Genesis Recon BC

[LioKai]

Aloha Rick!
I dove a "Recon" for 10 months and about 160+ dives, I'm 6 Foot 225 lbs., diving in warm water.

If I was diving dry and in cold water I would have concidered keeping the Recon, but the size of the overall unit is what got me. It is a little to large for the type of diving that I do. The excessive lift for my diving conditions was never a problem, so I won't address that issue. What I really liked about the Recon was that the breast strap is removable from the BCD and has multiple connection areas so that you can move it to the lower or the upper connections to get it out of the way of your dry suit inflator or to pull the shoulder straps from a lower contact point so they don't rub on your neck. The other thing that I liked was the way the intergrated weights are attached to the BCD. They 'snap' in to a positive locked position, and no velcro. For those that have not seen this weight pocket attachment connection, look it up before you comment. It is the best intergrated weight pocket design I have ever seen. I also liked how close the Recon kept the tank to my back. I am not a fan of STA's or large back plates because they keep the tank too far off of your back, promoting a "rolling" effect when you turn to the side. As for the durability of the unit, after 160+ dives, 10 months in the sun, and a crew of "china-shop bulls" that I work with, it was good as new when I sold it for $300. The reasons that I parted with it are: the overall size of the unit, and no back support without going to the SS back plate, and I wasn't going to use the back plate since the extra 6lbs of SS is triple the lead that I wear. The Recon sounds like an excellent BCD for you and will allow you the versitility you will need as your diving career seeks its own path. The Recon is the 2nd most comfortable BCD that I have used, and I've used a lot of them.

One last note, and this is for everyone with weight pockets or a weight belt, Write your name on your pouches, your belt, and your BCD. Colored rubberbands are not enough. There is nothing more disrupting than two adults arguing over a weight pouch, unless of course one of them gets so upset that they throw-up.


Matthew

 

[mhold56]

I replaced my Zeagle Ranger BC when I started diving in a dry suite. I'm 6'-1", 230 lbs and in a dry suite, I dive with 40 lbs of lead... The Ranger had 45 lbs of lift and would barley get my shoulders to the surface, so if there is any chop on the water I was not high enough and ended up drinking the water (not really but I think you get the picture). With the Recon and having 75 lbs of lift there is NO problem with staying on the surface. I have over 100 dives with my Recon, about 50- 50 in cold/ tropical water. In tropical water I dive in Henderson Micropreen suite. The Zeagle was a bit more comfortable, but I do not find that the Recon is uncomfortable. True 75 lbs is a bit of an over kill in tropical water, it works great in cold water. I also love all of the d rings that the Recon has. I recently returned from a trip to Palau and had plenty of spots to clip things to for camera, dive light, dive sausage, ect. I had 32 dives in 7 days with the Recon.. No problem at all with comfort for me.

 

[matt t.]

The "Recon" is an overbuilt, overpriced, bulky POS. If you want this type of b.c., look at a Zeagle "Ranger".

 

[Tamas]

The "Recon" is an overbuilt, overpriced, bulky POS. If you want this type of b.c., look at a Zeagle "Ranger".

Please, tell us what you really think, don't hold back.

But care to backup your comment for the readers to know why you are saying what you are saying?!

 

[mhold56]

I guess Matt T. didn't read my post.... I replaced my Zeagle RANGER with the Recon.. I like it and no problem with lift!

 

[pete v]

i have just bought a recon and i like it, but!!!!!! become one with your gear and know it better than you know your dive buddy, practice often with it and get real comfortable, know how to handle any emergency with it and use good common sence,
good luck

 

[matt t.]

I guess Matt T. didn't read my post.... I replaced my Zeagle RANGER with the Recon.. I like it and no problem with lift!

Well, I guess I did read your post, and with 75lbs of lift, what problems could you have? You could lift a piano with that thing. With 40lbs of lead you may want to re-think your rig or buy some steel tanks....He wanted opinions and I gave mine. I at 1 time owned a Ranger, and have tried the Recon a time or 2 (hence my opinion in my 1st post). The Ranger has more than enought lift (45lbs?) for a wet OR dry diver, with a big steel tank (when properly weighted and using good buoyancy control). Why go with more than you need? Or, why spend more than you need to? All the guys I regularily dive with (when sing a single tank rig) will dive a 27# or 36# wing with a steel tank and drysuit (the Recon is 2-3X this size). Different divers will give you different opinions....I would look around and try to rent/borrow a few different rigs to see what YOU like. Don't go on my say or what others say. You might even like a plate and wing:05: . I'd hate to see you buy gear 2-3X before you get what you really want. As we all know scuba gear doesn't have the best re-sale. As always YMMV.....

 

[JohnTalbot]

hey guys, heres my sit. when i try to kneel with the Recon for skill demo, its very uncomportable, even with all the air out of the bladder and with weights in the trim packs.

Ive tried adding 16lbs total in the int. pockets, thats with no wet suit in tropics, and i find the weight pockets make the leaning worse cause the weights in front too. If i ditch the weight pockets and use a belt, if im doing unit recovery underwater, i find the cumberband area floats up and the reg end sinks, so getting it back on is a pain.

Basically i find for teaching its useless, im sure its just that i dont know how to distribute the weight right, im new to diving, and i got the feeling my dive shop ripped me off selling me this cause im not going to penetrating any wrecks, going to 300 ft down anytime soon.

Opinions, help, suggestions are greatly appreciated, at this point im thinking of chucking it cause now im rusty with weight belt use, and am trying to do DM stuff but am back to OW level with wt belt use. Im sorry i bought gear at all now.

 

[theskull]

hey guys, heres my sit. when i try to kneel with the Recon for skill demo, its very uncomportable, even with all the air out of the bladder and with weights in the trim packs.

Ive tried adding 16lbs total in the int. pockets, thats with no wet suit in tropics, and i find the weight pockets make the leaning worse cause the weights in front too. If i ditch the weight pockets and use a belt, if im doing unit recovery underwater, i find the cumberband area floats up and the reg end sinks, so getting it back on is a pain.

Basically i find for teaching its useless, im sure its just that i dont know how to distribute the weight right, im new to diving, and i got the feeling my dive shop ripped me off selling me this cause im not going to penetrating any wrecks, going to 300 ft down anytime soon.

Opinions, help, suggestions are greatly appreciated, at this point im thinking of chucking it cause now im rusty with weight belt use, and am trying to do DM stuff but am back to OW level with wt belt use. Im sorry i bought gear at all now.

You have 15 logged dives and you're teaching?? Am I misreading something? If you're finished getting certified and you're NOT teaching, then there is no reason to kneel and do skills. Most BCs are uncomfortable when you're kneeling, unless you really are a DM or Instructor, and you have learned to distribute your weights "incorrectly" so that you are comfortable in a vertical position for kneeling and for demonstrating the hover in a sitting position, and all that time you spend floating on the surface and talking about what you are about to do underwater.

The trim pockets in the Recon are small, at least mine are, so you can only put 3-pounders in them. So the rest of the weight you need will have to go in the weight pouches or a weight belt--I've done it both ways, and both work if you distribute the weight correctly for yourself.

The Recon is an excellent recreational BC which is built well enough to do some entry level tech diving in if you start to head in that direction. And if you are a DM or working on becoming one, you will appreciate the 75 lbs. lift when a student hands you their weight belt at the surface, you recover a dropped one, or you take an anchor out into the water to set a descent line.

Don't be so quick to confuse lack of experience or practice with poor design.

theskull