Islander BC weight capacity spec?

[reefduffer]

Doug Krause or someone from Oceanic:

I'm on the Oceanic website, looking at the Islander BC.
There are two different values given for the dumpable integrated weight capacity.

The "Overview" tab says it's 14 lbs.
The "Details" and "Specs" tabs say it's 10 lbs.
The PDF file provided by the "Compare" tab says it's 14 lbs.

The PDF of the 2007 Oceanic catalog says "Integrated Weight System
accommodates up to 14 lbs plus dual 5 lbs cylinder band pouches...".
And the chart on page 25 agrees, which is comforting.

Could I get an authoritative spec on this please?
And maybe you want to correct or clarify your website?

And I'm also curious about configuration: Each side holds up to
3+4? Or just one 5? Or something else?

Also, they all seem to agree that one can also have another 10 lbs of
undumpable weight on the cylinder band, listed as "optional" in places.
I don't see anything described for this under "accessories" for the Islander.
Does Oceanic sell this, or just expect one to use an aftermarket pouch?

Aha - I took another look, under your online store -> BC accessories
there's replacement Islander integrated weight pockets for $50, and looking at
the description, I see "NOTE:Tank strap weight pouches also available.".
I think we can agree you're not flogging them very hard. :14:
Would you care to provide price and availability?
And given how hidden they are, is their use deprecated?

Thanks.

 

[Nova SS]

My sister dives one and dives it with 16 LBS.

She uses two 3 LBS bags in the tank strap pouches and two 5 LBS bags in the quick release pouches.

So with each pouch holding a max of 5 LBS you can load it up with 20 LBS TOTAL, 10 LBS dumpable and 10 LBS not.

When I bought it for her it had the band pouches already on it but I dont know if my LDS added them or not. She loves the thing. We took it to the keys last month for her first dive in it. Up to this point she had never used a back inflate but it only took her one dive to fall in love with it.

 

[reefduffer]

...
So with each pouch holding a max of 5 LBS you can load it up with 20 LBS TOTAL, 10 LBS dumpable and 10 LBS not.
...

Thanks, Nova SS, for the recommendation, but it's not my question, which boils
down, in your terms, to whether the total is 20 or 24 lbs.

But your comment about the band pouches being included caused me to
research the Oceanic site again, and I notice a similar pattern of self-conflict
to the 10-or-14-dumpable discrepancy:

The "Overview" tab says "[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Integrated Weight System accommodates up to 14 lbs.
may be used as cylinder band weight pouches for improved in-water positioning"
which sounds like it's suggesting that I can give up dumpable weights and
attach the weight pouches to the cylinder band. A little odd, but plausable.


The "Details" tab says [bolding emphasis is mine] "[/FONT]Cylinder Band Weight
Pockets Optional equipment on the Islander, our Cylinder Band Weight
Pouches provides greater integrated weight capacity and better attitude
underwater. Carries up to 10 non-dumpable pounds.

The "Specs" tab says "Max Non-Dumpable Rear Weight Pockets: (Optional) 10 LBS."

But the "Compare" PDF lists this as just 10 lbs without the[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] "(optional)"
when it list this as "(optional)" for other BCs, specifically the Ocean Pro
and Reef Pro.

And the 2007 catalog says, as I quoted in my OP "...[/FONT]plus dual 5 lbs cylinder band
pouches..." with no mention of this being an option. And the table on page 25
is the same as the "Compare" tab, showing this "(Optional)" for the other
two models but omitting that for the Islander.


It's almost as if the "Overview" and the "Compare" PDF, and the 2007 Catalog,
have one set of information - 14 lbs dumpable and cylinder band pouches
included - and the "Details" and "Specs" tabs on the web page have another
- 10 lbs dumpable and pouches not included. The almost is because of the
strange suggestion in the Overview that the integrated weight pouches can
be attached to the cylinder band if you prefer to trim that way.

So, thanks for the reply because it made me realize there are two discrepancies
here, not one discrepancy and an ambiguity.

I'm looking forward to Doug Krause/Oceanic straightening these out.

 

[Doug Krause]

Sorry for the confusion. We are not undecided about this issue, it is simply a transition of the dumpable weight pocket that has occurred over the past year or so. The original Islander weight pockets accommodated approximately 5 lbs. each, with the option of the rear cylinder band pouches, each holding up to 5 lbs. Current production (most easily identified by the dual-color dumpable weight pocket flap - see image) dumpable pockets hold 7 lbs. and the non-dumpable cylinder band pockets are included.

 

[reefduffer]

Sorry for the confusion. We are not undecided about this issue, it is simply a transition of the dumpable weight pocket that has occurred over the past year or so. The original Islander weight pockets accommodated approximately 5 lbs. each, with the option of the rear cylinder band pouches, each holding up to 5 lbs. Current production (most easily identified by the dual-color dumpable weight pocket flap - see image) dumpable pockets hold 7 lbs. and the non-dumpable cylinder band pockets are included.

Thanks Doug!
The quick and clear reply is very much appreciated.

Makes sense, the product was revised since inception.
May I suggest you fix the Overview, Details, and Specs tabs on the website?

Regards.

 

[Doug Krause]

May I suggest you fix the Overview, Details, and Specs tabs on the website?

Your wish is my command...