seaquest Black Diamond VS seaquest balance

[diverdude74]

hey i am looking to purchase a back inflate BCD and i am looking at the seaquest Black Diamond and the seaquest balance

Does anyone use either of these?
what do you think of them?
Any suggestions on which one to get?
Thanks for the info in advance

 

[JThompson]

I really depends on the type of diving you do. IMHO i think the balance will be just fine. Yeah the Black Diamond looks cool but thats just about all it does better than the balance. Plus its a single tank rig and for a al80 it has more lift than necessary. More lift means more fabric, and more drag in the water. Just my 2 cents

 

[covediver]

I have used a black diamond for many years. I had one that got pretty beat up after a couple hundred dives, so I bought another one. Now it is the only bc I own. I love the fit and style (anyone who says they don't think about how a piece of equipment looks is fibbing) but more importantly I can use it for cold water drysuit diving in Alaska (120 cu foot steel tank/with weight harness) so yes I like the lift, break it down, use it in California for wetsuit diving (integrated), break it down, use it in Hawaii for suit and rash guard diving (integrated) It is extremely rugged and reliable. Having said that, I have not used a balance, but if it is as well designed and durable as a diamond, you can't go wrong. When you come down to it, your preference is what really matters. The only drawback to the diamond is a single tank band.

 

[Kiwi Sean]

I agree with JThompson - the decision will ultimately hinge on the type of diving you plan on doing.

I was looking at both of those BCDs very closely when I was getting my gear earlier this year. The Black Diamond seemed to be a bit more "robust" than the Balance, and I was liking the idea of the extra lift that came with it. But the Balance was smaller, lighter, and not as encumbered with bells and whistles. I was leaning towards the Black Diamond because it seemed to be up to a harder life.

In the end I didn't get either - I drank the koolaid and got a bp/w setup. You may get a number of people telling you here that you should do likewise. I'd recommend that if it is possible you TRY both the ones you are looking at, and also try a bp/w... that way you can make the choice based on experience. I love my BP/W set up. But I also have a good friend who hates it, and loves his Balance. This is the stuff that wars are fought over on the internet. But in the real world, we both get a lot of enjoyment out of using our kit, and both are fit for purpose.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[PiranhaChris]

I rock a Balance and I LOVE IT. It has just enough of what I need. When the trim weights are set up, you're Set. If you don't need the extra crap why go for the BD?

 

[RJP]

I dove a Balance and loved it. In fact the only person I know who loves diving a Balance as much as I did was the guy I sold mine to when I switched to a BP/W after a dozen or so dives!



(OK folks, you all knew this thread was gonna go to "BP/W" quickly. Don't fault me for being the first one to get there!)

But seriously, if you're looking at "back inflate" specifically you should at least consider looking into whether you might like what a BP/W has to offer. I wish someone had given me that recommendation when I was first starting out instead of simply allowing me to buy what I deemed the best of what I assumed were the only two available BCD options - jacket and back-inflate.

You might ultimately decide the Balance or the Black Diamond is the best choice for you, but at least you will have made an INFORMED decision.

Ray

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

A lot of this decision should be based on where and what you will dive. As stated above, if you go big steel's in cold water the extra lift is nice. I wear a Balance for my work rig. It is an older model and the integrated weight pockets were easily removed; I personally will try very hard to never own integrated. I also dive steel 120's at work. My reason for going to BI for my work rig vs my SeaQuest Spectrum 2 ADV Vest for pleasure diving is the large slate required by my employer did not attach elegantly to the Vest and I rank elegance nearly as high as color. For my diving I personally find the Balance to be somewhat harder to dive than the Vest, but I am very happy with both and I doubt I will change either set-up.

If your SQ BC fits properly and you strap the tank in properly the single strap issue is a non issue.

​

 

[rcs9250]

If you are considering traveling , the Black Diamond doesn't pack very small unless you take it apart at the bottom. It's bolted together and is adjustable with the different bolting options. It's slightly heavy compared to a balance too.
I have a Black Diamond but it has been un the hanger for about 7 years now since I went BP/W. Not to continue the BP/W vs. BCD war but, once you try a BP/W there is no point to any other product. It by far is the most compact thing to travel with and rivals the new Zuma in weight. Not as cheap as the Zuma but it is much much more versatile.
Randy

 

[JThompson]

I agree with all the BP/W talk. I know I know everyone always goes back to the BP/W but thats for good reason. Its simple, compact, and can do anthing you will ever need it to do.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I agree with all the BP/W talk. I know I know everyone always goes back to the BP/W but thats for good reason. Its simple, compact, and can do anthing you will ever need it to do.

Why is it so hard for some to keep the discussion to the OP's original topic?