Buying a new BA - Advice wanted

[Jim]

Purple is the sinkingest colour.

[Galwayhead]

I use the Yak Descent and am happy out with it.

http://www.yak-paddling.com/pages/buoyancyaids.htm#

Has 2 pockets. De wee pocket can take a knife, if needed, Ive my knife on my shoulder strap so use the pocket for a whistle, and spare contact lenses. In the big pocket I stuff in a sling, 2 prussick loops, a crab, a skullcap and a pulley.
Has done de job for 2 years far but I understand that it can be difficult to get Yak gear in Dublin.
Comes only in de non sinky colour of red

[Simon R.]

i uses this one:
http://www.kokatat.com/product_detail.asp?code=ron

think its great, pockets are on the smallish size though i do fit a knife watch, sling and crab and my skull cap in there when im not using them loads of free movement wtih it and the zip is so handy.

know a new zelander who used the serpent in uganda he was terrified of swimming said that it wasnt bouant enough and he wasnt a big guy maybe 12.5 stone or so. think sean said something similar about it.

[Sean]

Here's a qoute of the post I made for Sara back when she was looking at buying a new BA. Hope it helps . . .

Hey Sara,

I bought the HF serpent before I went away to Uganda, as the old school one I had, definitely wouldn't have held up to the volume of water and whirlpools.

Couple of points,

1.  I find it has plenty of buoyancy and fits really well out of water - nice and low profile.

2.  HOWEVER, once submersed the strapping system seems a bit suspect (IMHO), as I felt while swimming  the BA tended to really want to rise up my chest, perhaps you being a girl and having certain appendages, the BA wouldn’t be able to rise as much. Either way, you certainly have to tighten it in a particular order i.e. bottom straps first, then quick release strap, then shoulder straps.

ABOVE problem is especially noticeable when the quick release strap is undone . . . i.e. If you've had a problem doing a rescue, release and then swim - I'd be slightly wary of this.

Also if you over tighten the quick release strap it has a tendency to become undone by rubbing against the material beside the pocket - again be careful.

3.  I found the pocket a little on the small side possibly due to its wedge shape, by the time I had an open sling and river knife in it I hadn't any space left for mars bars, sun cream stick or sun glasses - you got to look cool 

4.  It has a zip, though I didn't use it as it too much hassle rethreading the straps each time but it would be quite helpful for move ability of the BA if you dislocated either shoulder.

The other BA I was thinking of getting at the time was the Astral 300R, though this is a bit on the pricey side - hence why I went for the HF serpent. The astral BA is savage and if you have the money I'd definitely go for this - it fits better, well me anyway, the Z-Strap is bomber and its got huge pockets and incorporates the fleece hand warmers for the Boyne  as far as I remember the only downside to this BA was the fact that the stitching in the integrated belay loop had a tendency to loosen and tear after use, though even in the cases where this happened the belay loop maintained its integrity - pretty important if you were in the middle of an abseil.

Anyway hope this helps

Sean


ps, I bought my buoyancy from www.suescanoes.co.uk they deliver free of charge from the U.K. and when on sale the HP serpent was €150 to my door. I think it would save you a bout a tenner plus postage even now.