Halycon Eclipse BPW a good buy at ~$700?

[bbarnett51]

I would personally want a smaller wing and would not pay for the weight integration. After going to a bp/w myself I now value the smallest most basic setup I can use. You should be able to find this for less than $450.

I like my HOG setup but dive right in scuba has several quality options for a lot less. If interested in HOG shoot Jim Lapenta a message. He gives good deals and good service for scuba board members. Plus he can help with recommendations based on your type of diving.

 

[616fun]

It's a one piece webbing harness. If it doesn't fit it's set up wrong. I use DSS, HOG, and now a Freedom contour plate. The freedom fits and feels a little different just because of the way it's made.

I started with DSS wings and switched to HOG. I see no real difference other than the DSS wings have a urethane bladder and the HOG's a ballistic nylon with a ten year warranty against pinch flats.

Which DSS and HOG wings have you used in the water? Both are good products and I sell a lot of HOG BPW's. So far this year I've sold and set up almost two dozen of them with zero problems.

First - I get quite frustrated with you jumping on every Hog post. Funny - you've made quite a business selling Hog on here and touting it's products. Good for you, but please drop the 'I dive Hog because its the best.' A better option would be 'I dive Hog because they let a little guy like me be a dealer and I can make a decent profit dog piling ScubaBoard posts.'

That said, a buddy bought a BPW Hog set up and asked me to help him set it up. The plate, meh. It's not finished as clean and precise as a DSS or Halcyon plate. The wing was ok, again nothing to brag about. The inflator is a goofy design and one I haven't seen on other wings - but I have no experience to say if that's good or bad

Again - if a DSS set up is $100 more than Hog I'd still go DSS. The elastomeric stops in the plate, and clean finish high grade stainless, option for weight plates and cinch system (at additional cost) make it a superior product in my mind.

*Note that I don't sell DSS, Hog, or any scuba gear (other than clearing out used stuff). I'm awaiting Jim's reply to sell the OP a killer deal on a Hog set up. Rant over.

 

[tech3324]

The inflator is a goofy design and one I haven't seen on other wings -

Just curious about the HOG power inflator. I haven't seen one in person, but the pictures look like my Halcyon inflator which is a generic model.

 

[RJP]

I did a quick search, looks like it may be a little cheaper than ticket price but not by much.

Halcyon Eclipse System HES *Buy Halcyon at DIVESEEKERS.com 888-SCUBA-47

Without knowing what tanks you use, wetsuit and weight belt it's hard to say if a 40lb wing is more than you need for sure but, assuming OW rec diving, it likely is.

OP - If you are at all interested in H gear, give DiveSeekers a call. Tell 'em Ray P sent you. They'll treat you right.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Cost aside, halcyon product is very high quality down to the last detai, it is well thought out design. Customer service is also very good. Now whether it is worth 700 price tag, it is all subjective. I like halcyon bc, but I wont buy eclipse as a package because there are items there I dont need. If you ditch the weight pockets, backpad, you maybe able to save $100+.

I agree. I have no need for the weight pockets, I didn't buy the Eclipse as a package either.

Re: HOG.

Everybody raves about how cheap their gear was.
I don't buy into the "It's cheaper and just as good" view when making purchases for other products in life, such as tools for example.

I'm not going to suddenly buy into that belief just because a bunch of people here say so.

My impression of HOG is exactly as they have marketed themselves.

They are the cheap, discount brand. That is the company image they have created for themselves since they first emerged on Scubaboard with their regs.

Now they have a pretty full product line of other cheaper, discounted products.

Good for them. They seem to have grown into a much bigger company based on their current product line.

I am just not their target audience.....which are divers looking primarily for cheaper/discounted dive products.

They are very much like clone golf club companies in that sport.
Here's one example:
http://www.pinemeadowgolf.com/

They have a ton of customer testamonials also.

Good for them, and their satisfied customers.

I'm not interested in clone clubs, I'll take the name brands, if I were going to play golf again.

I don't buy knock off precision measuring tools, I'll stick with brands like Starett and not the Taiwan copies.

If I were shopping for another sport bike, I would not be shopping for the Korean knock off brands in that market either.

It's funny....the OP asked specifically about a Halcyon BC, that's it. Reading right from the script, the HOG fan club stops by.:cool2:

Do you guys go to Golf shops and shout to the customers looking at Ping or Callaway clubs that they should be going to a clone company and buy some clubs from them?

"They are so much cheaper and just as good."......or......."They are actually a lot better."

I am going to regret pulling this string, I'm sure.

Cheers,
Mitch

 

[chrpai]

So what you are saying is that brand image is more important to you then the customer value proposition. It's more expensive and better known so it must be better. If Tiger Woods is pimping it, it must be better.

To assume that ever diver who buys Hog is a bottom feeder is just insulting. I select affordable equipment that meets my feature and quality standards so that I only have to buy once. Feel free to think less of me because I spent $299 for my BP/W instead of $800.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Wow Dude.....get over it.....are you intentionally looking to get your feelings hurt over something??

Don't put words in my mouth...I never posted anything like "bottom feeder".......you are insulted by your own imagination.
I never said that I "though less of" you or anyone else.......there are no limits to people's imaginations.

My point....which I quite clearly made....was that if people want to buy the clone product as opposed to the name brand, then have at it.

But if someone is talking to the salesman about buying a BMW, it's kind of strange to hear that guy yelling at them from across the parking lot, telling them that the Ford Fiesta is just as good, or cheaper.

Do you not own any name brand products at all?

Like it or not.....HOG has positioned their own brand exactly where they wanted to. They don't seem to be attempting to position themselves as a top name brand at all. Why do you fein being "insulted" when I point out that they are not. Ohhhhh, the mock outrage of it all! Too funny!

The fact is that HOG along with maany of their customers on this forum often point out that their number one selling point is that they are so much cheaper that the other, established name brands out there.

HOG is widely known as the cheap alternative. I never said they were bad. I pointed out that they are the cheaper/discount/budget brand, much like the clone golf club example I cited. As HOG fans love to point out.....they are the same as (meaning clone of) some Apex regs.

Lighten up.

If I am buying a name brand product in a store, I don't have other people constantly telling me that I can buy one "just like it" on the home shopping TV channels.

On this forum.....that's exactly how some of you HOG fan boys sound.

Cheers,
I'm sorry to read that your feeling have been hurt.

-Mitch

 

[chrpai]

Spending more money makes you feel like a bigger man, doesn't it?

 

[616fun]

So what you are saying is that brand image is more important to you then the customer value proposition. It's more expensive and better known so it must be better. If Tiger Woods is pimping it, it must be better.

To assume that ever diver who buys Hog is a bottom feeder is just insulting. I select affordable equipment that meets my feature and quality standards so that I only have to buy once. Feel free to think less of me because I spent $299 for my BP/W instead of $800.

Again, you miss the point. Hog isn't the fit and finish of other options. Another thread is going on about the Hog AL plates not being deburred well. It's cutting the webbing. To Hogs defense, they posted and thanked for the feedback and said they would look into it in the future. I know when I buy DSS it's not coming that way. I know my HP ports will be drilled on Apeks regs.

It's not about brand vs knock off. It's overall fit and finish.

OP. $700 is probably high for a H setup. Use RJPs connection if you want that setup. Ping Tobin on the manufacturers forum if you want DSS. If you want to go Hog, that's fine too. To each his own. I'll take high quality gear with outstanding customer service over knock off gear with decent customer service.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Spending more money makes you feel like a bigger man, doesn't it?

Do you have reading comprehension issues?