Travel BCD

[popmirrorman]

Hi all.

I am planning a long trip away, travelling around Asia, South Pacific and Central America. I am planning on lots of diving and maybe some work also so want to take as much of my own gear with me. Although i know there is no getting round the fact that dive gear will take up a lot of space, i was interested to know if anyone knows of any good, sturdy but lightweight BCD's on the market. Has to be jacket, not wing. I have looked at the Cressi aqualight and the Scubapro Tsport but was put of by the crappy plastic D rings.

Any other ideas?

 

[Izu]

Hi all. i was interested to know if anyone knows of any good, sturdy but lightweight BCD's on the market. Has to be jacket, not wing. I have looked at the Cressi aqualight and the Scubapro Tsport but was put of by the crappy plastic D rings.

Any other ideas?

Yes.
AL plate/hog/wing. Consider it a bc sans all the crap ya dont need. Nothing travels lighter or stronger.
Additionally BPs are babe magnets and ward off hangovers.

 

[terrasmak]

Yes.
AL plate/hog/wing. Consider it a bc sans all the crap ya dont need. Nothing travels lighter or stronger.
Additionally BPs are babe magnets and ward off hangovers.

+1 , nothing more than you need and it packs up really nice .

 

[MarkUK]

Scubapro's Glide Tek Pro. It is a wing-style BCD with just a harness and some small integrated weight pockets round the front. It is lightweight as it has a plastic backpack, and it folds up small, so ideal for travelling with. I have used mine for the last five years and it is still going strong...

Mark

 

[m3830431]

I have the aqualight and like it allot. No problem with the plastic D rings

 

[popmirrorman]

Thanks for the replys so far. I'll check out the Scubapro. Any other suggestions?

 

[irukandji]

Have you tried out the Zeagle Brigade? There are some really excellent comments here about it. I´m planning on getting one pretty soon.

 

[thomjinx]

I travel regularly in SE Asia and have put together a sweet (for me, at least) set of lightweight travel gear. I have also been researching this kind of gear for some time.
BCD: SeaQuest Passport and Oceanic Islander are both excellent. I have several years of frequent use on my Passport and it has held up great! No problems with the plastic D-rings. I have had good luck with a DiveRite Transpac and travel wing too, but you said you wanted a jacket.

I often use an Octo/inflator combo like the Air 2, but it takes some practice to breathe off of one and adjust your bouyancy at the same time. Gets rid of a hose, though.

Regulator: Oceanic Titanium Delta 3 reg. Saves almost 2 lbs over other 1st stages! I have only a small SPG and use a wrist mount computer for depth.
For the places you are diving, you may want to consider an SPG calibrated in BARs.

Tusa ExpertZoom full foot fins. Great power-to-weight! Very light, but surprising amounts of thrust.

A thin .5 or 1 mil wetsuit. I use Excell and Mares, but the fit is probably most important. I would at least carry a diveskin for protection, they pack up very small.

 

[popmirrorman]

Thomjinx - given meplenty to look at there, thanks. A lightweight 1st stage was something else i was considering.

 

[MtnDiver]

I have a Zeagle Brigade and do most of my diving when travelling away from the mountains of Colorado via airplane. I do like my Brigade because it has the sturdier Ranger harness with SS D-Rings but has the smaller 35lb back-inflate bladder from the Escape. It packs up very nicely into my checked bag along with all of my other gear.