SP Hydros Pro vs Halcyon Eclipse

[tbone1004]

This has been a very informative thread for myself. I've also been considering these two bcds as well as the DSS based on its reputation around here.

One thing I do consider a plus on the Hydros Pro and Infinity is the weight integration. I really do not enjoy using a weight belt. I know the option is there to add weight on to the backplate of the DSS but I also do like having ditchable weight on my system.

I haven't dived either the Hydros Pro or Halcyon but I've seen them both in person and both seem absolutely top notch in quality. However, the Hydros pro does have a lot of bells and whistles that are seemingly only there to market the BCD as a premium product while having little application. What I'm saying here is that it almost seems to be looking for solutions/problems that may not actually exist.

I wish I could see a DSS system in person but I do trust in the product based of what I've read.

As of now I am leaning towards the blue H but the price is still a concern. Either that or just adding some weight pockets on to the cam bands of the DSS system.

remember that with the DSS or any simple harness, you can very easily add weight pockets if you want. I prefer to weight myself to not need any lead when possible, and if I had to, would use something similar to the Mako freediving belt, but you can add weight pockets for $50-$150 depending on how much weight you need
8lbs, make sure to get the locking strap not the velcro one, $50
Dive Rite Travel Weight Pocket (Choose Style)
16lbs, these are similar to the one on the hydros pro, $150
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite 16-lb QLR Weight Pockets - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
they also make a 32lb version for about $130, but if you need that much weight, you have bigger fish to fry imho.

Moral of story is just because the backplates come stripped down and most of us use them like that, it doesn't mean that you can't dress them up with whatever you want

 

[mattia_v]

ALL people I know who bought the SP Hydros BC are raving about it. It is supposed to fit all sizes no problem.

By that same token, I've yet to see people compalin about DSS or Halcyon BP/W setups.

It looks like a nice BC, I just don't see anything on it that would make me want to spend 800+ dollars.

I have a tecline BP/W (because a local dive shop carries them), with integrated (but modular, thus removable) ditchable weight pockets. With my current setup and an alu plate, I only need 4 lbs of lead, which I'm happy to put in trim pockets and thus negate the need for the ditchable pockets. My girlfriend's got a scubapro X-tek wing (which I like less, for a number of reasons - whatever you get, get a wing that does not require a single tank adapter) and we added DTD (dare to dive) 'small' ditchable weight pockets that drop out when you release the buckle. Only designed for 4lbs per side or so, but mine (which will take 8-10 each side) are easily twice as big, and that gets silly when you only need minimal addtional balast. I prefer hers, and could mount them if I needed them. Looks like this (Dutch webshop, but the picture says it all):

Techduikshop.nl

Pretty much the same as the Halcyon products, which costs more than double for essentially the same thing at the same webshop:

Techduikshop.nl

Both will fit pretty much any standard backplate/wing system. The former attaches with a bolt, the latter with a locking slider thingy.

the nice thing about the BP/W route is that you can tailor it. Plenty of mix and match options for smaller accesories. Should you eventually decide you want to dive in colder water with a drysuit or thicker wetsuit, you can spend a few hundred on a slightly larger capacity wing, and voila. Upgrade complete.

 

[Charred]

Maybe this will help you. I just got back from a trip.

One of our DMs who was cave certified and working on becoming a cave instructor was diving a H bp/w. He was absolutely raving about my wife's and my DSS rig. In fact all the DMs who were diving various bp/w were checking out my rig. In the end, my wife got mad at me for buying better gear than DM's were using....

I had to pull up webpages to show her prices in order to settle her down.

 

[BoltSnap]

By that same token, I've yet to see people compalin about DSS or Halcyon BP/W setups.

I wasn't making a statement about the BC's you mention but was responding to @tbone1004's statement about the Hydro's BC.

Some people see to love to attack high end equipment and find every reason to criticize it and bend over backwards to find fault with it and others see it the other way around.

It is interesting that the Atomic new Jacket BC is priced at $1399 yet they can't keep it in stock.

Some people value quality and others value cheap stuff. Whatever floats your fins I guess.

 

[tbone1004]

I wasn't making a statement about the BC's you mention but was responding to @tbone1004's statement about the Hydro's BC.

Some people see to love to attack high end equipment and find every reason to criticize it and bend over backwards to find fault with it and others see it the other way around.

It is interesting that the Atomic new Jacket BC is priced at $1399 yet they can't keep it in stock.

