Question Mares BC nylon poor quality?

[Itsdavidyang]

I got a Mares Red Devil BC as an SSI dive pro some years ago. I didn’t use it for a bit, but broke it out a year or so ago and after the first trip, the nylon ripped along the seam. Mares gave me the run around to get it fixed, so I just paid Edward McCoy at StayDri to fix it. Then, the cargo bag ripped along the seam after a few more trips. Are Mares known for bad nylon? Pictures attached.

 

[emoreira]

I've repaired several Mares BCDs where the fabric tore away miserably. In one occasion, an almost new Mares Hybrid BCD, the neck piece was completelly riped along the seams. I had to disassemble completelly and replace the fabric with new cordura.
In some other Mares BCDs, the exterior nylon fabric was completelly delaminated to the internal watertight lining. The watertight lining has almost no mechanical resistance, so, a lot of punctures and cuts made it unrepairable.
For me Mares does not manufacture dependable gear.

 

[Itsdavidyang]

I've repaired several Mares BCDs where the fabric tore away miserably. In one occasion, an almost new Mares Hybrid BCD, the neck piece was completelly riped along the seams. I had to disassemble completelly and replace the fabric with new cordura.
In some other Mares BCDs, the exterior nylon fabric was completelly delaminated to the internal watertight lining. The watertight lining has almost no mechanical resistance, so, a lot of punctures and cuts made it unrepairable.
For me Mares does not manufacture dependable gear.

It’s a good thing I got this BCD as a deal, or I would be rather upset. I will avoid buying it if I have to pay full price.

 

[johndiver999]

I got A used Mares BC a while ago, after about 75 dives, the material was splitting and ripping. Never had another brand do that so quickly. Not sure if it is typical or not?

 

[happy-diver]

I have had all sorts of bcd-wings with faults, bad batches of cordura, hello goodbye see you later start again
They fix the issues, taking special care not to repeat, and customers can again feel confident in buying more



"There are eight million stories in the naked city, this has been one of them."

Especially bad batches, maybe really good batches, of disintegrating plastics

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have a Mares Dragonfly AT that is about 24 years old and still going strong without any rips or tears or seams spitting.

 

[happy-diver]

Mares has a lot of great stuff

 

[Searcaigh]

If you ever needed a reason to move over to a BPW this has to be it.

 

[Pressurehead]

If you ever needed a reason to move over to a BPW this has to be it.

There are some rubbish wings out there also Gordon, bad batches even in the 'Gucci' brands.

Someone put Gucci on the end of a well know brand , I liked it so much I poached it .

 

[FreqFlier]

My wife's Mares Kaila SLS BCD has about 275 dives over 4 or 5 years without any visual tears or damage.