What to look for in a BCD

[julian.carroll]

Hello,

I'm thinking of buying a BCD. My club uses Northern Diver guardian BCDs and they seem perfectly good so I was thinking of getting one. However, I can't understand what makes one BCD better or worse than the next. Seems to me that a BCD is just a jacket with D-rings, some pockets and a bag of air.

Can anybody enlighten me?

Thanks,

Julian

[Nigel Hewitt]

Seems to me that a BCD is just a jacket with D-rings, some pockets and a bag of air.It needs somethings to attach a tank.

I tend to assume that if it's got pockets I'll call it a BCD and if it hasn't I'll call it a wing but that's just me. BCDs are big so newbie divers see them as important. They aren't. Never spend a lot on a BCD unless you have already got everything. If your club use a standard one AND CARRY SPARE PARTS AND DO REPAIRS going with the flow is a good idea.

[MSutcliffe]

Try out a few - beg/borrow/(don't) steal.

As Nigel says - you need to be able to attach a tank.
A direct feed is helpful, but not essential.
I use a buddy tek wing as my primary BCD. I like the minimal clutter of a wing. It was also quite cheap!
If you like pockets etc, then try a few out. Ultimately go with what works for you. If you like the ndiver guardians, then they are a perfectly reasonable BCD, you know them already - so no transition period required.

[bigjo]

Hello,

I'm thinking of buying a BCD. My club uses Northern Diver guardian BCDs and they seem perfectly good so I was thinking of getting one. However, I can't understand what makes one BCD better or worse than the next. Seems to me that a BCD is just a jacket with D-rings, some pockets and a bag of air.

Can anybody enlighten me?

Thanks,

Julian

Make sure whatever you decide to buy fits you properly and you can reach all the bits you need to. Other than that your question is a bit like asking which car is the best, everyone will have a different opinion based on their own preferences.
My club uses Buddy Commandos as do many others, but there are many brands to choose from. If you plan to travel overseas alot with it weight is probably worth considering. I don't think there is much to choose in build quality these days, although I am fully expecting to get shot down over that

[ChristianG]

Try out a few - beg/borrow/(don't) steal.
Chuckle. :)

You forgot to add "take notes, otherwise you will forget."

[Sasha]

I generally agree that which BC isn't too important as long as you are comfortable in it. However you might think about how much it weighs if you go aboad. And how much lift it can provide. If you stay shallow that shouldn't matter too much, but if you have a twin set and a stage, you might need a lot of lift.

Sasha.

[Ian@1904]

Buy a basic bcd. I have a Scubapro Glide 2000. Very well made piece of kit, except that the pockets are too small for anything other than a slate, the integrated weight pouches are scary if using more than 3kg each side.

Most bcd have more than ample lift for the average diver.
Make sure you are happy with the arrangement for holding the cylinder in place.
A couple of D rings are useful for reel and torch.

BCD are generally pretty robust. So worth checking out your LDS for ex-school kit

[BIGLICKER]

I always look for my Buddy in a BCd!!! lol.

r O y:D

[northern_diver]

cressi r5 (5r) is my personal favour from trying a couple at the dive school.
18 kg of lift.
good sizing as in large is large etc....generous (large is about 38-44 chest seems)
2 quick release pockets holding 3 kg of weight each for safe weight storage.
large pockets (2 each side, one zipped each side),
user friendly and seeming robust power inflator (i tried to break it....accidents happen :P)
standard fittings (seemingly lots of equipment cross over e.g aqualung regs etc)
IMO comfortable straping on shoulders and cumber band.
shoulder and kidney dumps,
respectable number of D-rings
comfortable back plate (IMO)
single tank strap plus mini one at top
carry handle for loading etc
2 lovely little hose couples for safe attachment of 2nd stage/octo (see tubing thread)

in my opinion as much as its worth, at about 150 quid or so its a steadfast, slightly about entery level BCD that is respectibly versitile. from what i been told and have seen when looking at other divers gear. should last you.... hope mine does.

HTH noddy

[paul_c]

comfort is the main one for me coupled with weight for forign trips.


i have 2 BCDs 1 is an old seaquest (iirc) one which i love to bits and find it easy to get my boyancy right in it. comfy as they come (especialy compared to buddy jackets) and has huge pockets
down side is it weighs alot so its not realy for holiday dives as i get killed on transit costs

my other is a new cressi onewhich is light, comfy ish and has smaller pockets

for some reason i just dont get on that well witht he cressi . i can use it but its not as instinctive as the tother one.

[northern_diver]

one thing that goes for alot of jobs/hobbies/sports etc is that we tend to like and/or use what we were trained/first used as we are used to it . course if that 1st machine, method, BCD etc is old or crappy then we move on generally but then maybe that has something to it. similar to a pair of old shoes :) and the regularity of use?

one of the reasons for brand loyality also :)

[Andrew Jackson]

You dont need anything to complicated, im currently diving with a Buddy Commander. It is comfortable and resonably priced. I have intergrated pockets, which make it so much easyier. You should look for one that feels right.

