the new Rangers have sewn in shoulder harnesses. I would have had to return my Ranger if I wasn't able to swap out the XL shoulder straps for larges. Say it aint so...

It is so... but fear not... Although he cursed me, insulted me, swore at me, charged me a gillion more dollars.... I finally got Scott to agree to make my Brigades still with the interchangable parts... I'm with you Kestrell... I like the ability to use a large waist panel with medium shoulders, or vice versa.... So the Brigades will stay that way. But Rangers, Escapes... all sewn in now.

Long live the brigade! :dazzler1:

 

[liberato]

I bought the Ranger strictly because of PFS. It makes me feel about Zeagle the same way I do about New Balance athletic shoes and their extensive sizing. Well, I suppose as long as the LTD is still available it is OK but if it is a first step to sizing standardization across the whole line then it is a big mistake.

 

[caveseeker7]

Sewn-in ? Major setback and disappointment.

The PFS II was already a lousy idea because it wasn't interchangeable. What set Zeagle BC's apart was that you could get them custom fit.

Good quality and customer service aside, if BCs don't fit they ain't no good.

 

[BillAllbritten]

I saw the posts about the Ranger loosing PFS characteristics. Checked Zeagles website - they've got a new model (for me, at least) up - The Stiletto. Looks like it's cut from Concept type fabric (1000 denier), into something of a Escape pattern (Escape is 430 denier) (smaller pockets than Ranger) and uses a 34lb bag with 1000 denier material as opposed to the 430 denier in the Escape's 34lb wing. Looks something like factory competition for Scubatoy's Brigade BUT it is listed as being PFS, too. Larry's Brigade has the larger Ranger weight and cargo pockets, I believe, which is good. I bought an Escape, dive it occassionally in the tropics, but mainly got it to switch bladders on the Ranger.

The Ranger is also listed as PFS, not PFS II H'mm, if they've changed the Ranger, they need to update their website. For travel, my standard Ranger packs well if I unthread the tank bands and roll them up real tight and store in a corner. I can get the BC, my regs, mask, swim suit, and skin + a few sundry items in a legal carry-on.

If Zeagle folks see this, check the wing capacities for the Zena and Concept II on your website- you show 44lbs for the Zena - some pretty "weighty" gals out there, I guess and 24lb for the Concept II

Bill

 

[Chad Carney]

Hello Larry,

I've heard so much about your operation, all of it good. Want to start another store in Florida?
That's a great idea, your Brigade BC model. We did that also at the store I managed for many years.

Nobody needs to worry about Zeagle parts for Rangers, even if Larry had not continued the private production of the Ranger harness. The shoulders of the LTD fit on the Std Ranger too. As will the Stiletto shoulders on old Escapes and Scouts.

Furthermore Zeagle has never turned it's back on their customers. Once some 15 years or so ago they changed their RE and OE connections on bladders throughout the line to a screw on style. Really old BCs were not compatible with this new system. So Zeagle produced a bladder just for these customers at great cost to the company. You can still get a 20 year old BC upgraded/fixed at Zeagle today. (Although you might want to think about looking at a new one, at least once every couple decades.)

Chad
"Zeagle biased!"

 

[Damselfish]

Losing PFS on anything seems like a way to sell less of them than before. People try on BCs that they otherwise like but don't fit, with PFS there was a way they could address that.

I was looking at buying an Escape and the only way it would fit me well being able to mix and match, without that I wouldn't have considered it at all. (I didn't buy it anyway because it turns out I hate U shaped bladders, but that's a different matter.)

 

[Kestrell]

Okay, so let me get this straight; The Ranger will have the sewn in shoulder straps. The Brigade and the Ranger LTD will retain the modular shoulder straps. If so, I guess that's okay. I'm not sure what I'm worried about any way, since I already have a Ranger LTD and I can't see it wearing out any time soon unless I tie it to my bumper and drag it to my dive sites.

 

[ae3753]

I don't believe I've either slammed the Ranger, put Scott through the ringer nor tried to show anyone I'm better at diving.

I didn't think so either. If there is an issue that people are having I would like to hear about it. Sure it might not affect most of the people, but maybe it affects me.

Tens of thousands of Zeagle users can't ALL be wrong - I will leave it at that.

Scott, I've seen you make this statement before, and I don't buy it. To me, this points to someone who has lost the edge, that drive to perfection. Having a wide user base does not mean that things cannot be improved upon. I don't think that Zeagle has lost the edge, but it concerns me when you make that statement.

The PFS II was already a lousy idea because it wasn't interchangeable. What set Zeagle BC's apart was that you could get them custom fit.

Absolutely. There are a few threads about BC sizing, and Zeagle gets recommended because of the interchangability. Actually, if there was one design issue that I would like for the Ranger is more interchangability. I would like the ability to take off the velcro cumberbund to reduce the bulk.

 

[The Kraken]

Preferred the "Tech" myself. No cumberbund.

 

[Chad Carney]

Scott,

You're right about this Walter guy, reasoning with him is totally futile.

Thousands of brand new divers wearing the minimum possible weight have successfully been certified wearing Ranger BCs. (And other Zeagle models. Also wearing Zeagle clones by Seaquest, Scubapro, Dive Rite, on and on...)

After completing weight checks at the end of their first pool class with nearly empty tanks and completely deflated BCs, (tested by drawing on the deflator), they are not blissfully over-weighted, but rather properly minimally weighted. If their BCs trapped air on subsequent pool sessions they'd be popping up all over the place, but they don't.
(These are just my thousands of personal students I'm talking about. Then multiply that by some huge number of students all over the rest of the world.)

One other note...manufacturers are the first to investigate problems with their products, not cover them up.
Personal safety absolutely requires it...let alone for product liabilty reasons.

Chad
Zeagle biased.