First BC purchase... need some advice. (Zeagles?)

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Reno1979

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Messages
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Location
Mid Atlantic Areas...
# of dives
25 - 49
Here is my situation. I am newly certified, and in an area with quite a few cold water quarries that I look forward to diving from here on out. I also travel to the Keys, Aruba, and other warm water destinations multiple times a year and will probably add more trips for diving now that I have discovered this great sport.

SO... I love the Stiletto that I rented recently. I can get one now at a terrific price well below published prices on all the big websites... BUT... I can foresee a drysuit in my future.. maybe 12-18 months from now. My question is then.. Will a Stiletto be adequate for cold water diving with 7mm suits or drysuits in the future? Or should I step up to a Ranger? I have tried on the Ranger and it just seems so much bulkier... which I don't like for travel purposes...

I did my check-out dives in a Stiletto with a 7mm Farmer John and jacket with 36lbs of weight... The Stiletto performed great...

I have much to learn, and would love some advice here.

THANKS!
 
I have no experience with dry suits so all I can tell you is the Stiletto is a great BC. Fits like a glove and packs well.
 
I use a stiletto with my dry suit and a 100cf steel tank with no problem. A lot will depend on what kind of diving you want to do. If you will go with doubles, it won't work, but for a single tank.. works fantastic.
I just got back from Grand Cayman and on one day there were 4 stilettos on the boat including mine.. out of about 12 divers!
 
My question is then.. Will a Stiletto be adequate for cold water diving with 7mm suits or drysuits in the future? Or should I step up to a Ranger? I have tried on the Ranger and it just seems so much bulkier... which I don't like for travel purposes...

I did my check-out dives in a Stiletto with a 7mm Farmer John and jacket with 36lbs of weight... The Stiletto performed great...

THANKS!

I own a Stiletto, and like it though my experience is limited so far. I'll be diving Monterey shortly for my OW dives with a 7mm suit and a Zeagle Stiletto BC; my instructor told me I'd be taking 32 lbs. The assistant instructor for the course also happens to use a Stiletto and he dives Monterey all the time. I imagine your weight is going to go down, not up, anyway. I bought the Stiletto since it seems it would be easier to travel with than the Ranger. The LDS (which I trust) also thinks highly of the Stiletto. (Not even sure if they carry the Ranger, actually.)
 
I think a Stiletto would be your perfect BCD. It packs up decently for your warm water trips, and will provide enough buoyancy for your drysuit/coldwater diving. I own one using it primarily for warm water diving and it is great. I believe it also has less inherent buoyancy then a Ranger, which means less lead on your belt.
 
Thanks for all the opinions! I appreciate it.
 
My Stiletto has more lift than my Single setup BP/W. :D

I'd highly recommend one, and I own and dive one!

IMO, there are very few valid reasons for diving a singles setup with more lift than 35lbs. One would be size, but other than that?

The Stiletto is a great travel BC, and really a great BC period.
 
Are you putting 36 lbs in the pockets of the Stiletto ? If it has 35 lbs of lift that could be an issue. You might want to put some weight on a belt.
 
Are you putting 36 lbs in the pockets of the Stiletto ? If it has 35 lbs of lift that could be an issue. You might want to put some weight on a belt.
I don't think there really is a relationship between weights used and the lift of the BC. The weights are probably to offset the high buoyancy of the thick wetsuit, a buoyant tank and his inherent buoyancy. The suit will compress as he gets deeper, so there will need to be some air in the bladder to offset the compression of the neoprene, but not 35 pounds worth.
However, I do agree that some of the weight should be on a weightbelt making the BC easier to lift and put on and off.
 
I didn't word my previous post very well. I was concerned that a bc with 35 lbs of lift won't float his weights, tank, and reg if he wants to take it off on the surface.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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