Help me makeup my mind. Zeagle express techdeluxe vs nighthawk vs mares Hybrid

[Aqua-Andy]

I normally agree with everything Jim Lapenta says but I totally disagree with his statements about the Zeagle ripcord system. The weights are loaded and removed through the zippers on the top of the pockets, the only time you pull the ripcord is when the poo hits the fan(at this point you want the weights to fall out the bottom and loosing the weights is the least of your concerns). When exiting the water just unzip the pockets and pull the weights out the top. I had a Zeagle Brigade and in 1.5 years the only time I pulled the ripcord was to try the system. I don't think you will need the deluxe harness as the harness slides through the tri-glides at the bottom of the plate so you can loosen up the harness when you remove the BC. As for the horseshoe-vs-donut wing it is a moot point, look up any of "coolhardware52's" comments concerning this argument and you will see what I mean. The way Tobin explains it is that the bottom of the wing that goes under the tank will be the lowest part of the wing and the only way you will have gas there is if you are at around a 45 degree angle head down and almost no one dives like that.

[Aqua-Andy]

RTee beet me to it by one minute. I need to learn to type faster

[BDSC]

Before I would buy a Knighthawk I'd look at the Seahawk if I were you. I like the way they re-did the pockets on the Seahawk. I was going to buy a Knighthawk a couple of years ago but my dealer showed me the Seahawk and I liked it better. But either way Scubapro makes a top-of-the-line BC that will last you for many years to come. My wife dives the ladyhawk and loves hers.

[highflier]

Bump,
No comment about the mares Hybrid, It looked nice in the store. All good comments and feedback, on each system but not much voting going on.

With my shoulder (think torn rotator cuff) I would not feel right about the basic harness. But in the future, if I decide to use a basic harness on the ET, is it just buying some webbing.


highflier

[RTee]

The answer is YES, as you can buy the Deluxe harness separately and replace a basic harness. A basic harness is two pieces of webbing with a buckle...

[BDSC]

Buy the Seahawk and be done with it. An excellent BC and you could even use it for doubles in the future.

[highflier]

All,
Thanks for all the advice that everybody has given me in this thread, PM's and other threads.

After reading everything I could and talking to a few ppl this is what i have decided to get, I hope to order it this weekend or Monday, Still looking to see if I can get it from one vender with good package pricing or from several differenct vendors.

Reg's
2 x Hog Singles package (D1 cold water) with primary on long hose and a short necklace for octo

BC's
1 x LadyHawk medium 2011 model as they are blowing them out
1 x Zeagle express tech deluxe, 30# donut, shoulder pads,standard BX inflator, ziptouch weight system, and I will also look into a utility pocket and a couple of D rings

Misc
2 x Reg bags
1 x 2" SPG and or console ,got a used on already, has a lot of scratches but it will be used by the person that has a wrist computer, So tank pressure is all that it is really needed for.

Weights
4 x 5 lb softweights
2 x 3 lb softweights for trim pockets.

I already have 2 x 5 lb weight belt style weight (hard ones)

All the standard snorkle gear we have and have been using for years, eventually that will be upgraded as time goes on. The Regs and BCD's I am hoping will last us for most if not all of our diving carreer.
I already have a full and shorty 3mm wetsuit My wife has a shorty 3mm and a full sharkskin which i think is a 1mm thing.


Future items, hopefully next year,
New fins for me, I hate my current ones
AI computer
Compass
Camera (something affordable like a gopro Hero)
Hunting gear
SMB
2 x Knifes

Highflier

[BDSC]

Congrats on your purchases. I think you will be pleased with your decisions as I don't think you could have made a bad decision with any of the ones you were looking at.