BC Rec- Lightweight with a decent pocket

[drewmeister_sd]

Greetings all. I am currently looking to upgrade my off-brand, jacket-style BCD. It works ok but it is heavy and doesn't have drains for the pockets.

I am a bit of a 'tweener regarding size, as I am 6'2" and 185.

I tried on the Zeagle Ranger LTD, but I found it a bit funky and not very intuitive regarding the weight pouches.

I tried on the Scubapro Knighthawk size L, and I thought it was excellent...except for the pockets. I did like the quick release weights and separate weights for the back. The left one supposedly will fit a knife and right one zips out and seems like it would be dangling, kind of in the way.

Do any of you have recs for this "goldylocks" BC...on the lighter side with decent, intergrated pockets?

FYI I do most diving in warm water.

Thank you in advance for your ideas.
Andrew

 

[tbone1004]

support local business. Call DSS, spend $500 with Tobin and he will fix you up. Made in Pasadena. SS plate will get rid of most weights for warm water diving, isn't that heavy overall. Will fit you better than any jacket or back inflate since you are tall and thin. Comes with a knife in a pouch. If you need a pocket for putting stuff in, then one of these will do. In order of my personal preference.
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite Thigh Pocket with Daisy Chain - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite Bellows Zip Pocket with Daisy Chain - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite Bellows Velcro Pocket with Daisy Chain - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite Bellows Horizontal Pocket with Daisy Chain - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!

Knighthawk is roughly 9lbs dry, and the Ranger is 9.5lbs. the DSS rig will be around that same weight for travel, but as a whole, because it is 6lbs negative will allow you to remove at least that much from your weight belt. Typically closer to 10lbs as compared to rigs like the Knighthawk and the Ranger that have a lot of floaty padding and places where air likes to get trapped.

If for whatever reason you don't want to consider that then the Hunterpac from Dive Rite is also brilliant.
http://www.diverightinscuba.com/tra...Agq-cIGTRFW_CvojIRH3dTiwYJTcB-8l_DRoCTnPw_wcB

 

[Nemrod]

SP Equator.

N

 

[BoltSnap]

SP Equator.

N

I second this option, excellent BC for the intended purpose. Intuitive to use, durable and very travel friendly in addition to being suitable for local diving. Very light and compact for travel also.

 

[tbone1004]

ouch at that price... What makes it worth $100/20% more than the rig that I recommended?

 

[Marie13]

You can always get a pair of the neoprene shorts with pockets to wear over your wet suit. That will solve the pocket problem.

 

[diversteve]

I'll take a slightly different approach. You already have a BC that you use for cold water right? Since most of your diving is warm, focus on that instead and use your existing BC locally - get a $20 grommet kit at a fabric store and add your own drains - the grommets will keep the fabric from tearing.

So focus on a lighter weight travel BCD. Here's 4 I know something about but there's others.

Zeagle has their Covert travel BC. It's a full size Ranger jacket with less stuff on it. It also weighs 3.9lbs. And rolls like a newspaper for easy travel. It's also 1000 denier fabric so heavier-duty than some of the other options below which are 420. I believe some of the Zeagle pockets work with it - any that fasten to the waist strap certainly will. There's also unused grommets on the jacket and some of their pockets have that fastener also. Probably all the DGX pockets mentioned above will also. The Covert is also $450.

Around the same price is their Express Tech. It's a soft-backplate design with optional wings, pockets or weight systems. If you didn't like the Ripcord, look at their Zip-touch - it's simply a pocket with velcro fasteners on both ends. Also being a single waist strap design, pockets for stuff can be added It's actuall sub $400 but either weight system adds another $100. If you don't like the Ripcord, the Ziptouch is two pockets with velcro fasteners on either end. Also Zeagle sells optional pockets that mount on the waist strap but they're pricey. I'm fairly sure this is my next BC - I own a Ranger Ltd and the pockets are terrible - hard to open/close when standing with a tank on.

Another possiblility is the Aqualung Zuma. It's also a lightweight (4.75lbs) travel BC with their Surelock II weight system. Rolls up into their provided bag and weighs under 5lbs. It has no inherent buoyancy in the standard configuration. It also has one small pocket but i don't see why you couldn't add another - either to the strap or a clip-on. You can also buy it with tank mounted non-ditchable rear weight pockets. i'm not crazy about the plastic d-rings though.

Lastly is the ScubaPro Lighthawk - there's two versions - the new 2016 model at around $415 ScubaPro Litehawk BCD with BPI

or several online dealers still have the 2013 model for $250. It has an amazing 56lbs. of lift so could also be used in cold water. Bungee corded wing so it's stays more streamlined . http://www.leisurepro.com/p-scplth/scubapro-litehawk-bc-black

hth, i'm in the market for one myself this year.

I personally would not be interested in an Equator since it's a Jacket design.

Also I see no point in carrying around 5-7 lbs. of steel plate thru airports and at my destination when I get weights free when I rent tanks in the tropics. I also t-shirt dive only so a steel plate across the shoulder blades is not as comfortable - esp. on long surface carries. Neither are the straps since they have to be harder to work effectively - I'm too old for that ****.

 

[noj3333]

Oceanic BioLite... 5.5lbs... leisure pro has a used one on their website for $240... can't beat it...
I just wish mine had a pocket or two...

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-ocnbl/oceanic-biolite-travel-bcd