Mares Icon and Aliikai - worth the $$$?

[kyfriedchipper]

Hi - My wife and I were Open Water certified this past January in the Cayman Islands. We are now planning another dive trip this upcoming January and am going to be buying our own dive equipment. I am interested in buy the Mares Icon for myself and the Mares Aliikai for my wife. my wife and I are definitely tropical destination divers, so the allure of light and compact travel interests me and my wife. Being a newer diver - I am not so sure as to if the price for these 2 BC's is worth it though. They are $500 each, and there are plenty of other options out there too... Has anyone out there used the Mares Icon or Mares Aliikai? Pros/cons, likes/dislikes? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[Zenagirl]

If you've tried them on and they fit well, why not go for it? Mares is a quality brand name and although $500 isn't cheap, it's not expensive for a BC either.

I would recommend though that if you haven't tried these BCs on, you definitely want to do so. You should also consider trying as many different brands and styles as you possibly can to make sure you're finding the ones that fit your bodies and needs well.

When I bought my first BC I made the mistake of believing that because it was the most popular women's BC and that it would be right for me. It fit fine when I tried it on, though I remember feeling as if the cumberbun allowed a lot of shifting. But since nobody said anything and that's the way my (ill fitting) BC during certification fit, I figured it was normal. It took less than 6 dives with that BC for me to realize it was the wrong BC for me. Off to ebay it went. It took me about a month to find what fit me perfectly and now after 125 dives in it I look forward to the next 125 in it. It fits like a glove, doesn't shift at all, and has all the features I want.

When you find the right BC, buy it! What I recommend in brand or style might not be the right one for you....or it might, but you wouldn't know until you try anyway.

PS. Both my husband and I started with Seaquest BCs, now we dive Zeagles, and we both dive Zeagle regs as well.

[ScubaToys Larry]

They are nice quality BCs... Before the price scares you a lot... give Joe a call at the shop - getting 2, he can work out a deal. But as far as the BC's themselves.. I like their new MRS Plus weight system - easier to load than the old MRS, and everyone we've sold them to has been very happy with them.

Other brands you may want to look at for easy packing and travel are the Zealges that Zenagirl talked about.

[divingbuddy]

My wife and I have the Icon and Aliikai and could not have been happier with our choice.

As they are very compact and lightweight, we can get both our BCD's, masks, fins, 3 mm suits, regulators and computers into one reasonably sized bag for dive travel.

The weight pockets are easy to load and upload (even while wearing the BCD), the trim weight pockets make distributing and balancing your weighting easy, and I love the way it feels on. The details towards comfort and support are obvious while diving.

I have even worn mine up in Tobermory (Ontario, Canada) over my drysuit. As it is quite adjustable, it fit comfortably.

Just my two cents...my wife had a Zeagle (Escape) before, and prefers the Mares for comfort and trim while diving (she found her Zeagle tended to pocket air near the head, making buoyancy control more difficult).

Cheers!

[ladyfish]

I like the new Mares travel BC. I have seveal BC's and I like this one. It packs up nicely and you will be able to fit two of them into the same roller duffle (I've had problems fitting two adult BC's into one bag while still packing other gear also).

The one drawback for me is that there is no cumberbund. I guess it's my build, but without a cumberbund, the BC does not fit me as snugly as I'd like. So as others have said, try before you buy. It may not be an issue for your build. (The BC tends to ride up on my torso at the surface. I can't get the waist strap to hold the BC in place properly). I have the correct size, so that isn't the issue.

I like the D-rings, the weight integrated pockets are pretty easy to load, and overall it's a great BC for travel. I have also dived it with my drysuit, so it is not just a tropical BC.

Good luck and try them on and play with them before buying to make sure you like the fit.

[Zenagirl]

Ladyfish, if you find yourself looking for a new BC, give the Zeagle Zena a try. What you describe about the BC riding up your torso is exactly what my first BC did and why I got rid of it. The Zena doesn't have a cumberbun either, instead it is designed like a corset enabling it to be adjusted to fit your body snugly and perfectly. Once I adjust my Zena it never shifts or rides up. It's also light, weight integrated, and packs small and easily.

The only drawback for you would be that you dive dry, and the Zena might interfere with your chest valve on your dry suit. I know someone who has a DUI suit and wears a Zena without any problem.

[messercat]

I would think spending the $$ on any dive gear is going to be dependant on your own diving. if you only go once a year, is it really worth it to buy your own? versus if you are concerned with controlling your own maintance, etc. on the other hand-- I see the gear as my life support while underwater. so, I budget for what I need to feel comfortable in the saftey of my gear, not vice versa. I'd rather spend the $ on a quality Reg or BC, knowing it is not going to fail on me when I need it. but again, that is everyone's call.