seaquest? aqualung?

[Grey_Wulff]

While I agree that Aqualung do make some good quality equipment, the Balance BC is not without its problems - see
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=93555&highlight=air+trapped+balance+bcd.

The thing, however, that really has put me off Aqualung was IMHO their indifference to having these issues brought to their attention. Thus, Aqualung do not figure much on my shopping list these days.

Grey_Wulff

 

[redrover]

Just a noob here with just FYI my opinion. I chose Seaquests DivaLX - it is not the model you are looking at so I won’t go over the pros and cons I see. But I am very pleased and not seeing the problems people complained about in the referral post. It is new and looks similar design to the OD. Mine has three dumps and I use them all.
The Legend is one of three I narrowed my picks down to. I went with another manufacturer because it was better suited to what I am diving, the impression I got when researching was it was a solid high quality regulator. One of my instructors got LX Supreme for a trip to the Galapagos and was very pleased.

 

[SHARKBAIT94]

To start of like Rick stated sea quest and aqualung have some lower end models and even they breath great. My fiancé and myself both dive exclusive sea quest/aqualung/sunnto. Our quick list of gear sea quest black diamond (mine) sea quest diva lx (hers, naturally), aqualung titan LX w/environmental kit, titan LX octo, sunnto cobra w/ compass. We could not have made a better choice with our gear. We have twenty something dives on this gear and we both just love it, true we don’t have any deep water dives on it yet (have to stay with in our scope of practice/training) With all the features the cobra has even if we plan our dives on the computer wrong it will say so. Yes the sunnto line is more cautious with it limits and dive tables but that’s a feature we like. The regs breath effortless and has a control knob to adjust the flow rate another great feature and so does the octo. The black diamond and diva lx are black inflation with the “3D” design and to us they are very easy to adjust trim and get neutral. To us sea quest/aqualung are just really easy to dive with, and were green boots when it comes to scuba. So seaquest/aqualung have our votes for best gear.

 

[MrTsunami]

ya my lds is offering me a titan lx supreme reg, with a pro QD bcd and an aeris atmos AI for 2000$ CAD do you think it's worth it?

Wow, that is my exact setup... See post http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=98798

I have enjoyed that setup. Someone posted that the Pro QD is a little big, which is very true. I do like the large pockets though. The price seems a bit high to say the least. I would price it out on Leisure Pro and dhow your LDS to see if they can come closer to the price. (Don't forget about shipping.)

I have mine set up with a knife on the side of the pocket (Holes are allready in) and a retractor inside the left pocket. (Thier is a hole and a pouch for a retractor inside the pocket.

Back to the note it is a little large. My wife is 100 pounds, but the two of us can pack all of our gear (Less tanks of course) in the large aqua lung rolling bag and still have room for sunlation, a towel and dry clothes in the outer pocket. If it was just my gear in the bag I would have all sorts of room.

I hope that helps. If you didn't know that is also a coldwater reg.

 

[stoiclown]

While I agree that Aqualung do make some good quality equipment, the Balance BC is not without its problems - see
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=93555&highlight=air+trapped+balance+bcd.

The thing, however, that really has put me off Aqualung was IMHO their indifference to having these issues brought to their attention. Thus, Aqualung do not figure much on my shopping list these days.

Grey_Wulff

All Back inflate BC have that trouble when they only have 2-Dumps, its up to the ability & experince of the user to compensate. In regards to your opinion about the Aqualung not listening to their customers, take a look at the new for this year Balance BCD. After getting input from the customer it added addional features to compensate for the newer divers to the BCD inexperience with it.

 

[Grey_Wulff]

All Back inflate BC have that trouble when they only have 2-Dumps, its up to the ability & experince of the user to compensate. In regards to your opinion about the Aqualung not listening to their customers, take a look at the new for this year Balance BCD. After getting input from the customer it added addional features to compensate for the newer divers to the BCD inexperience with it.

I cannot tell you if all back inflate BC's have this problem because I've only dove with the Balance having converted from a jacket BC. What I can tell you though is that since setting up the thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=93555&highlight=air+trapped I have heard from Balance, Libra and Malibu owners who described a similar problem. Funny, they should all be Aqualung products. If anyone with a back inflate BC that is not Aqualung is having this problem please let us know.

As for blaming diver inexperience - I guess that's an option. However, IMHO if a BC is equipped with a power inflator to dump air then it should dump air if you are in an upright position, your left shoulder is high and the power inflator is above your head! The Balance does not do this on occasion. While adding another shoulder dump valve will obviously help, personally I think Aqualung would better serve its customers by solving the initial problem. What prompted me to make the comments regarding Aqualung's perceived indifference was that after writing a detailed description of what I believed to be the problem and having talked to several of their staff, it appeared all Aqualung was prepared to say was, "there's no problem". I literally live right down the road from their HQ and would have been happy to demonstrate said problem but everyone just insisted nothing was wrong!

Grey_Wulff

 

[MontereyCADiver]

Since 1999, I've been diving with a SeaQuest Black Diamond BC, and after hundreds of dives -- it still functions great.

 

[stoiclown]

I cannot tell you if all back inflate BC's have this problem because I've only dove with the Balance having converted from a jacket BC.

As for blaming diver inexperience - I guess that's an option. However, IMHO if a BC is equipped with a power inflator to dump air then it should dump air if you are in an upright position, your left shoulder is high and the power inflator is above your head! The Balance does not do this on occasion. While adding another shoulder dump valve will obviously help, personally I think Aqualung would better serve its customers by solving the initial problem. What prompted me to make the comments regarding Aqualung's perceived indifference was that after writing a detailed description of what I believed to be the problem and having talked to several of their staff, it appeared all Aqualung was prepared to say was, "there's no problem". I literally live right down the road from their HQ and would have been happy to demonstrate said problem but everyone just insisted nothing was wrong!

Grey_Wulff

No worries I wasn't saying "you" were an inexperienced diver, or making comments directed specifically at "you" as far as experience. What I was getting at is that particularly the Balance BCD with only 2-Dumps, & similiar wing designs take some getting used to. As you can put yourself in Right side head down position & the BCD won't vent. Until you get your body into proper position. I currently going through DM Class, I have seen the exact problem you discussed. We do not have to address the issue as much any more but, now that the Balance has moved to a 3 Dump system. But it is a skill I have had to Demonstrate, to Balance owners.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

double post

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I use seaquest/aqualung/apex and love it. Maybe not getting mentioned so much is because it's just getting a little bit harder to buy that stuff online? With a warranty.