Hollis Ride Travel BCD

[kebosatu]

Hi All,

I'm Pretty much interested in this BCD, wondering if anyone has been using this item so far?

Could you share some experience with this BCD?

Is 23lbs uplift enough? afraid 37lbs is too big on the back..

Appreciate your review,
Kebo

 

[Agility]

I used it as my main BCD and still use the 37lb version for travel. I love it for its weight.
Tanks I dived it with are
singles:Al 80, Al 100, steel 10l, steel 12l ((long version), steel 15l with weight pockets
steel doubles 8.5l (these I use with a V-weight and removed the bungies)
I dive it with wetsuit and with a drysuit
I think it performs very well, of course you are stuck with a single bladder size which might be a little large for a small tank.

 

[kebosatu]

I think it performs very well, of course you are stuck with a single bladder size which might be a little large for a small tank.

Hi Agility,

Thanks for the inputs.

I'm kinda new with this term bladder. What does it mean with single bladder size? Is it the wing size that pretty big for this bcd?

I saw in the YouTube video, seems the wing size bigger than other BCDs like halcyon..

How about the shoulder strap/webbing? Is it painful to your shoulder? I noticed there is no pad on the straps....

-kebo

 

[Agility]

The wing is a little large for a single tank but I appreciate the lift, as it will float with all the lead I need in weight pockets and on the tankstraps.
I use a 5mm wetsuit (or a drysuit) instead of padding and have never dived it in a T-shirt, but once in the water I do not feel it at all except for the waist strap. I even removed the back padding and that reduced buoyancy by nearly 1 kg. A friend of mine dives his Ride with steel double 10l and has enough lift. https://www.dropbox.com/s/26izjwcvblevvwm/Thomas_D10.JPG (just a snapshot on his first dive with his new doubles)
It is a compromise, not a modular design like the Halcyon BP (which costs nearly double the amount hereabouts) where you can choose the wing size for any tank you are diving. If you are looking for a really lightweight single tank backinflate BCD you might want to have a look at the x-deep ghost, but you cannot dive that with doubles!

 

[kebosatu]

The wing is a little large for a single tank but I appreciate the lift, as it will float with all the lead I need in weight pockets and on the tankstraps.
I use a 5mm wetsuit (or a drysuit) instead of padding and have never dived it in a T-shirt, but once in the water I do not feel it at all except for the waist strap. I even removed the back padding and that reduced buoyancy by nearly 1 kg. A friend of mine dives his Ride with steel double 10l and has enough lift. https://www.dropbox.com/s/26izjwcvblevvwm/Thomas_D10.JPG (just a snapshot on his first dive with his new doubles)
It is a compromise, not a modular design like the Halcyon BP (which costs nearly double the amount hereabouts) where you can choose the wing size for any tank you are diving. If you are looking for a really lightweight single tank backinflate BCD you might want to have a look at the x-deep ghost, but you cannot dive that with doubles!

Just went in to the link. I can imagine the wing will looks so big on me, do you think i will get smaller wing/bladder if I order 23lbs version? I only dive 1 tank.

Will also take a look at x-deep.

Thanks!
Kebo

 

[Agility]

Yes the Ride in the picture is the 37lb
I have never seen a 23lb Ride IRL but you might find information on http://diving.abyss.com.au/2013/02/hollis-ride-travel-bcd/

 

[kebosatu]

Yes the Ride in the picture is the 37lb
I have never seen a 23lb Ride IRL but you might find information on http://diving.abyss.com.au/2013/02/hollis-ride-travel-bcd/

Hm... I can't exactly tell the size of 23lbs from that link unfortunately....

 

[MT_Dweller]

Does anyone know if Hollis is still making the Ride? Everywhere I look it is out of stock or no longer available...