Best overall jacket style BCD- Scubapro vs. Oceanic vs. Bare
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Some points about the Classic (at least here in paradise. )
While a large is rated for like 65 pounds of lift, who uses that? The classic probably puts 20 pounds behind the diver when he is horizontal and not over inflating. Seldom need anymore lift here. And because of its wrap around bladder, no matter the diver's position, the bubble migrates to optimize lift for whatever the diver's position. I know some great published photogs who use and swear by them. And if one does not over inflate, there is no squeeze.
I'm looking for a Classic Sport. No weight pockets and no padding. I'll keep it in the Keys.
Tim
"They called themselves Guerrilla Divers.
Composed of elite divers with Macho mentalities, back when men were men, and FEAR was a lispy companion of the common Man. It was a time before insurance liabilities, lawsuits or beauracratic regulation of the "sport". Guerrilla divers didn't need "Buoyancy Compensator Vests". In fact, "Anyone who needs a BC deserves to drown" was a popular adage. Exploration and the Hunt came first, excitement and fun followed. Safety was the stepchild of fitness, good reflexes and a cool head.
This was a time of great Adventure." www.sfdj.com
I dove with the scubapro glideplus for a few yrs and about 140 dives. Packed that bad boy all over the world. My dive gear bag is 49.5 lbs. Frankly I loved the pockets (2 big ones), the weight integration, and the comfort on the surface. I never suffered any noticable squeeze. Trim was easy and perfect. Jackets work fine. Use whatever works for you.
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Everything I post is an opinion; I do not pretend to have any facts to offer. Much of what is posted here is in jest, and is not intended to be taken seriously. The sarcasm is often so subtle it's hard to detect.
I like my older Zeagle Ranger, with only about 30+ dives on it, but my partner has over 300 dives on her "Scuba Classic." I has held up very well, with the exception of one zipper. She is the buoyancy control queen (I assume it's combination of skill and jacket) and it seems she always has more pocket space (at least easily accessible) than my Zeagle, with all its add on pockets, etc. I really covet her tank band mechanism, the BC just pops off the tank, where I have to remove weight from my BC and then its still a struggle to slip the two bands over, especially if the nitrox stickers are beat up on the tank. From a traveling perspective, once you get all your gear loaded up, there is no real appreciable difference in these two BCs, you fill the bag with stuff and spares until you hit 59 lbs or 21.2 kgs depending on where we are traveling.
We have been talking about standardizing on the same gear for safety and it would be hard to pick the Zeagle over the Classic. Cheers, Kevin.
I own two (and a bp/w for tech). Quite frankly I scuba for fun so I want comfort both under the water and on the surface. Here are the reasons I like sp classic:
1.utterly robust and reliable. There are no special snaps or other riggings. Just two arm holes, a Velcro cumberbun w/belt and a single chest clip. No flimsy special clips that you need to worry about during traveling
2.wrap around air bubble. Total freedom in the water (you could cartwheel underwater if you want). This is different than back inflate for bp/w that feels like you're being dragged along for the ride.
3.easy to get into while in the water. I shore dive 80% of the time. I just inflate it fully which makes the whole jacket sit flat in the water, make sure the cumberbun won't get "sat on" and jump on.
4.heads up on the surface. Bp/w or back inflates make u either roll onto your back, stay prone, or fight to remain upright.
5.three dumps. Both shoulders and right hip dumps. The inflator is a pull dump that u just need to pull on your inflator hose rather than messing with buttons. For teaching it also has a little switch on top that you can pull on in order for another person to deflate if necessary.
6.easy to be "rescued" from. I didn't plan on it but during my rescue class the whole unit can be freed from in a couple seconds rather than messing with a ton of clips like the rest of the students in the class.
The only downside is that it's heavy. But robustness and light weight rarely go together. I've used a bunch of different brands but they were all rentals. Every time I try another jacket I end up missing my sp classic.
Now I like my bp/w for tech but most of the dives I do it's overkill. Why fight a doubles set up off a zodiac just to come back up in a no-stop rec dive with 2/3 air left? I just have fun with my sp classic and clip on a pony under my arm for a safety backup.
My former "Finseal", teal, 22 years old: the CO2 nipple broke off, patched it, still working.
Weight including cam, a small knife and AIR2: 2.8 Kg/6.2 Lbs
The wife's former "original" Classic, "Made in Mexico",16 years old, delaminating and leaking.
Weight including cam and AIR2: 3.1 Kg/6.8 Lbs
The wife's current Classic Plus, very stiff
Weight including cam, weight pouches and AIR2: 4.2 Kg/9.3 Lbs
My current French clone (VP Diamant), supple as the Finseal
Weight including cam and AIR2: 2.5 Kg/5.5 Lbs
If you want a jacket style BCD the Scubapro Classic is the way to go. It is very durable but not the best BCD available for travel because it is a little heavier than their other BCDs. The Go is the weight integrated travel bcd they have but standard inflation not jacket. Theres no reason you shouldnt be able to use the GO in cold water either.
First and foremost go with fit. This is a lesson I learned when I went and tried to get my C-Card first time around, and failed because the gear didn't fit me correctly/properly. Try out back inflate, jackets, BP/W and find out what fits you the most comfortable and go with that. My opinion is that when I'm blowing bubbles I want to enjoy my time underwater and not have to worry about fit/comfort of my gear.
"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." Thomas Jefferson
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Oceanic Probe XL is a great choice. Stainless steel rings, secure integrated weight pockets, trim pockets and very comfortable. Large storage pockets for gear you don't want to hang.
I forgot my BC last weekend and used a borrowed BC. Most of the attachment points were plastic, it was secured by a 1" elastic waist strap instead of a nice wide comfortable cumberbund. It had nice integrated weight pockets but lacked trim pockets, so small weight pockets were added to the tank band. It had no storage pockets.
It worked fine amd saved me an hour round trip, but reinforced the reasons I love my Probe.
Tim
"They called themselves Guerrilla Divers.
Composed of elite divers with Macho mentalities, back when men were men, and FEAR was a lispy companion of the common Man. It was a time before insurance liabilities, lawsuits or beauracratic regulation of the "sport". Guerrilla divers didn't need "Buoyancy Compensator Vests". In fact, "Anyone who needs a BC deserves to drown" was a popular adage. Exploration and the Hunt came first, excitement and fun followed. Safety was the stepchild of fitness, good reflexes and a cool head.
This was a time of great Adventure." www.sfdj.com
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Frankly I loved the pockets (2 big ones), the weight integration, and the comfort on the surface. I never suffered any noticable squeeze. Trim was easy and perfect. Jackets work fine. Use whatever works for you.
Originally Posted by Ben Prusinski
