salth2owannabe
Contributor
Before Christmas I was looking for a travel BCD and the Zeagle Covert caught my attention but I couldn't find a lot of information out there from folks that had used it. I said in a previous post that if I ended up getting the Covert I'd leave a review after having a chance to use it. Well, here it is:
Just returning from a trip to Belize (I haven't unpacked it yet) here are my thoughts-
Pros.-
-Packs very nice, lays flat in luggage, and at 3.9 lbs probably one of the lightest travel BCD's out there.
-Having 2 tank straps was one of my requirements. The top strap is a velcro band and the bottom has a cam strap. The tank never slipped and felt very solid.
-Back inflate, if you like that, makes for a comfortable BCD and less material. I was able to drop my weight needed by 2 lbs over my cold water vest style BCD I have used in the past.
-As a back inflate some mention being uncomfortable on the surface with a "head down" position. I tried inflating the Covert at various levels on the surface and never felt like I was being tipped forward.
-The BCD is weight integrated (another one of my requirements), but see below.
-The Covert is very solidly built and is a heavy duty BCD, which is nice for a BCD that weighs 3.9 lbs.
-Very comfortable.
Cons-
-The Covert doesn't have any pockets for accessories. I added a small Zeagle BCD pocket on the waist strap, but this seemed to get in the way when putting on the BCD. A small pocket incorporated in the vest would have been nice for a small flashlight, etc.
-The weight integrated pockets are very small and would work great for soft weights. The hard belt weights that most resorts have fit a little poorly. I could fit 6 lbs per side, but going up to 7 lbs per side stretched the pockets a bit.
-The Covert has limited plastic D-rings for hanging octo and computer, and accessories. I added 2 rings low in the BCD for hanging my octo and Computer retractor and they worked great. They look factory, and it would be nice if Zeagle added them.
-The Covert seemed to be a little finicky on tank location. A little low and I felt like I was rear heavy and not as able to have a horizontal body position in the water. A little high and it leveled out but I would hit my head on the 1st stage occasionally. Get it just right and it was wonderful.
Overall -
Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, requirements, etc., and it's hard to find a BCD that meets every personal need. I went with a two BCD option, one for cold water and one dedicated to travel. I wanted a travel BCD that was light, packed well, durable, weight integrated and had two tank straps. The Covert fits this nicely and I'm very happy overall with my purchase.
Just returning from a trip to Belize (I haven't unpacked it yet) here are my thoughts-
Pros.-
-Packs very nice, lays flat in luggage, and at 3.9 lbs probably one of the lightest travel BCD's out there.
-Having 2 tank straps was one of my requirements. The top strap is a velcro band and the bottom has a cam strap. The tank never slipped and felt very solid.
-Back inflate, if you like that, makes for a comfortable BCD and less material. I was able to drop my weight needed by 2 lbs over my cold water vest style BCD I have used in the past.
-As a back inflate some mention being uncomfortable on the surface with a "head down" position. I tried inflating the Covert at various levels on the surface and never felt like I was being tipped forward.
-The BCD is weight integrated (another one of my requirements), but see below.
-The Covert is very solidly built and is a heavy duty BCD, which is nice for a BCD that weighs 3.9 lbs.
-Very comfortable.
Cons-
-The Covert doesn't have any pockets for accessories. I added a small Zeagle BCD pocket on the waist strap, but this seemed to get in the way when putting on the BCD. A small pocket incorporated in the vest would have been nice for a small flashlight, etc.
-The weight integrated pockets are very small and would work great for soft weights. The hard belt weights that most resorts have fit a little poorly. I could fit 6 lbs per side, but going up to 7 lbs per side stretched the pockets a bit.
-The Covert has limited plastic D-rings for hanging octo and computer, and accessories. I added 2 rings low in the BCD for hanging my octo and Computer retractor and they worked great. They look factory, and it would be nice if Zeagle added them.
-The Covert seemed to be a little finicky on tank location. A little low and I felt like I was rear heavy and not as able to have a horizontal body position in the water. A little high and it leveled out but I would hit my head on the 1st stage occasionally. Get it just right and it was wonderful.
Overall -
Everyone has their own likes and dislikes, requirements, etc., and it's hard to find a BCD that meets every personal need. I went with a two BCD option, one for cold water and one dedicated to travel. I wanted a travel BCD that was light, packed well, durable, weight integrated and had two tank straps. The Covert fits this nicely and I'm very happy overall with my purchase.