[Rich B]

We have all been there and had to chose between the jazzy BCD and the one with all the clips everywhere and thinking, help! Good advice to follow your club as you will find if anything goes wrong, spares and general knowledge will help save you in problems later.

Basics:
Comfortable jacket snug fit
Good buckle on the back. If you can’t hack it, get one you can!
Pockets easy to use, look sturdy?
Got min 2 d rings to just clip things onto (No Christmas tree divers :p)
Lightweight, as you can then take it with you abroad.

Best bet - borrow a few from people at your branch. Its the best way. Then choose. www.divemagazine.co.uk has some good jacket reviews and rough prices.

It seems major now, but don’t worry its not that bad.

I have a Buddy Commando but that’s because it fits me better as Im tall and it had what I wanted but its by no means the only one.

[julian.carroll]

Cheers Richard

[Sirfin]

Hi Julian.

I was in your position exactly 4.5 years ago! Know how you feel!!

Just like you i went with the Northern Diver Guardian, for almost the same reasons.

However after about 100 dives I decided I needed a new jacket, something more comfortable and with integrated weights (my weight belt was killing me!)
After much research, trials etc, I eventually settled on a Tigullio T52 Hover. Not a very well known BCD in the UK (probably get frowned up for not recommend the de facto uk diver kit of Apeks, Buddy and O'Three!)

I absolutely love this BCD, and have done about 100+ dives in it.
here are the reasons that lead me to getting it.

- the SBS system it uses. basically it is half a wing, half a bcd. when diving the wing is first to inflate which gives you perfect trim in the water. when on the surface, the front bladders inflate keeping your head up when on the surface.
- integrated weights. not as clever as some of the systems out there, but they work well for me, in uk waters, even with gloves on.
- trim weights on the back wing.
- loads of lift up to 28kgs
- very very comfortable, with lots of padding in all the right places.
- lots of dumps, 5 in total, and stainless D rings.
- a very strong back plate. (but not metal) with bolt holes as well as a cam band.
- and totally not UK diving important......it looks really classy!

Since I have been using this all lower back pain is gone, and you are basically cocooned a very comfy jacket (the wing supports the cylinder, and integrated weights keep you down, so the jacket and all your kit has reached equilibrium and you are just wrapped up inside it!) in the correct diving position at all times.

So after another 100+ dives I started playing with the idea of twins. And sure enough this jacket comfortably took my twin 10s, and i did a full session of diving in this configuration. Its going strong an looks as good as new.

Since I have had this jacket, 5 other members have gotten them, and they all swear by them.

Only slight draw back is that the pockets aren't huge, but I get by fine with it, as my drysuit has four!
I have since moved up to a full OMS wing (only because I have gone with twin 12s and side-slings and I thought that would have been asking a bit too much of the jacket!), but my Hover is the one that comes to the red sea with me, or when I am doing gentler stuff, or training.

here is a review of it on Diver magazine.
http://www.divernet.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?id=1525&sc=&ac=d&an=
for sale (at £100 less then i paid for it :( ) here
https://vault2.secured-url.com/mtcsl/dw/dw-g3a.asp
and here is the Tuigillo uk site. Imported by Beaver so servicing and parts not an issue.
http://www.tigullio.co.uk/hover/hover.html

So basically my advice is, think about where your diving might go in the future....and get a jacket that will allow for that, rather then getting something very basic. The Hover will allow you to get do standard diving, comfortably, safely and in perfect poise, and if you feel the need to get a bit techie, it will at least walk you down part of that road too!
I wish I had know this fact when I started diving, as within 2 years I had upgraded every single bit of kit I possessed!

Of course you don't have to get this exact jacket as many of the other manufacturers have seen this and have copied them, there are now lots of semi wing/bcds on the market.

(((((not on commission from Tigullio for this!!)))))))

( I sold my Guardian onto a novice club member and that jacket is still going strong too! - never ever touch their regs thou..)

Hope you have good safe fun over there in Dublin whatever you decide!

[nozza76]

most modern bcd's seem to be much of a much, lift is important and if you are a novice and potenially heavily weighted you want lift esp in the sea.

i have a buddy comando, and a n.diver wing set up for singles, which has become my primary recreational set up, as i dive twin sets with oms wing and like the less fussy feel of a wing

i agree with most comfort is no 1, also the transition is paramount if your diving a club bcd then you will know where kit clip are etc etc so that is important

if your diving abroad then a lighter weight bcd may pay for bagage allowance

and cost is the thing really,

all major brands mares, buddy, cressi, n.diver, scubapro, sherwood etc etc offer comparative gear.

think longlivety and also what your diving future is, if sea diving, and looking for sport diver dive leader quals.

n.diver seem good and use the buddy comando blue print, and agree with comment re spare and club knowledge.