Help my Scubapro Classic is Dying

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Ardy

Contributor
Messages
1,238
Reaction score
177
Location
Australia - Southern HIghlands NSW
# of dives
2500 - 4999
HI All - my Classic is starting to leak around the stitching.

I only do two trips a year (approx. 40 d.p.y.) to warm water places and do UW photography.

What would you buy to replace this BC? It needs to be light and comfortable. Also lots of talk about wings and I have only ever had wrap around BC's.

Also I am 67 and need something that is easy to put on and off.

Also not sure about integrated weights - never had those either!

Also enjoy having the air2 as it cuts down on a occy.

regards
 
in Oz you're relatively screwed as far as prices go, but you can put an Air2 on any BC, I'd recommend either a BP/W and then purchase a transplate if you decide you need/want it *would recommend from the get go if you're diving without a 3mm+ wetsuit regularly*, or potentially transpac, the BP/W will have better resale value and you can pick them up used pretty regularly on here, not sure about over there, shame you're so close to wonderful diving and only get that many trips in though.
 
As a videographer I find a back-inflate BCD - not BP/W is a good solution as it completely unclutters your front and still has pockets for things you might carry as part of your photo gear. Also having the lift all in back makes either a back-inflate BCD or BP/W easier to trim out horizontally.

Getting in and out of a standard BP/W strap setup is a little harder and the straps aren't as soft as what you're used to on your jacket. It's partially why I don't own one - I'll trade optimal for comfort to some degree. And I've tried both.

I would recommend several Zeagle models but I don't know if they're easily found there. The Express Tech - with add-on pockets. You can also add a weight integrated system if wanted. - the Covert - comes with weight integration and only weighs 4 lbs. for travel or the Stiletto which is a heavier grade single tank BC. All Zeagles are back inflate also. Zeagle BC's - home

Another options if you're only diving in warm water/low lift situations and traveling might be one of the travel oriented BC's. Aqualung sells the Zuma and ScubaPro sells the Lighthawk. Both are minimalist configurations with enough lift for single tank diving in warmer conditions. Cressi makes one also - can't remember the name.

If you want to stay with ScubaPro, you can't go wrong with a Knighthawk either - a more full featured back-inflate model. They still sell the Classic as well - I personally feel they're overpriced though.

In line with what tbone posted, I recently followed a link to an OZ website that was selling Trans-pacs and Trans-plates. They're made by DiveRite. SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Backplates & Harnesses

I personally wouldn't dive without integrated weights. The new systems are realiable and don't drop weights like some of the older ones did. Also many have optional back pockets to really fine tune your trim. IDK about you but I'm often holding some odd position when filming so I like having good buoyancy/air bubble control.
 
regarding back inflates, make sure it is a modular system because if it isn't and you have this same issue again you're out quite a bit of cash to replace the whole thing.

Standard backplates can be had with quick releases on one shoulder which many use, but the biggest problem with most divers is they adjust the straps wrong, there should be quite a bit of wiggle room in the shoulder straps so getting out is actually quite easy if you have a bench, pickup truck bed, or even in the ocean. Unbuckle weight belt and crotch strap, and just lower yourself out of it. Standard QR's can be added to any backplate setup quite easily, and they also have some harnesses with them already in place, Dive Rite Deluxe Harness with QR, DR Transplate, etc.

Any BC without a removable bladder or separate wing shouldn't be considered because of what you are going with now, new wings or replacement bladders can be had quite inexpensively compared to the whole rig.

Regarding pockets, personally I have a rather strong hatred for integrated pockets because there are better alternatives.

SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Bellows Zip Pocket w/Daisy Chain
vertical bellows, good for long skinny type tools, small lights, screwdriver, etc. Has daisy chain for clipping other tools to it

SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Bellows Horizontal Pocket w/Daisy Chain
same thing but horizontal, personal preference based on how much waist real estate you have

SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - Thigh Pocket w/Daisy Chain
Thigh pocket, basically the same as the vertical bellows but you can put it wherever on your thigh you want for things that aren't regularly accessible

Highland by XS Scuba 2mm Super Stretch Neoprene Shorts
alternatively, you can get these cargo shorts which have two thigh pockets and have all of the storage you'd ever need. All of the professional photographers and videographers I work with dive a BP/W setup with some combination of pockets and pouches. Generally it will be shorts or pockets on their wetsuits/drysuits directly for things that are less likely to be needed, and they will take usually the horizontal pouch, put a bolt snap on it, and clip it to the rear crotch strap D-ring for things they need to see while pulling out. Much better solution than pockets in the bc itself. Also makes it easier to remove those tools from the BC to secure them while not diving.
 
When I got certified 20 years ago, I got a ScubaPro Classic jacket, and dived with it for years and years because I didn't know any better. I got a DiveRite backplate with TransPlate harness about 4 years ago, and wish I had done that from the beginning (I don't think TransPlate harnesses were around back then). It's way more comfortable than my ScubaPro jacket and much, much better for diving. Much more adjustable and fits better than my old jacket BC. I still have my ScubaPro classic for in the pool, and to remind me how much better my current setup is

I had an Air-2 on my Classic BC, and like the inline octo/inflator setup. I put an Atomic SS-1 on my DiveRite wing (the two main regulator engineers from ScubaPro started Atomic). The SS-1 is better in all ways than the Air-2 and works exactly the same. The nice thing is it is easily removed, so you can handcarry all your regulators when you travel and wash out the inside of your wing with a garden hose, and it will even dry out well too. It takes less than 5 minutes to put the Atomic SS-1 on a DiveRite wing

The TransPlate is actually much easier to get in and out of than the Classic, and for photography it's much easier to maintain buoyancy and stability without air moving all around inside the jacket. I would sometimes just spin one way or another in my Classic jacket, and finally realized it was air moving around inside

Lots more places to clip things on than with the Classic. I always found the pockets on the Classic jacket to be pretty useless, and it's easy to add pockets where you want them to the TransPlate. Same goes for weight pockets - you can add them or continue to use a weight belt. I added them and love them

The TransPlate is also a lot more comfortable than the Classic jacket, and way easier to travel with

For reference, I'm less than 10 years younger than you. From your profile it looks like you have more than a couple of dives under your belt, so it shouldn't take more than about 3 minutes to become extremely comfortable in the Transplate, and maybe 2-3 dives to get everything totally dialed in exactly the way you want it so you don't even realize you're wearing a BC (never had that feeling with the Classic)

If you ever do find your wing is leaking (like your Classic now), the DiveRite wings are two layers - unzip the outer shell and get a replacement inner bladder (inexpensive) from DiveRite. It looks like there are several DiveRite dealers in Oz. People around here have had problems with the ScubaPro wings for their backplates springing leaks
 
Hi geoff - I agree about the SP classic pockets. Houdini would have trouble getting his hand into those.

The general theme from all the guys is to get a wing style of some sort. I will have a look at renting one during the next 10 days as I am off to Bali today.

regards to all
Ardy
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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