DADDY BIG-GULP
Guest
Well the opportunity finally came and I test drove a TPII at my LDS. alls I can say (right now) is Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I was disappointed in some areas while pleased in others.
either someone configured up the rig WRONG or I was doing something wrong. (probably was me, but I'll never admitt it)
I fiddled and fiddled with the air release. sometimes it dumped whilst others it did not... I quickly discovered that if I were NOT in an upright position, I had a hard time releasing air watching it gurgle up to the surface from the inflator hose. And sometimes even when I was in that upright position, it would not dump. I actually thought the bladder was defective or pinched under the tank thus creating a air bubble.
Adjusting for neutral bouyance was a bit tricky. either I was sinking like a rock or I was shooting up like a rocket (I wore no wetsuit). I wore two wieght pockets ( 12.5 pounds each) instead of a belt and had a steel tank on. I'll have to admitt I loved the freedom it gave me. Arms not binding up and arm pits not being CUT OFF. Certainly felt like a hang-glider once I got it adjusted right.
then the infamious "face-down in the water when surfacing" came into play... I quickly learned also, that it was no biggie... either remove air from WING and/or flip over and float on my back and kick...
one thing I found was... since I had 12.5 pounds in each quick ditch side pocket(s) .... I felt like an jumbo jet coming in for a landing with its landing gear down.. I had two big lead filled pockets pulling me down... when reaching the pool bottom these pockets literally touched while the rest of me hoovered as I slowly made my way to the JET HANGER near the pool drain.
Hmmmmmm is there any way to further disperse this weight or am I stuck with the all the wieght in the pockets?
over all score of TPII test drive... 7 outta 10
any comments on how to make this a perfect 10?
I was disappointed in some areas while pleased in others.
either someone configured up the rig WRONG or I was doing something wrong. (probably was me, but I'll never admitt it)
I fiddled and fiddled with the air release. sometimes it dumped whilst others it did not... I quickly discovered that if I were NOT in an upright position, I had a hard time releasing air watching it gurgle up to the surface from the inflator hose. And sometimes even when I was in that upright position, it would not dump. I actually thought the bladder was defective or pinched under the tank thus creating a air bubble.
Adjusting for neutral bouyance was a bit tricky. either I was sinking like a rock or I was shooting up like a rocket (I wore no wetsuit). I wore two wieght pockets ( 12.5 pounds each) instead of a belt and had a steel tank on. I'll have to admitt I loved the freedom it gave me. Arms not binding up and arm pits not being CUT OFF. Certainly felt like a hang-glider once I got it adjusted right.
then the infamious "face-down in the water when surfacing" came into play... I quickly learned also, that it was no biggie... either remove air from WING and/or flip over and float on my back and kick...
one thing I found was... since I had 12.5 pounds in each quick ditch side pocket(s) .... I felt like an jumbo jet coming in for a landing with its landing gear down.. I had two big lead filled pockets pulling me down... when reaching the pool bottom these pockets literally touched while the rest of me hoovered as I slowly made my way to the JET HANGER near the pool drain.
Hmmmmmm is there any way to further disperse this weight or am I stuck with the all the wieght in the pockets?
over all score of TPII test drive... 7 outta 10
any comments on how to make this a perfect 10?