Some people value quality and others value cheap stuff. Whatever floats your fins I guess.

do not imply that I value cheap stuff. I do not. Nothing that I have mentioned is cheap. It is good value, i.e. the best compromises between quality, features, and cost.
I would love to see you prove a quality difference between the rigs you have mentioned and the rigs that I have to justify a 60% price increase between a DSS rig and the Hydros pro, and a close to 200% increase to the Atomic.
Those rigs do not represent good value because they are overpriced. It doesn't mean they are bad, it doesn't mean they aren't high quality, it just means you don't get what you pay for when you spend that much more money

 

[mattia_v]

Well, indeed. My 'cheap' Tecline has high quality construction throughout, good fabric, tough, and good value. Expensive means exclusive, not necessarily any better or tougher or more reliable in ways that matter. I didn't pay much more for my BP/W, waterproof W3, apeks xtx50 reg set, fins and mask. Can't tell me that any of that gear isn't high quality and highly functional, and built to last.

 

[BoltSnap]

do not imply that I value cheap stuff. I do not. Nothing that I have mentioned is cheap. It is good value, i.e. the best compromises between quality, features, and cost.
I would love to see you prove a quality difference between the rigs you have mentioned and the rigs that I have to justify a 60% price increase between a DSS rig and the Hydros pro, and a close to 200% increase to the Atomic.
Those rigs do not represent good value because they are overpriced. It doesn't mean they are bad, it doesn't mean they aren't high quality, it just means you don't get what you pay for when you spend that much more money

Almost all of what you advocate and mention is about cheap, not value. BP/W rig you mention is a totally different type of a rig compared with the Hydros, it isn't apples to apples comparison at all. As for quality, I have a couple of SP BC's that I have owned since circa 2000 and with thousands of dives on them and they are going strong even after I put them into the training/rental fleet. The other SP BC's I have in the rental/training fleets are also going strong when other brands are falling apart. We are replacing all of the "other" brands with SP BC's as we speak.

 

[mattia_v]

Almost all of what you advocate and mention is about cheap, not value. BP/W rig you mention is a totally different type of a rig compared with the Hydros, it isn't apples to apples comparison at all. As for quality, I have a couple of SP BC's that I have owned since circa 2000 and with thousands of dives on them and they are going strong even after I put them into the training/rental fleet. The other SP BC's I have in the rental/training fleets are also going strong when other brands are falling apart. We are replacing all of the "other" brands with SP BC's as we speak.

For what little it's worth: my girlfriend has an X-Tek Scubapro BP/W. it's nice. But no better built (stitching, finish, materials) than my Tecline. It costs about the same. Both are more than tough enough. The DM in Raja (marine biologist and diver) had the same kit I have, and it looked great even years and hundreds of dives in. All are tougher than the various stab jackets I've rented.

 

[eelnoraa]

r
16lbs, these are similar to the one on the hydros pro, $150
Cave Adventurers - Dive Rite 16-lb QLR Weight Pockets - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
they also make a 32lb version for about $130, but if you need that much weight, you have bigger fish to fry imho.

T, for once, I have to disagree with you on this one. I have used this DiveRite QLR weight pickets. These are pretty bad design. Their mountain mechanism is really for DiveRite Transplate/Transpac harness. They go on the smaller plates holding the shoulder harness to the waist strap. If you mount on just the 2" webbing, these thing will slide around. The 2" metal triglide won't keep it in place. The worst aspect is weight (2lb bullets or even lead shot) will fall out from the pockets. Unless they changed the design recently. Also, at that cost, it is already Halcyon territory and at last the H ACB works well.

 

[stuartv]

For what little it's worth: my girlfriend has an X-Tek Scubapro BP/W. it's nice. But no better built (stitching, finish, materials) than my Tecline. It costs about the same. Both are more than tough enough. The DM in Raja (marine biologist and diver) had the same kit I have, and it looked great even years and hundreds of dives in. All are tougher than the various stab jackets I've rented.

I haven't looked at a Tecline in person. But, one of the DMs that assisted with my AN/DP class, and whom I have continued to dive with since then, has a SP X-Tek BP/W. Looking at that, it seems like the wing shell material is not as robust as other wings I have. In particular, my Dive Rite Rec EXP, Oxycheq Vertex Extreme, Halcyon Explorer (don't have anymore) and even my Hog wings all seem like a more durable material. The X-Tek seemed comparable to the old DSS LCD wing and the old OMS wings I have/had. I even noticed on his X-Tek wing (which did not look old or abused at all) had a seam coming apart with about a 1/2" hole showing.

I'm not saying the X-Tek is bad. Not at all. I'm just saying it seems to me there are better quality wings on the market and often for less cost.