Any reviews on Halcyon BCD's?

[dwr588]

Hi im looking into getting all new gear and so far my favorite BCDs are the ones that Halcyon makes. I just wanted to know if anyone else has one and what they think of it. Ive heard there like some of the best BCD's on the market but id like to hear from others who use them or have used them to help me decide if Halcyon is the way to go for a new BCD. I am not interested in a jacket style BCD, only in back inflated ones. Thank You any advice on equipment is appreciated.

[nwbobber]

I have one. I can't find a single thing wrong with it. They cost a lot compared to the competition, though. If you can afford one you will be happy with it I think. Halcyon has great customer service, they stand behind their products. I did not like the weight pockets on the waist strap and went to a weight belt, but that is a personal preference which would be the same with any bpw. If you get one with the cinch system the weight pockets tend to pull the waist strap down which is the wrong position for the cinch to slide. I think the cinch is probably overrated, though, having tried it. If you get the straps adjusted right, it is no problem getting in and out of the rig.

[CaptnJack]

which wing are you considering?

[Nwbrewer]

Hi im looking into getting all new gear and so far my favorite BCDs are the ones that Halcyon makes. I just wanted to know if anyone else has one and what they think of it. Ive heard there like some of the best BCD's on the market but id like to hear from others who use them or have used them to help me decide if Halcyon is the way to go for a new BCD. I am not interested in a jacket style BCD, only in back inflated ones. Thank You any advice on equipment is appreciated.

I've not tried a Halcyon myself, what about them appeals to you about them over DSS, oxycheq, diverite, golem gear, HOG, OMS or several other Backplate and wing manufacturers? Knowing that might help us give you better advice.

Jake

[Mattleycrue76]

Reading your post it sounds like you're looking for a back inflate BCD as opposed to a Backplate and Wing system (BP/W). If that's the case I'm imagining something like the Diver Rite transpac. As far as I can tell from Halcyon's website all of their BC's are based on a BP/W system. If you are looking for a BP/W the price tag would be main drawback to H gear. They certainly make good stuff but many people would argue that other companies make gear that works just as good for less.

I'm sure Laura will chime in or pm you soon and can answer all your questions about H gear and even let you try before you buy on one of the midweek tweek dives.

[H20doctor]

I really like my bcd .. Its weight intergrated... Has 2 side zipper pockets for treasure finding , and comes in black.. Its a sherwood .. But when it wears out im buying Hog gear ..

[Diver_C]

I love my Halcyon Evolve wings. I have them for single tanks, and doubles. I don't expect to ever have to replace them. Don't recommend buying any wings with bungies, or bigger than you need. I use a stainless steel backplate whether it be warm or cold water. Can buy Halcyon gear locally, so you support our local area. Buy online, you support some other area.

[dwr588]

Well I am interested in the back plate and wing type BCDs. I want a BCD that will last forever and is simple in desighn without a bunch of fancy bells and whistle that can break or have to be replaced. I also want a BCD that i can use for any purpose so if i want to go into cave diving or something i will have no problem, and if i want to switch to doubles i can easily change. I dont know all about all the different brands out there but i prefer well established companies with the best customer support. I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with. so ya any advice on other BCDs that you like or would prefer over any other, thats what i want to know because i know there hundreds of types ann i only want to know of the best. THANK YOU

[Nwbrewer]

Well I am interested in the back plate and wing type BCDs. I want a BCD that will last forever and is simple in desighn without a bunch of fancy bells and whistle that can break or have to be replaced. I also want a BCD that i can use for any purpose so if i want to go into cave diving or something i will have no problem, and if i want to switch to doubles i can easily change. I dont know all about all the different brands out there but i prefer well established companies with the best customer support. I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with. so ya any advice on other BCDs that you like or would prefer over any other, thats what i want to know because i know there hundreds of types ann i only want to know of the best. THANK YOU

All the manufacturers I listed will meet your requirements (except Oxycheq, great gear TERRIBLE customer service). You can get gear of equivalent quality in my opinion for much less than what Halcyon charges. Great gear, just with a premium price tag.

