Zeagle Ranger -- my personal negative review

[TSandM]

I have had the opportunity to dive twice in the last few weeks with people using the Zeagle Ranger. I cannot at all recommend this setup for someone using a single tank. The lift capacity is too great, and the "wing" portion is fabricated to be usable with double tanks. As a result, the center portion of the "wing" is broad, as one needs to have to accommodate doubles. With the huge wing, which has its lift heavily biased toward the hips of the diver, and the broad center, the result is that, with the average single tank, the wing severely "tacos", or wraps up around the tank, making the gas in the lower portion of the wing very difficult to vent when the diver is horizontal.

Both divers had tremendous buoyancy problems, and were only able to vent when nearly vertical.

I cannot recommend this particular setup for single tank divers. Do not be persuaded by the argument that it works for single and double tanks. It doesn't.

I don't think I've ever posted a thread like this in the past. But I can't remember ever encountering a piece of equipment I thought was causing the diver using it as much difficulty as this was, for both divers.

 

[Mike126]

Lynn - this is good feedback for new divers and people looking for a BCD. I had the smaller winged version Brigade several years ago. I think that had a 35# wing. Even that would get a little unbalanced and taco at times. But my bigger issue was the cumber bun. It was just too much material for my liking. I think the build quality is very good for the Zeagle BCDs.

I now dive with a DSS BPW with a 26# wing. I don't even notice it while I have it on.



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[gopbroek]

I like my ranger, I use it in warm water with a single bottle and minimual inflation. My next BC will probably be a Brigade but think that either is a well built BC.

 

[boulderjohn]

My first BCD was a Ranger--that was many years ago. I have not dived with one for more than 10 years. Since then they have made a change that puzzles me. The old ranger I had did not have trim pockets. The new ones do. Amazingly, the trim pockets go on the lower cam band, meaning they are at the same level as the weights in the main pockets--or even lower. You can move them up two inches (with a very great effort), but that's still not much. I just don't understand what they were thinking.

 

[Hawkwood]

Interesting. That is all that we rent and all our OW students use them. We don't seem to be seeing issues with them.

I can have a student nicely weighted and swim in trim.

 

[TSandM]

Hawkwood, that's interesting. BOTH of these students could not vent the BC while horizontal, nor could I vent it well for them. The gas was up in the pontoons, away from the inflator hose and away from the dump valve. Inspection of the gear afterwards showed the broad center band of a doubles wing.

 

[drrich2]

Wow. Just from reading other peoples' posts I was under the impression that the Zeagle Ranger, while a big bigger than a 'travel' BCD, was a top notch BCD and doubles ready, unlike a lot of the competition. Reading this thread is an eye opener. I wasn't planning to junk my old Sherwood Avid BCD, but still...

That is all that we rent and all our OW students use them.

Any idea what year models you guys use? I ask because I wonder whether there've been changes in newer ones, and what year models TS&M's dive partners were using?

Richard.

 

[Hawkwood]

Hawkwood, that's interesting. BOTH of these students could not vent the BC while horizontal, nor could I vent it well for them. The gas was up in the pontoons, away from the inflator hose and away from the dump valve. Inspection of the gear afterwards showed the broad center band of a doubles wing.

We show them how to "rock" a bit it dump. Honestly have not seen students having issues. Could be that that vast majority are learning in Dry Suits and are not using the BCD too much underwater.

I do know that there is a very narrow connection across the shoulders between the two sides of the bladder. Have to be aware of the fact that you may have to do a slight roll to the right to ensure the air moves across it.

Keeping the wings buckled tight over the weight pockets help keep the wings from ballooning out (they were buckled down, right?).

I have no idea of how old the models. There are newer ones and older ones. All with the Canadian flag on the shoulder strap

I don't use one myself. I still have only my old Aeries XT.

 

[Nemrod]

They just cannot resist building in too much lift capacity. There is no such thing as a doubles ready singles wing or vice versa, there are only ill contrived attempts at such.

N

 

[Ste Wart]

Lynn, try the Brigade instead.

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