Sea Quest QD with i3 BC Question

[Barken]

Anyone own one or have more than a few dives with one? Give me your thoughts

 

[dashark]

It was my first BC. Loved it 'till I tried to travel with it. A bit bulky. I traded it in for a seaquest passport.
I liked the way it dove, though. Lots of pocket space and extra weight pockets in various locations.

 

[mikeguerrero]

I dive Monterey waters and feel this BC does very well for rugged California cold water diving. I have 45 logged dives and about 40 of them are with the i3.

I haven't gone traveling with it and don't have any trouble packing it in my current duffle bag with the rest of my equipment when I go to Monterey.

I live about 2 hours away from Monterey. Overall, it's very durable and has endured a lot of beach entrance diving which get a lot of sand and abuse from jagged rocks.

Any other specific questions you need answered just let me know.

MG

 

[Barken]

That was the answer i was looking for

 

[GaryABC]

I can't figure this one out???

I'm looking at all the photos, but I can't find the "easy to use" oral inflator?
How do u blow this one up manually. Doesn't it need a hose similar to al the other oral/power inflators?

 

[John_B]

I can't figure this one out???

I'm looking at all the photos, but I can't find the "easy to use" oral inflator?
How do u blow this one up manually. Doesn't it need a hose similar to al the other oral/power inflators?

For as much marketing as they are doing on the i3, they really don't show you what you are getting, do they?

Here is a picture of the i3 Pearl (look at the top of the BCD strap on the diver's left, that's it):

As I've said elsewhere, I don't understand what the point was in moving the inflator mechanism on the BCD down to a mechanical lever. It is a classic example of solving a problem that -- underwater -- didn't need fixing in the first place. I'm sure a lot of brand new divers will buy them based on what they see on the showroom floor.

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with the standard inflator that the experience of a couple of dives won't permanently sort out. Its probably a little better than the tiny tube the Mares HUB design used for manual inflation, but not by much. Here's a question you should ask yourself before every dive, do other divers know how to react in an emergency with this strange one-off design? Make sure at least your dive buddy does, and if the dive is being led you might also want to also show the DM.

Most disturbing of all is that they market the inflator lever on their website and elsewhere to new divers as though it were an elevator button!!! Every open water diver should have learned this is the exact opposite of how to manage your buoyancy; you deflate to ascend. IMO, Aqualung should know better. :no

 

[Akeezy04]

My buddy has one and he loves it. I was originally gonna buy one but didn't want to wait a month for it from my LDS so I just got a balance (same kind of bcd I used for my OW) instead. I've never heard anything bad about the i3 except from one person who traveled alot and said it was alot bulkier to pack than her old bcd. Other than that I have yet to hear any complaints about it.

 

[Kevua]

I have one myself, I am using it with an airsource 2 which I think is a pretty nice combo.

 

[vixtor]

I also have a Pro QD i3. I find the i3 to be a better idea than the standard inflator, and the ProQD (with or without i3) is a great BC by itself.

I like to use the i3 in order to deflate from all valves simultaneously than searching for the pull wire of a specific valve that I need at that moment on a normal BC.

 

[Om3ga*wolf_1362...]

i have just got back from diving tenerife, and this bc performed perfectly...
i like it more than when i had it down the pool...
it held me where i needed holding, and didn't seem too huggy or bulky...
i did have some trouble with my trimming (but that was me)
i'm guessing like everything in life, you'll either love or hate this bc...
but if you can try before you buy...