TESTCENTRE
When X is more …
XDEEP Zen Ultralight Wing System
COMPANY : NAUTILUS PRICE : £ 559 - £ 649 TEL : 0333 444 0104 WEB : WWW . NAUTILUS . UK
Designed for single tank recreational diving , XDEEP ’ s Zen Ultralight offers a great introduction to the world of back-mounted buoyancy for firsttimers , or for wing-users looking for a more compact , lightweight option .
Manufactured from CORDURA 100 dTEX material , the wing is coated on the outside with abrasion-resistant Teflon , and has a polyurethane , anti-bacterial coated inner bladder . This is one tough cookie of a BCD , with triple seams and ultrasonic welding throughout .
Narrower than the average wing , the Zen is designed so that less is more . As it doesn ’ t protrude from the side of your cylinder there is less drag and so reduced effort , while also preventing possible snagging on the rusty metal we ’ re all too fond of exploring .
With 19kg of lift there was plenty to spare with my 12-litre cylinder attached ; at the surface , the wing ’ s reduced volume at its apex meant I was kept upright , my face well clear of the water . Another feature which proved excellent at both the surface and below was the central position of the corrugated hose . Unlike the more conventional offset to one side design , this layout means that air injected is more evenly distributed through both sides of the bladder , aiding rather than disturbing trim . This assists with dumping too , as there ’ s no need to incline the body to one side or the
other . A good , sturdy and reliable K-type inflator is used for inflation and deflation . The NX aluminium backplate is larger at the top and wider at the bottom than the traditional solid , narrow style . This aids in load distribution , while its cut-out design reduces the weight of the system . For added comfort there are padded sections at shoulder and lumbar regions . The webbing harness comes readyfitted and is easily adjusted to fit , with a V-shaped crotch strap that slides over the waist strap .
Padding is supplied on the shoulder straps , which can be broken with chunky quick-release buckles for easy donning and doffing . Such is the design of the backpack / strap combination , I found it easy enough to slip the straps on and off the shoulder without cracking open the buckles .
Buoyancy and precision
Garlanding a wing or BCD with loads of D-rings doesn ’ t provide any particular benefit other than aesthetics if you ’ re into that look , so I was pleased that the Zen was minimalist in that department . With a couple of large stainless-steel rings at the shoulders and two near the bottom of the harness , it was enough for my needs , although you do gain an extra one courtesy of the left weight pocket .
Droppable weight pockets are an optional extra and these simply slide over the webbing and are attached to an anchor point on the backplate to keep them firmly in place . Available in large ( 2x6kg ) or
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