Zeagle Ranger

[cmrangel]

Hi all
I know the Ranger is a pretty popular BCD and is the one I currently have. One issue I have been having is that it seems to dump air through the inflator poorly. I feel as though I need to be past vertical, tilting pretty far back, to get it to dump well. Anyone else experienced this? I am wondering if it is characteristic of this BCD or just my unit.

I am evaluating other options (and yes, a BPW is one of them before everyone jumps in. I have read the threads so I understand the recommendations). One of the other options is the bagless zeagle bladder that is an option for the Stiletto. I am wondering if that would dump any better.

It has always done this but seems to have gotten worse since I have lost weight. I may also need to reduce the size of the shoulder panel.

Thanks for any feedback

 

[Dan]

I have Zeagle Ranger & experience the same problem. I have to rock & tilt in upright position to let the air out through the top dumped valve out to positive descend (fins first). That's fine in a calm water.

In a flowing water & descending negatively (head first) quickly, I have to reach the back of the BCD on both side of my butt chicks & find the balls of the 2 bottom dumped valves and pull both valve handle balls out at the same time. I can't do that when I'm holding my camera. The BCD is also heavy.

I got a couple pounds lighter BCD, Cressida TraveLight, about a couple years ago. It has 1 bottom dumped valve near the bottom center of the BCD for negative descend with the valve handle ball extended to the front right for easy find & pull. Also, no more rock & tilt in upright position to let the air out to positive descend.

My Zeagle Ranger is now collecting dust in my closet.

 

[cmrangel]

I seem to have to lean back to dump air on ascent as well. Even at depth, I have to lean back past vertical, even with my arm almost straight up. Once I was having a hard time holding my stop. When I got back to the boat, I found that there was still a small amount of air in it even though I had vented it while vertical with the hose up at about 30 ft (last dump before the safety stop) and tried again at the safety stop to make sure. Oddly enough, I think I have seen times when the inflator button would not let air out but pulling on the hose to open the dump valve did (I seem to remember this but could have changed my orientation or something, need to experiment more). Either way, it seems to be a pain.

Thanks, good to know others have had similar issues as well.

 

[dkiely]

Have you tried using it as a pull dump rather than venting through the inflator? If you pull the inflator it'll open that shoulder dump.

 

[cmrangel]

dkiely - I have and it does seem to work better, not sure why. I started getting away from using the pull dump but maybe I need to go back to it ....

 

[Stevetimman]

Yes. The pull dump worked best for me on descent with my Zeagle Stilletto.

Also, the rear dump valves will release some air quickly when the BC is full. For,whatever reason, those two rear valves seemed more anxious to dump air than the inflators dump valve.

 

[C P]

dkiely - I have and it does seem to work better, not sure why. I started getting away from using the pull dump but maybe I need to go back to it ....

When you use the pull dump feature it opens up where the hose screws into the bladder on your shoulder. When you use the inflator end, it opens at the other end of the hose. Even when you think you have the hose held up to the highest point, your shoulder is usually even with or still higher than the dump at the end of the hose in a good horizontal position. When you're in a horizontal position a slight bend at the waist will elevate the bottom of the wings so the dumps there work well then.

 

[Colliam7]

Something else to think about with your Ranger. It may have a particularly long 'corrugated' inflater hose - longer than many other BCDs. My Ranger certainly does - it is fully 6 inches longer than the hoses on some of my BCDs. I think this is a pattern with Zeagles - I have a 30lb Zeagle wing that also has a very long (19 in) inflator hose - longer than the hose on either my 30lb Halcyon or my 30lb Apeks, by way of comparison.

Even when you think you have the hose held up to the highest point, your shoulder is usually even with or still higher than the dump at the end of the hose in a good horizontal position.

And, that is an excellent point, related to the length of the hose. I have watched more than a few people 'go vertical' to dump air from their (Ranger) BCD, and what I witnessed were divers holding the LPI up with their arm extended, but still with a 'P' trap bend still present in the hose. One solution is simply replace the inflator hose with a shorter one. That works nicely in many cases.

But, I also agree with several other posters - become proficient in using your butt dump, not just with a Ranger, but with any BCD. If you are in proper horizontal trim underwater, you should NOT (have to) 'go vertical' to dump air.