BCD’s

Your equipment should enhance, not hinder the joy and exhilaration of diving. Nowhere is this more important than with BC’s, where comfort and freedom of movement must be balanced against function and durability.

Comfort is a major factor in the selection of your Buoyancy Compensation Deivse (BCD). The best BCD’s have the ability to conform, flex and adjust to your body. When trying on your BCD it should fit snugly and not be too loose so that a swinging effect occurs when your tank is secured. Your cummerbund should be flexible and fit comfortably on the surface and remain that way at depth.

Significant lift capacities are critical for buoyancy compensation at depth, and safety when on the surface. Materials such as Oceanic’s super stretch “Bioflex” provide up to 30% more lift than the standard materials found on other BC’s.

BC weight integration is also a major factor in increasing diver comfort by taking the weight off your hips and incorporating it into your BCD. When diving with a non-weight integrated BC you have two opposing forces of buoyancy acting together, i.e the weight belt pulling down (negative buoyancy) and the BC pulling up (positive buoyancy). When diving with a weight integration system you are supported by an “all in one Scuba system” allowing you to float effortlessly.

Be aware of weight integration systems that rely solely on Velcro closure for security. These systems can shift around, and in a worse case scenario you can lose your weights. A locking system such as the one found on the Oceanpro Corsair BCD ensures your weight pockets are kept in place and secure throughout your dive.