Ranger LTD Newb Questions

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Hey, so I just got my Ranger LTD 2008 in the mail. Looks like a very nice BCD and I can't wait to try it out, but I have some small questions that the user manual didn't answer, and I'm hoping with the number of Ranger owners, a couple could help me with some of these:

1.) Dump Valve: Does the inflater hose not have a dump valve when you tug on it? It doesn't seem to, but am I missing something? I just don't understand why a high end BCD would leave this feature off when several cheaper BCDs have it. I like to empty air this way, but may just need to adjust.

2.) Weight Pockets With Ripcord System: If you open the pockets and seperate the two sides, is the bottom just a hole with the four pieces of nylon across it? It seems to me like 18 pounds would put too much stress on the nylon, but I'm not sure. Is this how they are supposed to be threaded (I stupidly pulled the rip cord before ever looking at the pockets)?

3.) Adding Weights: What have people on here added to their front weight pockets? Will each pocket physically fit like three 5lbs and a 3lb hard weight? I'd rather get hard weights, but if I need the molding of a soft weight, I guess I can buy them instead.

4.) Random Storage I Don't Understand: Just curious, what sort of things would you use the rear D-rings and that front pull down pocket for?

5.) Other: Any other cool features or tricks I should know about?

Thanks.

 

[Underwater Ogre]

Hope this helps


1.) Dump Valve: Does the inflater hose not have a dump valve when you tug on it? It doesn't seem to, but am I missing something? I just don't understand why a high end BCD would leave this feature off when several cheaper BCDs have it. I like to empty air this way, but may just need to adjust.
yes it has a "pull inflater hose dump valve

2.) Weight Pockets With Ripcord System: If you open the pockets and seperate the two sides, is the bottom just a hole with the four pieces of nylon across it? It seems to me like 18 pounds would put too much stress on the nylon, but I'm not sure. Is this how they are supposed to be threaded (I stupidly pulled the rip cord before ever looking at the pockets)?

The cord weaves thru the nylon loops and when you pull the cord it dumps the weight. As long as you have weaved the cord properly...no worries

3.) Adding Weights: What have people on here added to their front weight pockets? Will each pocket physically fit like three 5lbs and a 3lb hard weight? I'd rather get hard weights, but if I need the molding of a soft weight, I guess I can buy them instead.
I have put up to 15lbs of soft weight in each side and 8lbs in each rear trim pocket...I have since changed to a weight belt and integrated combination. Let me know if you need some pockets I have a friend who sews to the Zeagle fit, and their cheap and durable.

4.) Random Storage I Don't Understand: Just curious, what sort of things would you use the rear D-rings and that front pull down pocket for?
The rear rings are for lift bags, pony bottle and canister light. I dont have a front pull down pocket...but I am guess SMB or spare mask?

5.) Other: Any other cool features or tricks I should know about?
The front pockets suck...but that's just my opinion. Everything else about the BC is great....it handles the abuse I throw at it and that is saying a lot.

 

[rstofer]

1.) Dump Valve: Does the inflater hose not have a dump valve when you tug on it? It doesn't seem to, but am I missing something? I just don't understand why a high end BCD would leave this feature off when several cheaper BCDs have it. I like to empty air this way, but may just need to adjust.

There are some who recommend you not pull on the elbow fitting whether it has a dump capability or not. Should that elbow fracture while underwater you could have a life threatening event.

Most BCs have better ways to dump air - perhaps a dump valve on the upper right shoulder? Certainly there will be one at the bottom rear.

Just something to consider.

Richard

 

[diversteve]

The inflator hose has a steel cable connected internally between the dump and the inflator end. There's a steel pin that's captured by the end of the inflator hose under the zipties that's it's hooked around. So it's designed to be used.

I don't use the front pocket much. Sometimes if I pick up some junk on a dive or something.

Here's a ripcord re-threading video: http://zeaglecom.web.siteprotect.net/videos/ripcordv.wmv

The front weight pocket capacity is 30lbs. I believe that's for both. The back is 20lbs. I find that a 60/40 split works best to trim out correctly.

