Best overall BC made Period

[charlieo]

There are 4 divers in our family. Here is the BC rundown: 2 US. Divers, not used for years, two backplate and wing setups, used regularly, one IDC used regularly, and three Zeagles, used regularly. We all like the Ranger BC, but it is not the best(or even acceptable IMHO) for doubles. Generally, when any of us uses an AL80 we use one of the Rangers or my wife uses the IDC. I don't like the Ranger for warm water, AL80 diving. 44 lbs of lift is overkill.

 

[chrisc]

We use a TransPac2 and an Abyss Rec2Tec with Rec or Trek wings. We will never go back to the "squeeze" type BC's.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Dont listen to these people who cram the harness and backplate thing down your throat...

The only suggestion that anyone SHOULD make is, when you decide what you want to do, look at the BCs that are for that type of diving and find one that you think is comfortable and one that fits you really well.... There are sooooooooo many brands and models that are all pretty close to one another, but you need to find one that has all the features you need....

Here are some questions you should ask yourself....

1. What kind of diving do you plan to do in the future? (Rec., Tech, Instructor?)

2. What features are important to you? (D rings, pockets, weight integrated)

3. Do you plan to dive double tanks?

4. Do you prefer Vest or Back inflate style?


ONce you can answer these, you will be able to narrow down the models that fit you.. then go try them on at your LDS and that should help.... Sorry if thats too much all at once... hah

Gee ... less than 15 dives under your weightbelt and already speaking with such authority.

I'm certainly impressed.

Getting back to the original question ... there is no such thing as "best, period" ... regardless of what type of gear your are looking for. Every piece of gear you purchase will come with tradeoffs ... things that are good and things that you either won't need or are not so good.

As for BCDs, the best for you is the one that ...

- Fits you properly ... this is your first and foremost consideration. It should hold to your body comfortably, not ride up on your torso when you are fully inflated on the surface, and not restrict your ability to reach your safety gear when diving.

- Is properly sized for the type of exposure gear and cylinder you are usinig. In other words, when it comes to wings or bladders, bigger isn't necessarily better. Get a BCD that provides as much lift as you need, but not much more than that.

Beyond that, it's personal preference.

My advice ... forget the hype. There is no "best". Try on a bunch of BCDs ... and when you do, put a cylinder on them. For that matter, put on your exposure suit and see how the BCD feels when you're wearing it. Bring along a buddy and have him try to move the cylinder side-to-side while you're wearing the BCD. Less wobble is better ... a cylinder that moves on your back introduces instability that you will constantly be working against during the dive. If you can, try the BCD in a pool and make sure the shoulder straps don't ride up on you during the surface swim. If you can't get into a pool, have a buddy move the cylinder up and down while you're wearing the BCD and see what the straps are doing. There should be little or no movement.

In a BCD, FIT is everything ... features and style are all a matter of personal preference.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[scubadobadoo]

I will also add that I have a SeaQuest Balance (almost the same as the Black Diamond), and the SeaQuest BC's are very comfortable... the Weight integration is very easy to use, and the features are good... But dont take my word for it... go try it on!

The Black Diamond and the Balance aren't almost the same however I do also suggest the Balance as a multi-purpose or all around BC. Remember, the original poster didn't ask for the BEST BC but rather for the BEST ALL AROUND (meaning to ME most versatile) BC. The Black Diamond, while a very well constructed BC, is a heavy, over priced water log that takes 4000 hours to dry. That thing has more pockets than a magician. Wanna use 10 pounds more than you currently do, then buy the Black Diamond. :11ztongue Wanna go over the weight limit when you return from vacation when your Black Diamond doesn't dry?

I am strictly a recreational diver and always will be. I have been through 4 BC's (total of almost $2000 waisted) and now am finally happy with a BP/W (DR transplate). I ALMOST purchased the BD and that would have made one more i would have DUMPED in my search for the most versatile BC. I, like some very vocal BP/W advocates, don't suggest Hogarthian webbing but rather a compromise with adjustments and minor padding like the Transplate or Transpac or deluxe webbing because it is more comfy and more easily adjustable when diving in a variety of situations.

