How to choose a Dive BCD When a diver wants to buy a scuba diving BCD, they have usually only used a set of school diving equipment, and don't really know the options available. The first question most people ask when faced with a shelf full of BCDs is 'What is the difference' or more to the point 'What am I paying for?' - in this article I will explain most of the common features found on current scuba diving BCDs and who they're aimed at.
First of all I should explain that most jacket style diving BCDs are largely the same - the main difference is usually whether they have an integrated weights system or how heavy/feature packed they are. I will leave wing-style BCDs for another article.
How does the Scuba Diving BCD fit? This is the SINGLE most important factor to consider when buying a BCD. The most feature packed BCD, with the most rave reviews in the dive magazines is useless if it is uncomfortable. For this reason always try on a BCD before you buy it. You should consider:
1) How does the cut of the BCD feel - does it cut in under your armpits or is there plenty of room? For ladies, consider a special ladies jackets such as the Mares Kalia Scuba Diving BCD.
2) Can you get in the pockets? A lot of BCDs have ridiculously inaccessible pockets that are basically useless!
3) How does the BCD feel when fully blown up? The BCD must feel fine when fully inflated otherwise you will feel the discomfort when at the surface.
4) Does it drag when you put a tank on it? If possible, get your dive centre to put the tank on your BCD and let you see how it feels - now would be a good time to play with the tank buckle as some are better than others. The Scubapro system (at the time of writing) is a particularly good one.
How much lift does the Scuba Diving BCD offer? A surprisingly common question is whether a BCD will offer enough lift - do not worry about this - all modern BCDs will offer you plenty of lift, the fit of the BCD is much more important. If you really want a number to gauge, around 10-15kg of lift is enough for all basic recreational scuba diving.
Integrated Weights The idea behind integrated weights is to take some of the pressure off your hips and back, and spread the weight about a bit more. When you first start out you generally use more weight than you need, and might not be sure about integrated weight systems. Luckily most BCDs allow you to either use or not use the weights as you see fit; you can just leave them out if you like.
If you have the money, and have decided upon a jacket style BCD, its best to get one with the option of integrated weights, such as the Mares Dragon BCD or Scubapro T-Force BCD. Typically you can put up to 5kg in each weight pocket - this can be all your weight in some countries, or around half for UK diving.
One point to make is that putting all your weight in your BCD is NOT recommended, as this means you can't dump it all quickly in an emergency like you could with a weight belt.
Weight of the Scuba Diving BCD The weight of the BCD can be a very important factor - to take two examples, the Buddy Commando BCD, one of the most popular BCDs in the UK, is very heavy compared to the Scubapro T-Sport BCD. This is because the T-Sport BCD is designed for travelling, and the Buddy Commando BCD for UK scuba diving.
If you plan on scuba diving solely in the UK, go for a sturdy and rugged BCD which can stand up to the typical UK scuba diving conditions. If you plan on scuba diving abroad a lot then go for the lightweight option - don't try and go for an in between scuba diving BCD, it won't be totally suitable for both, and will cost you in airport fees, as scuba diving isn't considered a sport unlike golf!
Other Considerations Another consideration you have to take into account when choosing a scuba diving BCD is the warranty offered by the manufacturer - how long is it, and more importantly where is it. You should look out for a lifetime worldwide warranty from a company that can actually offer it - theres no point having a worldwide warranty if theres only one place to get your BCD repaired! On this subject Scubapro are particularly good.
You should also make sure the scuba diving BCD is made of suitably strong material for the scuba diving you are planning on doing - for example the Scubapro T-Sport is made of lightweight material which is perfect for a traveling diver, but not so much for heavy UK scuba diving. In contrast the Buddy Commando is made of heavy, rugged material that is ideally suited to UK scuba diving and will last forever.
Conclusion So to sum it up, when buying a scuba diving BCD, choose one that fits even when fully inflated with a tank on, and if you can afford it get one with the option of integrated weights so you leave your options open. If in doubt, keep it simple!
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Thursday, September 20, 2007 View other articles written by Dave Huscroft(82)
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