View Full Version : Tigullio T52 bcd advice
Hi i am in the middle of selling my zeagle wing on ebay and was looking to buy the Tigullio T52, does anyone have any experience or advice on this piece of kit.
Thanks
scot greer
30-06-07, 10:10
i have one and is a good bit of kit...the only drawback i have found is that the carrying handle on the yoke for carrying the BC can trap your fingers when you have a bottle on because it has a solid plastic part in the middle(just move it with the tank valve)...acts well under water an keeps me well above on top....i was a bit worried about th hybrid style wing at the back interfering with my plans for a pony and torch being placed on the cambelt but no probs there
Chris and I have one and had no problems. Chris got his first and I tried it one time and then bought it soon after at the Birmingham Dive show.
The integrated weights work fine and I've not had any of the problems with dropping weights some other mentions with other systems - maybe thats to come. Compard to using a belt before it removes the problem I used to have with the weight belt sliding round my body while wearing a drysuit. It has two large pockets, in which takes my spare torch and the net bag and the other takes my reel and dsmb. It has enough d rings for me, couple on the shoulder and 2 at the base of the BC, one of which I use for the main torch, the other for the camera if I am carrying it. The main aim as a hybrid is is leaves you supported like a BC as the surface so you can sit back afloat happily, but is moves to the back when underwater - can't remeber the mechanics of this, but it seems to work fine. Had it for 2 years now (?) and it is holding up fine.
:D
Thanks guys thats what i was hoping to hear, the zeagle was great, just the surface flotation i did'nt like.
The tiguillo is great, for recreational diving, probably one of the best BC's out there is it is part wing and its bloody sturdy too with plenty of rings and plenty of dumps. I have a pony mounted on the back and have no problems at all.
Hi i am in the middle of selling my zeagle wing on ebay and was looking to buy the Tigullio T52, does anyone have any experience or advice on this piece of kit.
Thanks
curious as to why your taking a backward step from a wing to a BCD
curious as to why your taking a backward step from a wing to a BCD
Basically i dont like floating face down on the surface, as i tended to find happened with the zeagle. Ok if your shore diving but if your waiting to be picked up by a RIB and the seas are rough it's not a lot of fun.
I thought the Tigullo might be a good compromise.
Basically i dont like floating face down on the surface, as i tended to find happened with the zeagle. Ok if your shore diving but if your waiting to be picked up by a RIB and the seas are rough it's not a lot of fun.
I thought the Tigullo might be a good compromise.
im guessing your have a single cylinder on it, with your weight on the front?
as your aware, wings have the bladder on the back, same as the T52!
might be worth looking at your kit configuration rather than spending cash.
edit: have a read over this thread from a few weeks back
http://www.congeralley.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1221
im guessing your have a single cylinder on it, with your weight on the front?
as your aware, wings have the bladder on the back, same as the T52!
might be worth looking at your kit configuration rather than spending cash.
valid points, my then instructor had advised me down that road but my type of diving needs did'nt require this.
curious as to why your taking a backward step from a wing to a BCD
Who said a BCD was a backwards step?
Who said a BCD was a backwards step?
i did:D
But you’re probably wondering the reason why I said it.
I have no idea of gedan’s diving experience (profile blank) so assume the wing has come after using a BCD.
This being the way most divers start out & progress.
BCD’s in basic, have a limited depth rating due to the lift capacity or rather the lack of lift capacity verses the wing.
A BCD can be used down to around 40m before the lift capacity starts to dwindle if you add extra cylinders, if you don’t add extra cylinders then your not diving, your bouncing & perhaps heading in to territory ill equipped (decompression diving).
If a diver intends to spend the rest of their diving days doing sport diving to 30m in a sea loch then a BCD is the right tool for the job, or at least an adequate tool to use.
If the diver is looking for development, i.e. twin-set, depth, stage bottles, decompression diving or anything else outside standard recreational sport diving then a wing is the right tool for the job.
The wing has the upper hand as it can also be used for shallow work, this being why I said… curious as to why your taking a backward step from a wing to a BCD
But you’re probably wondering the reason why I said it.
