Has anyone tried diving a Dive Rite Travelpac?

[slkay]

I bought a Travelpac last year and have used it on 6 dives in St Martin.

I looked at the zuma and the tech press tech before buying the TravelPac, I was able to look at a number of BCs and try them on at the Our World Underwater show in Chicago. I really liked the heavy duty construction of the Travelpac, light weight and also how compact it was. I have no regrets and would highly recommend it. I had no issues with lift, as a matter of fact I think I went down by 2 to 3 pounds on how much weight I carried compared to my Balance BC.

[Oldbear]

I bought a Travelpac last year and have used it on 6 dives in St Martin.

I looked at the zuma and the tech press tech before buying the TravelPac, I was able to look at a number of BCs and try them on at the Our World Underwater show in Chicago. I really liked the heavy duty construction of the Travelpac, light weight and also how compact it was. I have no regrets and would highly recommend it. I had no issues with lift, as a matter of fact I think I went down by 2 to 3 pounds on how much weight I carried compared to my Balance BC.

slkay,

Thanks for the review...very helpful.

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

The DiveRite Travel Pac has been a popular BC for our Travel Diver! Main reasons divers have liked it Price point (without giving up quality), SS Adjustable D-Rings, Flexibility with gear config & Back Inflation. A lot of divers have been adding the Hollis Trim Weight Pockets ($29) to the back cam strap for their weighting and have enjoyed diving with a cleaner harness. Let me know if you have other questions about this BC as well as configuration possibilities.

[Oldbear]

Old Bear,
... Does your Transplate harness really function like a "moutaineer's backpack"?

ntmainstrm,

I just got back from Dubai a couple of days ago where I did six dives on the Fujairah side of the Persian Gulf. And to answer your question, YES; the Transplate Harness did function like a mountaineer's backpack. I was impressed with the entire functionality of the Transplate w/wing setup. Where the weights attached to the waist belt, moved my vertical center point backwards compared to my ScubaPro BCD. I found that my surface buoyancy was greatly improved over my back-filled BCD. Even with 1’-2’ swells I was comfortable. Underwater trim was also improved over the bulky BDC for me. I like to gather trash when I swim so I did miss the pockets, but I might start carring a small mess bag instead.

I still might consider the Travel Pac, but for right now I love my Transplate set-up and want to use it more this next year or so. To buy another kit (Travel Pac) just to save a few extra pound does not make much sense to me. But if the Travelpac functions anything like the Transplate does…which I heard it does…it should be a great kit for hiking into a dive site. It is the harness system that is common to both units.

If you are looking to purchase either of the Dive Rite Transplate or Travel Pac, Dive Rite's website says that Flatirons Scuba And Travel is an authorized dealer in the Colorado. While I prefer to support my LDSs I did purchase my Dive Rite gear from www.divegearexpress.com since I had to have my gear mailed to me here in the Middle east. Mark and his team at Dive Gear Express have got to be the most friendliest and carry on-line store I have ever dealt with.

Flatirons Scuba and Travel
11965 Main Street
Broomfield, CO 80020
(303) 469-4477

Goodluck with your choice.
Happy Diving...

~ME~

[ntmainstrm]

Oldbear,
Thank you so much for the great review. I am considering the Transpac and Transplate as well as the Travelpac. I am currently a DMC at Flatiorns Scuba in Broomfield. They are a Dive Rite dealer but do not stock any DR products. As part of the DMC program I'm planning to accompany some classes to Homestead Crater in Feb. or Mar. The closest shop stocking DR stuff seems to be Dive Addicts in Draper UT. The extra driving to there would probably be worth it. The irony is that my girlfriend last month purchased a Zeegle Zena in Boulder and in Aug. we were in St Pete, FL and with a short drive could have knocked on both company's doors.
Being a backpacker all my life I like the idea of transporting a tank with that kind of harness. I'm 61 and I don't know why but for some reason they keep making
those AL80's heavier each year.
Anyway, thanks for the great input.
Lee at 9200ft above!

[Oldbear]

Oldbear,
...but for some reason they keep making
those AL80's heavier each year.

Lee at 9200ft above!

Lee...the heavier AL80s are an industry's supply chain conspiracy.

If each year they are heavier than the previous year's than:

The retailers can add additional mark-up
The wholesalers can increase their base price
The transportation has increase fuel and handleing charges
The manufactures have more labor and material efforts
The raw material dealers have increase in demand for resources
The metal miners have to dig more.

Just one big conspiracy

Good luck with your class and happy diving...

~Michael~