sea quest balance bcd

[coglesby]

Hi Guys:

Do the weight pouches/waist strap contour your body or does it leave a gap between your stomach and waist buckle. Fits snug and conforms well but when the weight pouches are loaded, the hard plates of the weight pouches prevent the waist strap/weight holsters from fitting snug like my old Infinit & Concept BCDs (30 in waist / 127lbs), even with a full 7mm wetsuit.

Thanks,
Claude

It is a snug fit. The weight pouches and receivers are concave (to fit the contour of you hips and contour of lead weights - soft weight pouches work too, of course) and you can cinch the wait buckle as tight it you want it.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Or you could just cut them off and wear a belt!

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[andrethediver]

The Balance is one of the better BC on the market. I had it for about and year and transition to a BP/Wing. My only reservation was Airsoure2 that it came with - it breathes horrible.

Another good BC alternative would be Zegale.

Not to hijack the thread but can someone compare it to Zeagle Stiletto? Thanks.

 

[knowone]

I am several years into diving my Balance BC...my only dislike is not enough factory D-Rings. The newer models may have more than the 3 on mine? Other than that, FWIW, I don't believe you can go wrong with a Balance.

Hey dude. Buy some D rings. Place in soft vice. Hack them open where they're welded. Twist them sideways. Fit them where you want. Twist them shut. Now you look tech or like your BC's been to a piercing convention.

 

[coglesby]

Hey dude. Buy some D rings. Place in soft vice. Hack them open where they're welded. Twist them sideways. Fit them where you want. Twist them shut. Now you look tech or like your BC's been to a piercing convention.

I added several last year..some with clips, some as you mentioned. Thanks though!

 

[Divertor]

I hate to be the only one with something negative to say about the balance, but here it is...

I got one and hated it. Tank kept slipping out, seemed cheaply built. I agree with others that it packs up small, and as you can see on this thread, lots of people love it. I went to a different inexpensive back-inflate (ScubaMax bc-6100), and I was much happier. I also tried a couple configurations of Back-Plate/wing before that. Didn't care for them either, but I did enjoy all the d-rings (I like to clip my stuff down). Went back to Stab jacket this year. Seems to work best for me. You didn't say how much you were planning on spending.

 

[divesergeant]

I bought my Balance in 1998 and it still is going strong. I now have a BP/W but my Balance is on loan to a relative who dives it. It is on loan since I refuse to give it up.

It fits snugly but without making you feel like you're wearing a straight jacket.

It does pack quite well, although keep in mind that the newer ones are a bit more bulky due to an extra latch for the weight pockets.

My bro bought a Balance a few years ago and his seems to have more D-Rings on it.

DS

 

[Sanlanman]

H'm, I need a travel BC too. Might have to look at the balance. One day my old SEATEC Manta is just going to crap out in a major way.

 

[nitrox-bob]

I suggest you try one before buying. Watch for two things that may be of concern, depending upon the type of diving you do. Some I know are bothered by the location of the integrated weights as it seems to put stress on their lower back and they may be better served by a weight belt. The other thing is the back inflate, which may pitch you forward when floating on the surface. This can be especially stressful for a new diver.

 

[IslandFrog]

Not to hijack the thread but can someone compare it to Zeagle Stiletto? Thanks.

I have both the Balance and the Stiletto. I tend to dive the Stiletto more than the Balance, but like both of them. I recently set up an Oxycheq travel backplate and 18lb travel wing with some XS Scuba dumpable weight pouches for an even smaller packing alternative. So far I have just some local dives on it, but it is working very well.

Balance will pack smaller than the Stiletto, has a waist belt only, no cumberbund, only one tank strap.