BCD Recommendations

[Drew]

Pro QDs are pretty bullet proof too

[Zdu]

Originally Posted by JasonP

I normally use a Transpac and a travel or trek wing when I'm diving singles.

Listen to the man... he speaketh the truth...

[gordon]

Another vote for a Commando, and an alternative suggestion for a ND Guardian:
Cheap as (relative) chips, and good and substantial, with lots of nice shiney D-rings.

[nigelH]

A BCD isn't an important piece of kit. It has tank bands and a bag to blow up. Even the tatty old things my club uses in the pool for beginners work and some of them are older than the people wearing them. Buy something cheap in a colour that you like and save your bulk money for reasonable regs and a good dry suit.

Diving costs to much already without pushing top of the line BCDs on people.

[Ahoy]

I have the Apeks WTX harness with a recwing on it. Very neat, low profile and robust design. Fine for single to twin 12s. And you would get notable change from £300 for this sort of setup.

[Tonio Anastasi]

Originally Posted by mrfrosty

Hi all,

I'm looking at buying my first BCD after renting equipment from my LDS (usually ScubaPro ones) I'm just wondering what peoples recommendations are for BCDs - I'm looking at a jacket type one.

Marcus

Whatever BCD you go for I recommend that you find one with an integrated weights system.

This will be of a great benefit to the health of your back, as none of the weight will sit round you waist, abusing the back but will be carried by the BCD.

Also make sure that you have enough buoyancy to meet your requirements.

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by nigelH

A BCD isn't an important piece of kit. It has tank bands and a bag to blow up. Even the tatty old things my club uses in the pool for beginners work and some of them are older than the people wearing them. Buy something cheap in a colour that you like and save your bulk money for reasonable regs and a good dry suit.

It's not an important piece of kit if you're diving in a drysuit and are only really using it on the surface. Even if you use the BCD for bouyancy, with a single you're not putting that much air in it.

However, if you're diving wet, on holiday, with some nasty bouyant ally cylinder, it can completely ruin your trim and make you feel very uncomfortable underwater. And if you're inexperienced, that is enough to ruin the dive.

Jason

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by Tonio Anastasi

Whatever BCD you go for I recommend that you find one with an integrated weights system.

I'd certainly suggest using integrated weights abroad, but I personally found using them in the UK cumbersome and bulky considering the amount of lead we have to use. I prefer using a weight harness instead.

I tried four BCs before finally settling on a Transpac Harness and Travel Wing for singles. I now dive a harness and backplate, which I will also use for singles. I know people get tetchy about steering new divers down this route but I can honestly say it is the most comfortable and uncluttered set up I have tried (and let's face it, after four BCs no-one can say I didn't try ).

If you don't fancy a backplate and harness, I'd suggest a Dive Rite Transpac and either a Dive Rite Travel Wing or Venture Wing. These can be bought for about £250 - almost half of what my Seaquest Diva cost new a few years ago! The DR Travel Wing has as much buoyancy as my SQ Diva did.

HTH

Helen x

[Mark Chase]

I baught my wife a jacket type BCD. Recently i baught a single tank wing for me but she got to use it and now will not give it back and has told me off repetedly for not getting her one in the first place.

If you must go jacket BCD then consider the Seaman Sub black jack.

I have one of these and its tough as old boots. I still have to use it coz my wife has my wing

ATB

Mark Chase

[StuartC]

my vote would be to try out a Buddy BC, but they're a bit on the heavy side for travel etc.
For travel, the Buddy Travelwing looks worthwhile, and they're good VFM.
If you progress onto bigger UK stuff then the travelwing will still be good for travel and can also be zipped onto a Buddy BC as additional bouyancy.

Make sure you're happy with the releases, clips, and gear attachment points.

Try to get one with at least a few D rings, you can never have enough clippy things....

I dive with a compact camera on a tray with strobe and find having 2 shoulder D rings enables me to clip it up tight and have both hands free for ladders etc.

Other rings are useful for clipping a reel to or just generally optimising where you route and attach your gear to.

I have a super-lite Beuchat BC which is really light for travel (weighs less than the Seac Icaro wing), but has zero clip/hose tidying points, and combined with ally cylinders has a tendency to float off and do its own thing.