There are enough folks around here with different setups, I'll bet you could borrow some to try if you asked.

Good luck with your search!

Jake

[Dashrynn]

Well I am interested in the back plate and wing type BCDs. I want a BCD that will last forever and is simple in desighn without a bunch of fancy bells and whistle that can break or have to be replaced. I also want a BCD that i can use for any purpose so if i want to go into cave diving or something i will have no problem, and if i want to switch to doubles i can easily change. I dont know all about all the different brands out there but i prefer well established companies with the best customer support. I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with. so ya any advice on other BCDs that you like or would prefer over any other, thats what i want to know because i know there hundreds of types ann i only want to know of the best. THANK YOU

Look into golem wings, mine has taken a beating and still lives. Not rinsed for days, dragged across the pavement when I'm pissed at a dive buddy for not watching their air closer and even survived sitting in my trunk for a month when I forgot it by my own stupidity sake.

But it sounds like you made up your mind already, so why ask? Kinda sounds like a plug for the H (even if it isn't)

[LCF]

Halcyon makes good quality gear, but they are not alone in doing that.

In my limited experience using Halcyon equipment, there ARE a few differences. First on the positive: Halcyon is the only manufacturer making a "cinch" type system. This makes it easier to get in and out of a harness, but still preserves the continuous webbing. It seems like a good idea, although you really have to take ALL the weight off the straps to get it to release (which also seems like a good idea). They also have a sort of cover for the backplate, that allows you to store a large bag.

Negatives (in my view): They have a larger corrugated hose than DSS does, and the inflator is designed to inflate slowly. (This is viewed as a safety feature, because if you have an IP problem and a blowthrough, the wing won't blow up like a balloon.) I would imagine that, once one gets used to the way it works, it's not a problem, but switching from another wing, you can look like a doofus for a few dives until you have it figured out.

The big negative is price, which is always quite high in comparison with other, good quality manufacturers.

And then there are the blue H's . . .

[spatman]

I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with.

trust me, the fussing never ends....

[Nwbrewer]

I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with.

trust me, the fussing never ends....

Fussing with gear is half the fun!

[spatman]

I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with.

trust me, the fussing never ends....

Fussing with gear is half the fun!

lol, the fussing can be fun, but spending a lot of scuba units certainly isn't.

[Nwbrewer]

I dont want to waste time fussing around with different equipment when i can just invest in one nice set of gear that i can feel happy with.

trust me, the fussing never ends....

Fussing with gear is half the fun!

lol, the fussing can be fun, but spending a lot of scuba units certainly isn't.

Very true!

[SeattleYates]

I'd be interested in comments on OMS BP/W's, too. I believe they're more affordable than Halcyon's, and I've had good experiences with the OMS (as well as DiveRite) gear I've had in the past. I've never had a BP/W setup, but am considering one (after watching Grateful Diver Bob get tons more bottom time than me with his doubles up in Nootka Sound last month!)...

[LCF]

OMS has a horrible reputation for customer service. If I weren't going to do Halcyon, I'd go with DSS for quality and service, or HOG for price.

[Nwbrewer]

No complaints about my OMS BP and STA, but it's two chunks of steel. Not much Customer service required. FWIW I have an Oxycheq singles wing that I've had no problems with (Other than 1 hole that was totally my fault)

[lamont]

So far my only experience with HOG wings is helping someone determine that they had an inner bladder failure on one rendering it undivable, so I'm not terribly impressed. Maybe they'll get better with time.

Halcyon gear is basically bullet proof. DSS gear has been around for a long time has been dove for years around here and seems to be bullet proof. OMS/Golem/etc I have basically zero experience with.

If you've got mobility issues with your shoulder, I would recommend the cinch, since its adjustable, while maintaining the continuous webbing.

[ljjames]

i'll be back from Maui on thursday... let me know if
you'd like to take to take the system i have out.. i love mine!!!

