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Buoyancy Compensators (BC's) and Weight SystemsPoint your weighty "BC" questions and input here. Tell others what you use and what you do and don't like about it etc...
I bought a zeagle ranger a few weeks ago and definitely like it. I just signed up for a cavern class a couple weeks from now. From there if all goes well i would like to move towards cave diving. I know everyone uses BP and harness setups, but will the ranger work for this type of diving until i can get the cash for a different setup? Does anyone do cave diving in a Ranger? Probably gonna get slammed for even asking this......thanks for any info....
well... i guess the easy answer is yes, you can do it ... but it's not going to be optimal
the Ranger is back-inflate, which is good, as you will spend a lot of time horizontal
but
it is weight-integrated at the hips ... which means the weights are going to want to drop your legs down as soon as you get distracted
what you need is a backplate to help spread that weight evenly across your back, perhaps a weight pocket on the tanks' top strap, and minimal weight on your weightbelt. this will spread your weight out more evenly across your body.
since you already have the Ranger, i would go ahead and try the class in the Ranger. i did my class in an Oceanic Probe, and it worked out more or less ok. i had to ditch it for Intro Cave, as it was clearly not working out for me.
finally, you will have to move to doubles at some point (probably Intro. Cave) at which point you really should get a BP/Wings
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Alright....i've seen the zeagle ranger with duals.....any thoughts on this? a generally bad idea? they used a bp i think and used the bladder on the ranger 44lb lift i think....also a question on the weighting.....using steel tanks are the weight distribution issues still there? what about as i said someone was using a bp with the ranger....will this make it any more effective? I could buy an aluminum bp easily for a fair price...it's the bladder that really costs some money that i can't afford at the moment.....
You might want to discuss it with your instructor. The instructor might have a spare bp/wing to rent you. If thats the case at least you could try it in the ranger and the bp/wing.
I did my cavern training in doubles and bp/wing. I have to use a single in cavern now that I'm done with training, but still use the bp/wing with the single.
I own a ranger, just never used it in a cavern - I am pretty sure I would be really uncomfortable in that rig in that environment
I could buy an aluminum bp easily for a fair price...it's the bladder that really costs some money that i can't afford at the moment.....
If you went with the Zeagle backplate you could move the bladder from the ranger to the bp and back as you wish. Its fairly simple to change the bladder over.
If you went with the Zeagle backplate you could move the bladder from the ranger to the bp and back as you wish. Its fairly simple to change the bladder over.
-s
Interesting....i did not know this.....is 44lb lift sufficient? what are my limiting factors? dual tanks, tank size, etc?
You'll save yourself a lot of money and heartache by getting a BP/W sooner rather than later. Yes, you can cobble something together with the Ranger. But if you're headed to cave, you're fighting an expensive losing battle.
Why did you go with the Ranger instead of the BP/W out of the gate?
I would offer (should have earlier) that you think about any purchase. Talk to your instructor, and your friends. If the Zeagle is what you think you would end up with then it would be a good choice.
If you think you would want a different bp then you would have a zeagle AL BP that you no longer use.
I dive a Zeagle BP and wing and love them. Others wouldn't give a dime for my rig.
Bottom line is its your money, your diving. your life your decision.
Search some threads here...and like I said - talk to your instructor and friends...
well... i guess the easy answer is yes, you can do it ... but it's not going to be optimal
the Ranger is back-inflate, which is good, as you will spend a lot of time horizontal
but
it is weight-integrated at the hips ... which means the weights are going to want to drop your legs down as soon as you get distracted
what you need is a backplate to help spread that weight evenly across your back, perhaps a weight pocket on the tanks' top strap, and minimal weight on your weightbelt. this will spread your weight out more evenly across your body.
since you already have the Ranger, i would go ahead and try the class in the Ranger. i did my class in an Oceanic Probe, and it worked out more or less ok. i had to ditch it for Intro Cave, as it was clearly not working out for me.
finally, you will have to move to doubles at some point (probably Intro. Cave) at which point you really should get a BP/Wings
Andy:
Wouldn't 4 to 6 lbs in the trim pockets accomplish the same weight distribution resulting in better trim?
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