Sea-quest Qd+
- Thread starter GVINCE
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hydroslyder
Registered
I would definitely say go for the pro QD+ it is a great BC, it holds up very well to the elements, and is very comfortable. I love mine.
pufferfish
Contributor
Great set up. I have the same BC and my brother has the same regs. You won't be disappointed. I assume you are getting the Pro QD+ with the Surelock system and not the older velcro system which is still floating around some shops.
padishep
Registered
Comfortable? it's okay
Adjustable? not the d-rings or the chest strap- mine hits dead center of my drysuit inflator
Pockets? yeah, big ones.
Usable pockets? the zipper is too high to access pockets easily- doesn't get my vote.
Grommet feature at bottom of left pocket for clipping SPG to retreivable clip- it's too low- your computer will drag.
should I buy one? I did, and I'm selling it- it looks good on the rack, but that's it.
If you're a ML and want a black on black Pro QD- e-mail me- this one has fewer than 10 dives on it and I'll sell it cheap. I think it sucks.
shep
PADI MSDT
Adjustable? not the d-rings or the chest strap- mine hits dead center of my drysuit inflator
Pockets? yeah, big ones.
Usable pockets? the zipper is too high to access pockets easily- doesn't get my vote.
Grommet feature at bottom of left pocket for clipping SPG to retreivable clip- it's too low- your computer will drag.
should I buy one? I did, and I'm selling it- it looks good on the rack, but that's it.
If you're a ML and want a black on black Pro QD- e-mail me- this one has fewer than 10 dives on it and I'll sell it cheap. I think it sucks.
shep
PADI MSDT
Charlie99
Contributor
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I have a old Seaquest QD and like it enough that I recently bought a SeaQuest QD+ (velcro pocket) that was on sale.
The gusseted bladder is very streamlined when deflated. It's not a back inflate jacket, but it expands outward when filled, so you don't get any squeeze at all. As another poster mentioned, the pocket zippers can be hard to get to, but with practice they are easily opened w/o having to look. I added a pin-style D ring inside the right pocket to have a bungie loop for clipping off items inside the pocket. The left pocket already has a key holder strap and clip.
Fit is all important. The SeaQuest Pro QD cut and design fits me like a glove. That may or may not be true for you.
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OTOH, I have tried a couple of Aqualung LPOs and think they are junk. Even when adjusted for very low cracking pressure they have a lot of resistance when trying to get a rapid deep breath. A panicked diver may very well be breathing very rapidly and feel that the LPO is not delivering enough air. I don't think the Aqualung LPO passes the CE reg tests.
Charlie
The gusseted bladder is very streamlined when deflated. It's not a back inflate jacket, but it expands outward when filled, so you don't get any squeeze at all. As another poster mentioned, the pocket zippers can be hard to get to, but with practice they are easily opened w/o having to look. I added a pin-style D ring inside the right pocket to have a bungie loop for clipping off items inside the pocket. The left pocket already has a key holder strap and clip.
Fit is all important. The SeaQuest Pro QD cut and design fits me like a glove. That may or may not be true for you.
----------
OTOH, I have tried a couple of Aqualung LPOs and think they are junk. Even when adjusted for very low cracking pressure they have a lot of resistance when trying to get a rapid deep breath. A panicked diver may very well be breathing very rapidly and feel that the LPO is not delivering enough air. I don't think the Aqualung LPO passes the CE reg tests.
Charlie
I like the Pro-QD + SURELOCK BCD. It has been redesigned a bit from last year, and you can actually use the pockets with the lead loaded in. Its got grommets for a knife, and a grommet to put a retractor to hold your console (although, I dont use that, too low for the console).
It is a jacket, but it doesnt sqeeze because of the way the bc slides along a piece of webbing as it gets inflated... it pushes back and away from you, instead of right in on you.
It is very comfortable... Great choice for a BC...
Personally, I dont like Jacket BCS, but we use these for rental, and I have used them in the pool, and a couple of dives, and if I was told I had to use a jacket, this would be the one...
It is a jacket, but it doesnt sqeeze because of the way the bc slides along a piece of webbing as it gets inflated... it pushes back and away from you, instead of right in on you.
It is very comfortable... Great choice for a BC...
Personally, I dont like Jacket BCS, but we use these for rental, and I have used them in the pool, and a couple of dives, and if I was told I had to use a jacket, this would be the one...
pufferfish
Contributor
Shep what model of Pro QD are you referring to? If it is the one Charlie is refering to I would agree with you. I had one of those and replaced it with the new Pro QD+ SL. We are talking apples and oranges between the old and new.