I have no idea of gedan’s diving experience (profile blank) so assume the wing has come after using a BCD.
This being the way most divers start out & progress.
BCD’s in basic, have a good depth rating due to the lift capacity or rather the lack of lift capacity verses the wing.
A BCD can be used down to around 40m before the lift capacity starts to dwindle if you add extra cylinders, if you don’t add extra cylinders then your not diving, your bouncing & perhaps heading in to territory ill equipped (decompression diving).
If a diver intends to spend the rest of their diving days doing sport diving to 30m in a sea loch then a BCD is the right tool for the job, or at least an adequate tool to use.
If the diver is looking for development, i.e. twin-set, depth, stage bottles, decompression diving or anything else outside standard recreational sport diving then a wing is the right tool for the job.
The wing has the upper hand as it can also be used for shallow work, this being why I said… curious as to why your taking a backward step from a wing to a BCD
I actually started out with the zeagle, then got a DUI bcd which is adequate but now fancy something that combines the best of both worlds as i get a better handle on the type of diving im likely to be doing, after having a 10 year break.
I actually started out with the zeagle, then got a DUI bcd which is adequate but now fancy something that combines the best of both worlds as i get a better handle on the type of diving im likely to be doing, after having a 10 year break.
the T52 is probably the better BCD on the market (never owned one, but have used one) but you cant treat it the same as a wing.
if it suits your diving needs then thats all that matters ;)
safe diving.
thanks for your input and the link to the other discussion all the same.
does anyone know if there is a difference between the weight itegrated system and the weight pouch system or are they just the same thing?
does anyone know if there is a difference between the weight itegrated system and the weight pouch system or are they just the same thing?
Same thing!!
Interesting that I have now started to see quite a few instructors using the T52!
Excellent points put across Stewart!
Same thing!!
Interesting that I have now started to see quite a few instructors using the T52!
Excellent points put across Stewart!
Cheers
What are the pockets like? big, easy to get into?
What are the pockets like? big, easy to get into?
See my earlier quote, I get a reel and DSM in one easily and a torch SL4(?) in the other. The reel and DSMB had a wee bit of space around it, but assuming you want to get them out and not drop everything I would say the pocket is pretty much full. The torch in the other pocket has loads of space around it - sometimes my net (goodie) bag goes in their too and a few shells as well.
The pocket zips are doubled and can open either way or be closed joined in the middle. Relatively easy to open in 5mm gloves, although possibly a more substantial toggle would help someone handless like me - either that or I could mak a tiny effort and add them! There are also d rings at the pockets (plastic I think) which I attach the reel and torch to.
Prop Guard
30-06-07, 21:56
I have two zeagle wings and also a "normal" Sunnto Bcd .
Speaking from my own experiences with the Zeagle I find many people put far too much air into the wing whilst on the surface this in my view makes you far more likley to go head first.
Under the water I dive the Zeagle with both singles and twins without any problems, it is however the system that I learned with so I may have adapted my style to suit.
I only tend to use the Sunnto on shore dives and when instructing as I think more students will buy standard Bcds so I dont wish to trouble them at an early stage with the wing type .
Thats my tuppence worth.
Mike
maybe i should retract my zeagle from ebay, just in case.
maybe this one is a good compromise.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa228/grw850/collarbcd.jpg
Currently for sale on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Spirotechnique-BCD-Classic-Spiro-with-cylinder_W0QQitemZ270140163573QQihZ017QQcategoryZ1 6053QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
maybe this one is a good compromise.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa228/grw850/collarbcd.jpg
ideal for free diving; if your in trouble, crack the cylinder & have your head dragged back to the surface for air:D
Thought I posted this already, but maybe not as I couldnt find it.
Just a picture of me with the T52 and pony to give you an idea of how it looks.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/chrisareid/st%20abbs/IMG00083.jpg
Thanks Chris, i ordered the 300 bar pony, now have to get an adaptor for my ist stage, costs they are a spiraling.
300 bar pony and 232 regs??? Hmmm I have a 232 bar and 300 bar regs!