BCA Float 30 Review

[bushy]

Got my pack a few days ago from TNA gear. The pack is well designed and the construction is stout. Weighs 9#'s and airbag components look to weight 3 or 4 pounds, so the pack itself is heavy duty. Harness and back padding are top notch and back pad/stiffner is a piece of stiff plastic that gives the pack a stiff form. Conforms to the back and feels comfortable to wear. Nice pocket layout with 4 small ones for personal stuff. Two larger ones in back and two camera/GPS/Radio sized pockets on the belt within reach. Zippers are medium duty and operate real smooth. Big shovel pouch with a spot for handle and still room to stuff a bunch of gloves in around everything. Main compartment doesn't seem large until you start loading it up and it starts expanding at the bottom. At 30 usable litres it's not an over-night bag but plenty big for those of us that carry a lot of day gear. Compression straps suck everything up when less full. You do have to un-doo them to get in the compartments. Nice long pouches on the side to quickly stow a shovel handle and probe. Handy quick release buckle that works great on the pouches. Air bag hardware doesn't take up much space and is under a padded panel to keep it seperate and protected. Trigger handle is in a zippered pocket on the right shoulder. Will update when i get it on the snow for a few hours.

Dissapointing they didn't factor in a hydration system. Guess not a big priority on a winter pack, but I always carry this setup. Looks like a spot right where the left sholder strap comes out. A 1" hole is cut in the plastic back sheet there, for the shoulder strap webbing to come through and anchor inside. A hose could be fished through to come out in between and above the shoulder straps. Now just need to cut a hole in a brand new pack Not a stress area and below the airbag so punch a hole with a 3/8" plug cutter drill bit and hit it with a flame I guess? Be nice to put a grommet but don't of any you can install from one side?

Holds a lot of gear!

Shrinks down well too.

Sidepockets for shovel handle and probe.

Shovel pouch will take handle too.

Main compartment

Leg straps tuck in behind belt pockets.

Deploy handle located behind the zipper on the R. Shoulder.

Looks like the air bag anchor??

The rip cord

 

[bushy]

I bought this bag because I like to be able to do it myself, understand how something works and how to keep it working, and therefore, be confident it's going to work when I need it. So, I found a scuba shop that can refill anything, so went down there and blew the bag. Worked great and I didn't even know it was inflated. Just a whoosh and it came up behind me out of the way.

But then go to refill it and the guy couldn't get the tank to hold air. Huh, so It's closing time and I take off. Since I'm 40 miles from the house and want to get this solved, I go buy an allen wrench and open up the trigger and see that "the" O ring is up where it shouldn't be, like in the photo of the refilling instructions (On their website). Maybe that's the design, but they should tell you to put it back in the groove after you blow. So, I get behind the tiny thing with a piece of paper and work it out enough so I can slide it back into it's groove. Stop at a sports store and paintball refiller on the way home and bam, fills right up. Gauge read 2400# but the filler guy said he fills using his gauges and these little ones are not too accurate. He said bring it back in and test it to make sure all's good and get a free refill. Only cost $4.73 to fill the thing. While there a guy dropped off a Snowpulse cannister for refill!

I can see how that 1/8" O ring getting violently blown out of it's groove and stretched could tear it up, especially when cold. That's a lot of pressure on that tiny ring but if it will hold the pressure I don't see a problem. Just needs to hold til you need it, then it's job is done. Gonna call BCA and see if I can't get a few spares and some high pressure lube. Would be best just to replace it everytime I think.

 

[nytro circus]

How long did it take to fully inflate ive heard mixed reviews and im looking to buy one they are half the price of everything else

 

[milehighassassin]

I just got mine as well. So far I like. It is a little bigger than I wanted but I will just have to learn how to not fill it all the way up.

I'll be honest, I bought this bag based on the price. $500 was completely worth it. I haven't rode with it but it seems very comfy around the house, LOL.

Right now it appears that I made a good choice.

 

[BigAir]

BCA website says, "Hydration: none included but is compatible ." Is this only if you cut the hole or did BCA make a production change?

 

[bushy]

Sounds like hydration is coming next year, along with some ski loops. Price is going up $200.00 as well, is what I hear. One thing the pack doesn't have that the others do is the waterproof zippers, but personally, I don't see a need for these on a winter pack that's not going to be getting blasted by snow. Never had a problem with pack zippers getting froze up. Get one now if you can, cuz it's a smokin deal!

Hydration: I heated a 3/8" OD piece of alum tube a little with a propane torch and melted the hole. Doesn't take much heat to get through the fabric! I got into the back plastic a little but not bad. I decided to stitch mine up to reinforce it and make it look like less of a hole. One of those curved needles you never had a use for comes in handy and some upholstery grade thread.

Pull the valve off the tube and work it up through the hole where the shoulder strap comes through.

Bladder fits good in the air bag compartment, though they recommend not putting anything in their. I only fill my water about half full anyway so most of the bulk will be at the bottom where their is plenty of space. May stitch in some eyelets to clip the bag too to keep it upright in the main compartment though. The barrier isn't ridgid so it's going to get compressed around the venturi system anyway.

Tested the pack twice with no problems so far. Fills up pretty quick; I videotaped it filling and it took about 2 seconds. Did have to reset the O ring both times. After the second fireing, I went to unscrew the trigger housing and the whole valve assembly started un-screwing from the bottle. Hand tightened it and got it filled, no problem. I'm guessing that, under the high pressure there's no way that thing will unscrew. Might be worth adding a little blue loc-tite to though. Next firing i'm going to have it jammed full of gear and see if that interferes with the venturi system getting enough air. Typically I'll probably only use half to two-thirds of the space in this pack for my day gear, but there are times where I'll stuff a heavy fleece in that takes up a lot of space. Fleece is mostly air so i'm thinking it won't interfere. I'll tape it and see if the time to fill increases.

 

[bushy]

Normally I don't use more than about 20 liters of space, but nice to be able to stuff a fleece in when needed.

Transferred all my gear into the new pack and stuffed a fleece on top. Water bladder in the back compartment. Pack was stuffed very full. Fired fine and filled in a couple of seconds. Good to see the venturi system found the air it needed.

 

[PhantomCat]

Great review...thank you Bushmaster...:beer;

 

[greeneman]

Great review got my pack about a week ago and love it. The fit is nice and like the room it gives me for other things. I like it better than the higher priced units.

 

[mikew5945]

I have the snowpulse. They say to replace the O-ring each and every deployment. Small price to pay for putting your mind at ease.

Nice looking pack.