The biggest change was going from the velcro pockets to the Surelock system. I have tried both and the SL is excellent. I have had 20 lbs of lead in there without any problems and when one hears the click you know it is locked in.
The real pain with the older QD was that the pockets were useless especially if you had 10 lbs of lead in the pocket. The new one is very functional. They are much larger and have an expandable 'gill' which makes them very useable now. That was another reason i got rid of the older one.
As for the D rings there are six of them and if you can't find one to mount your SPG you are going to be a very hard person to please. So what are you going to replace it with?
The biggest change was going from the velcro pockets to the Surelock system. I have tried both and the SL is excellent. I have had 20 lbs of lead in there without any problems and when one hears the click you know it is locked in.
The real pain with the older QD was that the pockets were useless especially if you had 10 lbs of lead in the pocket. The new one is very functional. They are much larger and have an expandable 'gill' which makes them very useable now. That was another reason i got rid of the older one.
As for the D rings there are six of them and if you can't find one to mount your SPG you are going to be a very hard person to please. So what are you going to replace it with?
cstreu1026
Contributor
For a jacket style bc the sea quest is a very nice piece. I think all of their products are of high quality. You would definitely want to avoid the older velcro weight pockets.
As fas as the Titan LX is concerned I have a bit of a different opinion. It is very well built, very easy to get serviced (at least in my area) and breathes wonderfully for a reg of that price. However, depending on the deal you are or are not getting you may want to look at the Atomic Z1. The list price is only $20 more and I think it breathes much better. Also the Atomic has a user adjustable second stage. The only reason for concern I have heard is that they may be more difficult to get serviced, but that is not a real issue in the Cincinnati area as there are nore Atomic dealers that Scuba Pro Dealers.
As fas as the Titan LX is concerned I have a bit of a different opinion. It is very well built, very easy to get serviced (at least in my area) and breathes wonderfully for a reg of that price. However, depending on the deal you are or are not getting you may want to look at the Atomic Z1. The list price is only $20 more and I think it breathes much better. Also the Atomic has a user adjustable second stage. The only reason for concern I have heard is that they may be more difficult to get serviced, but that is not a real issue in the Cincinnati area as there are nore Atomic dealers that Scuba Pro Dealers.
GVINCE
I have exactly the same gear. Bought it about a year and a half ago. Bought them from LP and they have great deals on them now. As far as I know they are the "old" style with velcro weight pockets. I do not know if they carry the new weight system or not but you should ask that question. My wife has a similar set up and we have about 50 dives on our gear and love all of it. Never a problem. The LX's perform the same at 130' as they do at 50'. You won't be sorry.
I have exactly the same gear. Bought it about a year and a half ago. Bought them from LP and they have great deals on them now. As far as I know they are the "old" style with velcro weight pockets. I do not know if they carry the new weight system or not but you should ask that question. My wife has a similar set up and we have about 50 dives on our gear and love all of it. Never a problem. The LX's perform the same at 130' as they do at 50'. You won't be sorry.
I have an older Pro QD+ (with the velcro that everyone is complaining about) and wouldn't get rid of it. I use it for diving with students and store sponsored dives where my doubles are impractical. (I use a SS Backplate, harness and Classic Wings for that, but that is a different story.)
It is a great BC with the strengths and weaknesses that you see above. The pockets can be difficult to open, but most of what I need is clipped to the outside of my BC anymore after I finished my training in doubles. Most of all, it is comfortable for me with easily ditched weights if needed and holds up like steel. It has been down in silty lakes, through planes and school buses in the quarry, chlorinated in the pool several times and through a week of diving in salt water and still looks like new. I don't have an octopus, but use the inflator mounted air source for air sharing drills as I hand off the primary for air sharing anyways. (That covers the comment about the octopus.) And given a choice between the Atomic Z1 in your position or the Titan LX, I would take the Atomic. (I did a year ago and still love that regulator.)
It is a great BC with the strengths and weaknesses that you see above. The pockets can be difficult to open, but most of what I need is clipped to the outside of my BC anymore after I finished my training in doubles. Most of all, it is comfortable for me with easily ditched weights if needed and holds up like steel. It has been down in silty lakes, through planes and school buses in the quarry, chlorinated in the pool several times and through a week of diving in salt water and still looks like new. I don't have an octopus, but use the inflator mounted air source for air sharing drills as I hand off the primary for air sharing anyways. (That covers the comment about the octopus.) And given a choice between the Atomic Z1 in your position or the Titan LX, I would take the Atomic. (I did a year ago and still love that regulator.)
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