Hi everyone,
I am really getting nuts over the choice of my BCD and need some advice…
Background info:
I’m a new diver, I have only 30+ dives, I dive mostly in the Red Sea but I live in Austria and I passed my dry suit course in a lake earlier this year in order to be able to train during the year.
I’m in my early 40s, 6’1”, 170ish pounds, so relatively skinny.
In the Red Sea, I was until now diving with 10kg (22pounds) of lead with a 5mm wetsuit and a jacket style BCD.
In Cape Town, I had about 8kg (17pounds) of lead with a 5mm wetsuit + ice vest with a Scubapro Hydros Pro.
I first wanted to buy the Hydros pro because I liked it a lot when I was diving in South Africa. But all the issues reported on this forum talked me out of it…
I then ordered a Scubapro Seahawk (I really like the inflator system and the cam band on the Scubapro BCs). But it was too big around the waist and the S will be too short for the back…
So I am back to square one.
I go for one week to the Red Sea in April and to Raja Ampat for my honey moon in November. I would like to get a system before Egypt to test it and tune it in order to have a good rig for Raja Ampat.
I am looking for:
- something robust that I will be able to keep for a while even if I travel with it.
- reliable
- with ditchable weight pockets and the possibility to adapt trim weight pockets
- relatively comfortable
- with enough lift for warm water but also cold water. I know that a lot of people here are advanced divers and recommend low volumes but as a beginner needing a lot of weight, I am looking at 30 to 40 pounds of lift.
What I found so far:
- I was looking at the Dive Rite Transpac xt, I missed a super good deal on this forum and it’s quite expensive in Europe.
- I found a super good deal for an Apeks WTX d30 wing + WTX Ultralight travel plate + WTX deluxe harness. I would just have to add the Surelock weight pockets and the adaptors. But I am a bit afraid of the harness, will it be comfortable enough (no padding, crotch strap)? I am also not sure if 30lbs will be enough lift and if the plate will be long enough for me. Anyone with experience with a similar setup?
- I still like the hydros pro…
What do you guys think?
Thanks in advance and sorry for the wall of text!
I am really getting nuts over the choice of my BCD and need some advice…
Background info:
I’m a new diver, I have only 30+ dives, I dive mostly in the Red Sea but I live in Austria and I passed my dry suit course in a lake earlier this year in order to be able to train during the year.
I’m in my early 40s, 6’1”, 170ish pounds, so relatively skinny.
In the Red Sea, I was until now diving with 10kg (22pounds) of lead with a 5mm wetsuit and a jacket style BCD.
In Cape Town, I had about 8kg (17pounds) of lead with a 5mm wetsuit + ice vest with a Scubapro Hydros Pro.
I first wanted to buy the Hydros pro because I liked it a lot when I was diving in South Africa. But all the issues reported on this forum talked me out of it…
I then ordered a Scubapro Seahawk (I really like the inflator system and the cam band on the Scubapro BCs). But it was too big around the waist and the S will be too short for the back…
So I am back to square one.
I go for one week to the Red Sea in April and to Raja Ampat for my honey moon in November. I would like to get a system before Egypt to test it and tune it in order to have a good rig for Raja Ampat.
I am looking for:
- something robust that I will be able to keep for a while even if I travel with it.
- reliable
- with ditchable weight pockets and the possibility to adapt trim weight pockets
- relatively comfortable
- with enough lift for warm water but also cold water. I know that a lot of people here are advanced divers and recommend low volumes but as a beginner needing a lot of weight, I am looking at 30 to 40 pounds of lift.
What I found so far:
- I was looking at the Dive Rite Transpac xt, I missed a super good deal on this forum and it’s quite expensive in Europe.
- I found a super good deal for an Apeks WTX d30 wing + WTX Ultralight travel plate + WTX deluxe harness. I would just have to add the Surelock weight pockets and the adaptors. But I am a bit afraid of the harness, will it be comfortable enough (no padding, crotch strap)? I am also not sure if 30lbs will be enough lift and if the plate will be long enough for me. Anyone with experience with a similar setup?
- I still like the hydros pro…
What do you guys think?
Thanks in advance and sorry for the wall of text!