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mulla I wouldnt overlook the UTD Z+ I use one right now for travel. Im able to pack UTD Z+ two Regs, all my sidemount rigging,computer,LM 12W LED .
In an akona executive regulator bag for carry on .and still have room for more.Ill try to get a few pics .
Ive also purchased the XDEEP stealth 2.0 from sebaworld Great Guy to deal with.I still need to few dives on it to see if it will become my primary SM rig.
Thanks divewelder for vouching for the compactness of the Z+, will definitely consider the Z+ again.
One question about these systems, with the Hollis they have a chest strap that's attached to a huge metal O-ring where the shoulder strap attaches to as well. (Sorry don't know the technical term for it). I typically hook the tank bungee to this O-ring. I noticed with the Z+ and Razor there is no chest strap or O-ring, I gather you would attach the bungee to the should D ring instead. How cluttered does the shoulder D ring become with 2 tanks and the bungee all clipped off at the same point (total 3 bolt snaps)?
To me the Xdeep's separate inflation module is just another piece of equipment to get misplaced and an extra step in gearing up. I need all the help I can get so I can be ready as quickly as the BM guys.
The main flaw of the BAT wing is the attachment bungee and lack of baffles within the wing, the bungee needs to be tight or the wing floats quite a way off your body. The downside is that without internal baffles in the wing and with a bungee connection it shifts all the air into the centre of the wing which isnt great for balance/comfort with unequal loads on the left and right side something that is a problem with two stage bottles.
The Z-plus feels better when deflated but air tends to move around a lot when its inflated only a little, this is more of a problem in tropical conditions are we normally dont need much lift for 95% of the dive unless were going to trimix depths. The internal baffles work well to keep air moving left and right but the wing has a habit of air working its way to the uppermost part (which seems to be oversized for warm water?), making you feel feet heavy. The bladder also feels a little loose in tropical conditions unless its attached directly to the harness, in which case youll loose a lot of the additional lift anyway.
If youre looking at tropical diving with two Al40 stages Id still say go with the Z-trim or Stealth 2.0 bladder, we often use the Z-trim for wreck trips here in the Philippines with up to 4 Al80 up to 50m in depth the main issue is surface buoyancy at the start of the dive otherwise its fine underwater.
When you say attaching the bladder directly to the harness, where else would I attach the bladder? Or it can be separately attached like the Stealth 2.0?
Z trim has 20lbs of lift yer? From your experience you believe that's good enough for 4x AL80s? If so then I could even consider the Hollis SMS50?