[dwr588]

Thanks alot people thats alot of good information and opinions to start with.Ill keep everyones comments in mind.Im learning alot real quik now that ive been talking to different people from different places. Not really sure about what i want now but i appreciate everyones help.

[Kees]

I have a HOG wing. I had a set of HOG regulators. All of my gear started out pretty nice (regs breathe well, the wing dumps easy etc.) but as I've put more hours on it, I've run into some little problems with both the regs and wing.

I've had two problems with my wing:
- It took them awhile to issue the OPV recall that seems to have affected most wing manufacturers.
- My wing had inner bladder failure. I'm not too hard on my gear, and so this was a bit of a surprise.

They manufacture decent, entry-level DIR style gear. Keep in mind that the low cost does reflect a different quality, but at the same time lowers the bar significantly for entry into a backplate system. I would not compare them to some of the established companies in terms of quality though.

Halcyon wings, on the other hand, are pretty much great. I've dove the Eclipse singles wing, Explorer doubles wing and the Evolve doubles wing. I've never had any problems with any of them.

The geometry of the Eclipse is a bit better than the HOG, in my opinion. The "well loved" Explorer wing convinced me of the durability of their H wings. However, I don't like Horseshoe wings, so the Explorer is not really my favorite. The Evolve wing has a spectacular geometry. I really, really love my Evolve.

Because I'm more confident in the durability of Halcyon wings, I had no problems buying my Evolve used and would have no problems buying another Halcyon wing again in the future. I recommend the Eclipse and Evolve circular wings. If price is a consern, check the deco stop's classifieds at http://thedecostop.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=38. Extreme Exposure also has a clearance category with some good prices on older or blemished H gear, although I would double check that "blem" is just an external blemish before ordering (http://www.extreme-exposure.com/?q=product/clearance).

Although I haven't dove DSS wings, I've heard nothing but good things.

[Sockmonkey]

I have a HOG wing. I had a set of HOG regulators. All of my gear started out pretty nice (regs breathe well, the wing dumps easy etc.) but as I've put more hours on it, I've run into some little problems with both the regs and wing.

Inquiring minds want to know what probs you've had with HOG regs

-Eric

[Kees]

First off, for the price they're not bad. They breathe pretty well. However, most modern regs breathe well (or can be tuned to). It's everything else that makes a really quality reg (reliability, workmanship etc.)

For me, the HOG regs were jaw-fatigue inducing. After about 20-30 minutes I would start to feel it, and towards the end of dives I would sometimes resort to holding the reg in so I didn't have to hold it in with my jaws. This has not been everyone's experience, but I find them uncomfortable.

Also, the stock mouthpieces slide off of the regs. After about 30-40 dives, I had to nudge mine back on. Then every 2 or 3 dives I had to do it again. Replacing the zip ties didn't help and by that time I had resolved simply to replace them, so I didn't pursue it further.

My main concern was that small, seemingly insignificant issues like this (and similar issues with the wing) would continue and compound, and that the regs would be a headache. For me, at least, the perfect reg would be one that you never think about. It doesn't break, it doesn't induce jaw fatigue and it doesn't freeflow or suffer from IP creep.

[Pez7378]

I have dove only two types of BP/W style rigs. One was a Halcyon during a class that was loaned to me by my instructor. I fell in love with it as soon as I descended below the surface. As I began to shop around for my own rig, I did a lot of price comparisons and based on the price, I decided on a DSS 35# Torus singles rig, which was the rig used by one of my fellow students. Top shelf rig IMO. I've had it for almost four years now and it's still a bombproof rig. Take Laura up on her offer to try the Halcyon. Then contact me and I'll let you try my rig. Try any rig you can get your hands on and see if you can tell a difference. It really comes down to what you can afford. At the time, I couldn't afford the H rig so I opted for the DSS. Also, wait until you hear about the Personal Service Tobin from DSS offers to most of his customers. I have heard far more positive experiences than negative, and the last time I called DSS, Tobin answered the phone!