BCD around the world

[lunaticgate]

Hi, me and my wife We have been certified OW in July 2015 and AOW in December.
We did 40 dive's in about 5 months, and we still dive right now.
We are italian but we live in Tokyo (two years) until next June, after that we move in Italy for 1 year (Liguria near Genova) and then Kotor (Montenegro) for 2 year, and after I don't know where.
We are planning to dive everywhere we are going to live and also during our vacation.
So, we need an advice about BCD, It would be our first BCD.
We need versatility, robustness and, possibly, good transportability.
Do you have any tips?

Than you very much!!

 

[Kairoos]

I use a Zeagle Express Tech and love it. It's compact enough for traveling and it's all 2" webbing, so you can add almost anything onto it; pockets/pouches, d-rings, etc. I've added a small pocket for my dive light, some stainless steel d-rings, changed the waist buckle, and added a crotch strap. Great BC.

 

[RJP]

My tip would be do NOT buy your first BCD.

Buy your SECOND one first.

Will save you lots of time, money, and hassle in selling the first one and buying the second one later.

Oh yeah... when it comes to combining versatility, robustness, and good transportability it's hard (ok, it's actually impossible) to beat a BP/W rig

 

[tbone1004]

backplate and wing, 100%. Packs flat, is modular so you can break it down, roll the wing for easier storage etc, and overall a much better purchase than any other option out there. Deep Sea Supply Kydex is my preferred plate, especially considering the multiple sizes they offer, but the Dive Rite XT Lite plates would be a great choice for you and likely easier to source globally.

 

[lunaticgate]

Thank you very much for the answers!
Actually I had also considered the BP / W rig, I'm taking a look at the models you have suggested me.
Probably I will have more questions later, thanks!

 

[diversteve]

I'm a fan of the Express Tech also but in spite of being minimalist, they're heavy - 6.5 lbs.

A few other travel BC's to consider are:

Zeagle's Covert - 3.9 lbs and rolls up. It's a lightweight version of the Ranger jacket with some features removed.
Aqualung Zuma - 4.75 lbs. and stows in it's own bag
Scubapro Lighthawk - the competition for ^ - there's currently a great deal on the 2013 closeout models - $250 US. but the wing has an absurd amount of lift. The new model has a lot less. One interesting thing about the new one - which I'm not sure I believe:

The BC carries no inherent buoyancy so only minimal ballast weight is required.

One I never see much mention of is the Hollis Ride which I believe directly competes with Zeagle Express Tech on features/price.
DiveRite Travel-Pac - IDK much about it either. It's also advertised as packing flat for travel.

While the default answer to any BC question here on SB is get a BP/W - a steel plate weighs around 5lbs all by itself. Add a lb. for misc. straps and I assume 1-2 for a wing and you're looking at weights equivalent to or more than most regular BC's. Of course an AL plate is lighter.

 

[tbone1004]

Dive Rite XT Lite is 2.5lbs and is quite spiffy for travel, but the issue with it is that if you use Dive Rites wings you need an STA which adds weight.

Deep Sea Supply kydex is lighter and with no STA required is probably the lightest BPW combo out there. I can't remember what Tobin says the weight is with various wings, but it is less than 6lbs.

 

[stuartv]

To be clear, the only thing about a BP that would make you have to have an STA is if the BP does not have slots for tank straps. Dive Rite and DSS BPs do have slots.

What tbone is talking about is that if you use a Dive Rite wing, you might want an STA, whereas the DSS wings have built-in stabilizers that ensure the tank don't roll or twist.

If you like a Dive Rite wing, another option is an OMS Soft STA ($15), which will do the same thing as the DSS built-in stabilizers, but not give you the extra weight of a normal metal STA.

Also, there is nothing wrong with mixing and matching brands of BP and Wing. I have 5 wings and only 1 of them is the same brand as the BPs I use (and I pretty much never use that wing any more).

For back plates, I would say the main thing is to make sure it has slots for tank straps. Most do, but there are some that don't. If you want light weight, aluminum, skeletonized stainless steel (e.g. the Dive Rite XT Lite), and Kydex are all between 0.5 and 2 pounds. Aluminum is the least expensive. Kydex is the most expensive.

For wings, there are horseshoe shapes and donut shapes. The trend (in my limited experience) seems to be towards donuts for single tank diving, as most manufacturers newest stuff is donut shape with some not even offering a horseshoe shape.

Some wings have built-in "roll control" - the tank stabilizers that I mentioned earlier. Some do not. They are nice, but depending on price, you might choose a wing without and use a Soft STA for $15 (https://www.divegearexpress.com/oms-soft-single-tank-adapter). Or, some people use Dive Rite wings with no STA at all and say they have no problems at all with the tank being stable. So, if you wanted, you could try a DR wing with no STA and add one later, if you find you want one.

Most wings have a zipper giving access to the inner bladder, in case you want/need to fix a leak (say, from a puncture or a pinch flat). Some do not.

My personal preference for single tank diving is a donut shape, with built-in stabilizers, and a zipper so I can patch the bladder, if necessary (which I've had to do and is pretty quick and easy).

If you go with a BP/W, you'll also need tank straps (aka cam bands). I started with "normal" cam bands and found them to be a pain to use when switching tanks on a pitching boat. I tried Highland Quick Release tank straps and didn't like the way they worked all. Then I tried cheap ScubaPro-style Quick Release straps and love them. $20 each from here: https://www.divegearexpress.com/tank-strap-quick-release-with-s-s-hinge-buckle

Good luck!

 

[Centrals]

I use DR BP/W and there is NO need for STA.

DGX can sell you a complete package for US$299.00($10.00 extra if SS plate is preferred). The only consideration is the size of the wing(25lb). Would it be enough for you in cold water? I do not know.

 

[BoltSnap]

I don't know why people are talking about "Travel BC's" when the OP is talking about changing place of domicile every few years. This isn't traveling at all. The places mentioned where he will be living in the next 2 - 3 years have colder waters and will require heavier suit especially during the Fall, Winter and Spring times. He should NOT be looking at "Travel To the tropics" type of BC's. He is also from Europe not North America!!! (Do you know where that is folks? It is quite a swim away from the US). He will need to consider what is available and supported in Europe.

The SP Seahawk, is one good choice that can be worn with Drysuit, semidry and lighter suits:

http://www.scubapro.com/it-IT/FRA/bcs/products/seahawk.aspx

The Hollis HD-200 is another good choice:

http://www.hollis.com/hd-200-bc/


There are other options but this is what comes to mind and is available in Italy/Europe now.