Many divers (not all) will eventually go that (BP/W) route and wish they would have in the first place. No, a BP/W will not solve and address ALL of the problems and decisions one is faced with when choosing a BC, but it does address and solve the MOST problems when considering versatility and ONLY OWNING ONE BC. In my case, owning only one BC is very important as living in NYC causes serious space and storage issues.

Nonetheless, if I was going to choose an all around BC, excluding a BP/W, to fit both my cold/warm water recreational needs I would go with the Balance and be very happy. It's comfy, dries quickly, cheap, versatile, light, holds a decent amount of weight, well tested, and has enough lift for a variety of recreational diving. All that said, fit is still the most important thing as stated above many times.

Black Diamond? Only drug dealers drive Hummers in Manhattan!

 

[ddown]

I have a Zeagle Niterunner and It's almost a ranger great BC and wears well. However I still think the most durable and day to day hardiest BC is still a ScubaPro Classic you just can't kill the things. It's due to the heavy construction used throughout the BC Double coated nylon. I'd like to see a classic constructed wing it would last forever.

 

[Stryker]

Wow whats with all the bashing on me? I was joking about the BP/W people.... Im planning on going that route when I get to tech... or as soon as I have the money....

And just because I am a new diver doesnt mean I dont know about equipment... And no I am not an "expert" but I have yet to meet anyone on this board that is.... I just went through exactly what the original poster is, and I know what was important to ME....

Ok off my pedistal... my feet are tired... haha

 

[scubadobadoo]

We still love ya Stryker! Nothing personal. Besides, I'm gonna need you to show me some of those SoCal beach dives when I move out there.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Wow whats with all the bashing on me? I was joking about the BP/W people.... Im planning on going that route when I get to tech... or as soon as I have the money....

Well, not to seem like I'm bashing, but since you asked ... lots of folks don't take something like this ...

Dont listen to these people who cram the harness and backplate thing down your throat...

... as a joke. Especially from someone with less than 15 dives, because frankly you don't have the experience yet to know what you are talking about.

FWIW - many of us have spent hundreds or thousands of dives and hundreds of hours of bottom time experimenting with different rigs before offering an opinion on this board. You come along ... brand new to the sport ... and tell someone not to listen to us.

You may think you know equipment ... but my advice is to take some time to try different rigs under varying conditions before coming on with a line like that. Right now you simply don't know how little you know ... and shouldn't be telling anyone not to listen to somebody else. FWIW - I'd value your opinion more if you'd keep it to sharing what you do know, rather than trying to put down what other people are saying.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[dilligaf368]

Bob, I've had the Black diamond for over 8yrs now, a few dives, the best BCD I have ever owned. I have no downside to report. I treat my gear the worlds worst mant. I use it and park it in the garage and dive the next day. Sometimes the gear doen't dry out for months at a time. The Black diamond works without flaw.......Bill

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Bob, I've had the Black diamond for over 8yrs now, a few dives, the best BCD I have ever owned. I have no downside to report. I treat my gear the worlds worst mant. I use it and park it in the garage and dive the next day. Sometimes the gear doen't dry out for months at a time. The Black diamond works without flaw.......Bill

Black Diamond is a good BCD ... but it's not the "best, period" for everyone.

I've tried a bunch of different BCD's, and a few different styles of harness/backplate systems (with different size and style wings) ... each has things I like, things I don't like, things it does really well, and things it doesn't do as well as some other gear I tried.

The trick is to understand what the trade-offs are for each rig (for example, the Black Diamond is a rather bulky, floaty BCD compared to a BP/harness, or even a DiveRite TransPac II), and make an informed choice as to which downsides you can live with for the upsides you consider most important to you.

Also keep in mind that experienced divers adapt their style to the gear they use often, and so to them there is no better gear than what they use because any differences in the performance of a rig will throw off the subtle adjustments they've made to their style to be able to dive comfortably. That's why any major change in gear typically takes a few dives to get used to. Has less to do with the performance or quality of the rig than it does with how you've adapted your diving skills to make the best use of it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)