Their newest cool BC toy is the BX power inflator. It's a replacement inflator with a fitting that allows you to remove the inflator and screw on a hose to flush the BC. $47.16 at Scubatoys. Zeagle BX Inflator Valve Exchange reviews and discounts, Zeagle

The front pockets suck...but that's just my opinion.

I kind of agree. When you're standing up with the weight of the tank stressing the BC, they're hard to unzip also. I carry a fold-up snorkel in one and a cheap signal tube in the other. One thing I've done is mount a clip knife vertically to the left flap that holds the wing closer to the BC. Over where it says Zeagle. It's a blunt tip so I don't puncture the wing if I miss...

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

Hey, so I just got my Ranger LTD 2008 in the mail. Looks like a very nice BCD and I can't wait to try it out, but I have some small questions that the user manual didn't answer, and I'm hoping with the number of Ranger owners, a couple could help me with some of these:

1.) Dump Valve: Does the inflater hose not have a dump valve when you tug on it? It doesn't seem to, but am I missing something? I just don't understand why a high end BCD would leave this feature off when several cheaper BCDs have it. I like to empty air this way, but may just need to adjust.
There's really only 2 common types of fittings between the wing and the corrugated hose; plain elbow or Remote exhaust. AFAIK, all Rangers come with the remote exhaust. It's easy to tell. If the fitting between the wing and corrugated hose is a continuous tube with a smooth 90 degree bend, it's a plain elbow. If it looks like a "T" with 3 holes in the rear of the fitting it's a remote exhaust. Your ranger should have also come with the Bx power inflator, which means you can unscrew it and look inside the corrugated hose. If you see a metal bar running through the eye of a metal cable, it has a remote exhaust.

2.) Weight Pockets With Ripcord System: If you open the pockets and seperate the two sides, is the bottom just a hole with the four pieces of nylon across it? YES.

It seems to me like 18 pounds would put too much stress on the nylon, but I'm not sure. Is this how they are supposed to be threaded (I stupidly pulled the rip cord before ever looking at the pockets)?
As was mentioned, the rip-cord system is designed for a max. weight of 30 lbs. (15 lbs. each side). So, even though the weight pouches (the "Yellow thingies") are 18 lb. pouches, putting 18 lbs. in both sides would be overweighting the system.

3.) Adding Weights: What have people on here added to their front weight pockets? Will each pocket physically fit like three 5lbs and a 3lb hard weight? I'd rather get hard weights, but if I need the molding of a soft weight, I guess I can buy them instead.
Again, 15 lbs. per side would be the max. And yes, you can fit three 5 lb. hard weights in there.

4.) Random Storage I Don't Understand: Just curious, what sort of things would you use the rear D-rings and that front pull down pocket for?
About the only useful purpose I found for the pocket on the cumberband is putting trash in when I find it on the bottom. I never used the rear D-rings.

5.) Other: Any other cool features or tricks I should know about?
The LTD is buoyant, so bring extra weight. If you are a normally "leg heavy" person, meaning if you stop all movement in a horizontal trim and and your body takes a head-up trim on it's own, you may need to buy extra cam strap pockets to put on the top cam bands to bring your head down. Having all the weight at waist level can just exacerbate the problem. Also having weight in the rear lower trim pockets can make sitting on the surface a little more comfortable by keeping you in a better vertical position.

 

[Lee Taylor]

I own a Ranger. I advise you rent a tank and test the valves. You can do this in a swimming pool and/or out of the pool. The nylon is the only thing that holds the weights in the pockets. I personally would not add weights anywhere that I could not jettison them quickly. The pockets and rings are for whatever you desire to use them for.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Wow thanks for all the responses, guess it's good to have one of the more popular BCDs

On the dump valve, I must have been pulling it wrong because I got it to work today. Good to know it has this feature

On the weight pockets, good to confirm this is how its supposed to be: just looked a bit strange to me. And thanks for the video link.

On the weighting, here I'm confused. The entire system is listed as 46lbs, I believe the rear (trim) pockets are only supposed to hold 10 (I think that's combined). I can't see how the ripcord system can hold 30lbs and the entire system adds up to 46, since I'm quite confident each rear pouches don't hold 8 lbs each.

Thanks for the possible uses of the pulldown pocket and rear D-rings: they just seemed like kind of useless features to me.

