Travel-Easy BCD

[kinetic]

Hi All
Can anyone recommend a BCD that is light and small for purely recreational single tank warm water diving? As I usually backpack when travelling, and only dive when opportunity arises during the travel, so packing it light and compact is essential. I saw some isoteric brand somewhere but can't remember, other than the usual suspect like Diverite Transpac, Halcyon and Scubapro etc.

 

[Snowbear]

Hi All
Can anyone recommend a BCD that is light and small for purely recreational single tank warm water diving? As I usually backpack when travelling, and only dive when opportunity arises during the travel, so packing it light and compact is essential. I saw some isoteric brand somewhere but can't remember, other than the usual suspect like Diverite Transpac, Halcyon and Scubapro etc.

I just packed a plate and 2 halcyon wings (most of my dives will be single tank, but...). All rolled up with the air squished out, the single tank wing takes up less room than my digital camera. The plate is flat and the harness folds pretty flat. For lightness, you could use an aluminum plate instead of the heavy steel one.

 

[Quarrior]

I know you want your own BC, but, I can't resist asking. How often do you expect to dive? Would it not be easier to rent the BC at the dive op when you get there? Just curious.

 

[Marek K]

Or, if you like a jacket style, Triple-L offers the "roll-up" Aquarius for under $100: http://store.triple-l.biz/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=79

I can't vouch for it, but their product quality is generally excellent.

But I'd have to agree with Quarrior... If you're packing that light, and would only dive when the opportunity arose, it wouldn't seem logical to pack along anything other than maybe a prescription mask...

--Marek

 

[crpntr133]

I can vouch for the Zeagle Brigade. They also make several other BC's with smaller bladders more fitted to tropical dives.

I would also have to question how many dives are you talking about? $400, give or take,
is a bunch of money to lay down to dive three times a year. Especially since most LDS rent a BC for around $10-$15... you do the math.

 

[herman]

I use a Zeagle Scout, it's about as small of a BC as I could find.
http://www.zeagle.com/index.php?sub...Cs&PHPSESSID=fd7dae8c47638d00c85e14754644fa87

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I would say a backplate/wing combo will be the smallest, and the most comfortable while diving. The backplate is almost flat, it only has one little channel down the middle, the harness is just 2" strap which folds flat, and the wing will fold flat as a newspaper.

 

[divad]

How about this:
A BP and harness with a removable backpack. I'm not even kidding. How much clothing do you need? You could pack the BP and harness inside the backpack for the plane ride. Maybe you could make it reversible.

 

[pgdive]

If your looking for a jacket style. Take a look at the Cressi-Sub Aqualite. Softpack, weight intergrated but is designed to only hold 12 lbs in very simple pocket. Packs up very small

http://www.cressi-sub.it/cressiusa/prodotti.asp?lan=&id_c=8&id_p=17

 

[Scubaroo]

If weight is the concern, an aluminium backplate and 18lb wing rigged up comes to about 2.7kg, or a shade under 6lb. That's the total rig weight including camstraps and harness.

But honestly, if you're backpacking, it might be more prudent to rent most of the gear, and just take your favorite mask, and maybe a wetsuit and wrist computer. You'll be renting other stuff like a weightbelt regardless - pretty hard to take along a full set of even tropical gear when backpacking!