AquaLung Pro LT vs. Pro QD?

Hi everyone,
I plan on shortly purchasing a BC, and my LDS carries only Aqualung BCDs. I used the Pro LT all throughout my pool and checkout dives, and I know how it feels and kind of like it. However, the shop also carries the Pro QD, and my instructor was wearing one of those. So, I'm deciding between the Pro LT and Pro QD. I'd love to hear people's opinions on this. Thanks in advance.

Pro LT: Pro LT
Pro QD: Pro QD

I like the pro qd it got more padding and im guessing some extra features that I don't know off the top of my head like those knife grommet things, not sure if the lt has that. You should check the lift though I would think the pro qd has more.

Thanks for the response, I ordered the QD through my LDS yesterday as they didn't have any in stock. Does the knife have to be one of Aqualungs, or will any knife made for a BCD fit?

DivingEnthusiast:

Thanks for the response, I ordered the QD through my LDS yesterday as they didn't have any in stock. Does the knife have to be one of Aqualungs, or will any knife made for a BCD fit?

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It does have to be one of the Aqua Lung (Wenoka) Squeeze Lock or Big Squeeze knives. I have not found any others that will work. The are however pretty good knives.

GAMAHOOCH:

It does have to be one of the Aqua Lung (Wenoka) Squeeze Lock or Big Squeeze knives. I have not found any others that will work. The are however pretty good knives.

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Thanks so much, probably would've bought something other than a Wenoka and wasted my money.

The Wenoka Squeeze fits a Scubapro BC so I don't see why a Mako knife wouldn't fit a Seaquest BC. I'll try next time they are in stock but they've been on back-order for some time now.

Well by coincidence the white tip knives turned up today. I also had a camera handy so am able to show the cross compatability.


IMG_2087.jpg by mattoau, on Flickr


IMG_2092.jpg by mattoau, on Flickr

So if you wanted to use the Scubapro white tip knife on an aqualung bc then you could....

However I wouldn't recommend it, after testing the white tip I would say it is wholly inferior to the Squeeze. My usual test of knife retention by the sheath resulted in one clip flying across the room and one deformed spring. Ok so the knife probably isn't going to be subjected to the same level of 'test' in the real world, but if Tusa and Aqualung can make a knife that remains secure then I don't see why Scubapro cannot. Likewise the Oceanic Spinner knife fares little better than the white tip, it's only saving grace is that no parts were lost.

Knife access is also an important consideration. Again the Squeeze and Tusa models come out on top with a very simple one handed operation, and whilst the White Tip and Spinner could also be operated one handed it was a bit more fiddly.

Generally you'll mount the sheath only a few times at most so this is more of an observation than criticism, but the squeeze can be done easily by hand, and the White Tip is more fiddly and requires a screwdriver. Of course the Tusa and Spinner are not designed to be mounted on a bc pocket in the same way, I just threw them in for consideration.


tl;dr

Get the Wenoka Squeeze.

Thanks for checking that out, I got my Squeeze for $30 so not a bad investment all in all.