alexis
06-10-2008, 04:24 PM
I have been using a jacket style buoyancy compensator for the last eleven years diving. During the last three years I have been using the MARES Dragon. I've also had some experience with back inflated bc's and was never really impressed. After using the Zeagle Ranger LTD, there's no way I'm going back to using the jacket style. First of all, the freedom of arm movement you get using a back inflated BCD is noticeable on the first dive. This makes your diving experience much more relaxed and comfortable. The other great thing I noticed is that the waist band is low and this makes breathing a lot easier than with my last bc. The wings attach to the waist with a clip that keeps them from moving around every time you try to turn. This gives tremendous stability in the water and simplifies buoyancy control. Furthermore, the back support on the Zeagle is amazing! You can barely feel the weight of the tank. And having the integrated weight system low, along with a big part of the bladder, distributes your weight evenly underwater. To be fair, there is one part I did not really like about the Zeagle. The weight integrated system takes a long time to re-assemble once you release it, but unless you are planning on dropping your weight often you should be fine. I know this may sound as some kind of ad to get a Zeagle, but before buying a new BCD you should really consider at least trying it, or any other (good quality) back inflated BCD. Keep diving!