And I'll keep everything else in mind.

One more question I have: while I have no plans to use double tanks any time in the near future, I know the LTD was supposed to have some difference that makes it possible / easier to use double tanks. What feature is this, how is the LTD different from the normal Ranger that makes doubles better?

There are some who recommend you not pull on the elbow fitting whether it has a dump capability or not. Should that elbow fracture while underwater you could have a life threatening event.

Most BCs have better ways to dump air - perhaps a dump valve on the upper right shoulder? Certainly there will be one at the bottom rear.

Just something to consider.

Richard

Hmm interesting. Is this something that has happened to people or is it just a theoretical concern? What is the big risk, that you're BCD can't inflate and you get stuck on the bottom?

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

On the weighting, here I'm confused. The entire system is listed as 46lbs, I believe the rear (trim) pockets are only supposed to hold 10 (I think that's combined). I can't see how the ripcord system can hold 30lbs and the entire system adds up to 46, since I'm quite confident each rear pouches don't hold 8 lbs each.

This can be confusing since different sites list different weight limits and I couldn't find it anywhere in the literature that came with it. So what I used to determine the weight limits was marketing literature from Zeagle (Ranger LTD brochure). And what they had listed on their site (they now have the '09 listed, but the '08 was the same). Which is 30lbs. (15 lbs. per side) for the ripcord and 20lbs (10 lbs. per side) for the rear trim pockets for a total of 50lbs. I just figured that the reason the front pockets came with 18lb "Yellow thingies" was because Zeagle offers a bolt-on 36 lb. weight system for backplates and instead of making a 15 lb. bag, they just use the 18 lb. ones from that system. As far as what the rear trim pouches can hold, each one is easily big enough and strong enough to hold two 5 lb. hard weights.

For a more definitive answer you could post the question in the Zeagle forum here on the board, or call Zeagle directly.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

This can be confusing since different sites list different weight limits and I couldn't find it anywhere in the literature that came with it. So what I used to determine the weight limits was marketing literature from Zeagle (Ranger LTD brochure). And what they had listed on their site (they now have the '09 listed, but the '08 was the same). Which is 30lbs. (15 lbs. per side) for the ripcord and 20lbs (10 lbs. per side) for the rear trim pockets for a total of 50lbs. I just figured that the reason the front pockets came with 18lb "Yellow thingies" was because Zeagle offers a bolt-on 36 lb. weight system for backplates and instead of making a 15 lb. bag, they just use the 18 lb. ones from that system. As far as what the rear trim pouches can hold, each one is easily big enough and strong enough to hold two 5 lb. hard weights.

For a more definitive answer you could post the question in the Zeagle forum here on the board, or call Zeagle directly.

Hmm odd. I definitely know I saw 46lbs for the 2008 and 50lbs for the 2009 on multiple webpages. I never saw 50lbs listed for the 08 anywhere, so it's weird.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

This can be confusing since different sites list different weight limits and I couldn't find it anywhere in the literature that came with it. So what I used to determine the weight limits was marketing literature from Zeagle (Ranger LTD brochure). And what they had listed on their site (they now have the '09 listed, but the '08 was the same). Which is 30lbs. (15 lbs. per side) for the ripcord and 20lbs (10 lbs. per side) for the rear trim pockets for a total of 50lbs. I just figured that the reason the front pockets came with 18lb "Yellow thingies" was because Zeagle offers a bolt-on 36 lb. weight system for backplates and instead of making a 15 lb. bag, they just use the 18 lb. ones from that system. As far as what the rear trim pouches can hold, each one is easily big enough and strong enough to hold two 5 lb. hard weights.

For a more definitive answer you could post the question in the Zeagle forum here on the board, or call Zeagle directly.

Hmm odd. I definitely know I saw 46lbs for the 2008 and 50lbs for the 2009 on multiple webpages. I never saw 50lbs listed for the 08 anywhere, so it's weird.

If no one here has a definate answer, I'll try to contact Zeagle. Although I don't plan to max this thing out, it would still be nice to know.

Oh also to the person above who said to add weight due to the BCD's buoyancy, about how much do you figure it needs? Just a rough estimate is fine.