BCD Pockets

[jmps]

I am buying my first BCD. It struck me how the BCDs marketed to women in general have very few pockets. The ones I am looking at for men/unisex seem to go on and on about how many pockets and how hard or easy they are to use in reviews. Do men really use the pockets because of a love for gizmos? Are BCDs the men's version of a woman's purse? This all seems like so much marketing noise to me.

I am serious about some of this.

 

[Kriterian]

I am buying my first BCD. It struck me how the BCDs marketed to women in general have very few pockets. The ones I am looking at for men/unisex seem to go on and on about how many pockets and how hard or easy they are to use in reviews. Do men really use the pockets because of a love for gizmos? Are BCDs the men's version of a woman's purse? This all seems like so much marketing noise to me.

I am serious about some of this.

Personally I dive with a backplate/wing which has no pockets unless I add them myself. I like gadgets and have tons of them, but none that I take on a dive require pockets. Browsing through the wonderful, flabbergastingly awesome scubatoys site, I didn't notice much of a discrepancy in their pocket numbers on mens vs. womens BC's. They also don't seem to emphasize the pockets unless it's a unique feature. Of course that could just because Scubatoys doesn't believe in all that marketing hype stuff except for the wonderfully funny product descriptions.

PS: Shop at scubatoys!

 

[crpntr133]

When I bought my Zeagle one feature that I liked about it was that it had pockets but they weren't so big that you could stash your dive buddy in them. I have dove it a year and put one thing in a pocket, a back up light.
I see these BC's come to the quarries and they have HUGE pockets and I think, why?

 

[ColdH20diving]

I also dive a backplate and wing, the only pocket I have in a thigh pocket on my drysuit. Much of what you see with conventional BCD's is sales/marketing gimicks to sell product. Sometimes less is better, I like keeping it simple and uncluttered.

 

[jakubson]

I also dive a backplate and wing, the only pocket I have in a thigh pocket on my drysuit. Much of what you see with conventional BCD's is sales/marketing gimicks to sell product. Sometimes less is better, I like keeping it simple and uncluttered.

I dive with an Oceanic Flex, and it only has 2 pockets (although they are huge). I chose it because it was streamlined and did NOT have all the fancy pockets. I keep all my emergency gear in one pocket (folding 5' dive flag, signal mirror, folding snorkel, slate) and my backup light clipped off by itself in the other. My plan is to never have to go into my pockets during a dive.

 

[WellBelowH2O]

I see these BC's come to the quarries and they have HUGE pockets and I think, why?

Just bear in mind that the people coming to the quarries may not exclusively dive in the quarries. I spent Saturday this weekend at the quarry only because my Ocean dive got blown out because of high seas. I have an Oceanic Probe that has 2 main pockets that, like Jakubson's Flex, are pretty big. In the left I keep a safety sausage, strobe, and snorkel and in the right are a dive slate and backup flashlight with a signal mirror in a "layered pocket" (for lack of a better term) that's in front of the main right pocket. Quarries may require less gear sometimes, but I don't change my BC or basic gear because I happen to be in a quarry

 

[crpntr133]

Just bear in mind that the people coming to the quarries may not exclusively dive in the quarries. I spent Saturday this weekend at the quarry only because my Ocean dive got blown out because of high seas. I have an Oceanic Probe that has 2 main pockets that, like Jakubson's Flex, are pretty big. In the left I keep a safety sausage, strobe, and snorkel and in the right are a dive slate and backup flashlight with a signal mirror in a "layered pocket" (for lack of a better term) that's in front of the main right pocket. Quarries may require less gear sometimes, but I don't change my BC or basic gear because I happen to be in a quarry

Keep in mind that I have dove the high seas and still don't have a need for tons of stuff and huge pockets, nor do I change my BC because of it. I do carry more but have no need for huge pockets. You know they put those D-rings on the harness for a reason and it isn't to attract baracuda.

I have seen the Flex and the Probe and didn't like the bulk of the pockets. A lot of people that have them comment "man the pockets are huge" and they think it is great. Personally, I don't. Like I said earlier, don't need to be able to stash your dive buddy in them.

 

[Ishie]

If you're treasure hunting quarries, you'd want the pockets, right?

I currently have NO pockets on my DR setup. I want to get the pocket that straps to your thigh, primarily because I'm tired of having to either petition my buddy to put the lens cap I ALWAYS forget to take off mhy camera housing, in his/her pocket, or carry it in one hand for the whole dive.

 

[Hoosier]

I got DR thigh pocket to put a dive note, sausage, or spool, etc…. The idea of removal thigh pocket is a gimmick. Maybe that is the reason why other member sold it to me. But, it is solid and works very well after mounting on 2 inch cam band or waist band. In another sense, it is a ridiculous remarque about its usefulness. If someone is looking for it, there is a definitely reason. Yes, it is very useful to me at the local quarry. I am sure it will be the same at Pacific Ocean for my summer project.


My 2 cents…

 

[WellBelowH2O]

Keep in mind that I have dove the high seas and still don't have a need for tons of stuff and huge pockets, nor do I change my BC because of it. I do carry more but have no need for huge pockets. You know they put those D-rings on the harness for a reason and it isn't to attract baracuda.

I have seen the Flex and the Probe and didn't like the bulk of the pockets. A lot of people that have them comment "man the pockets are huge" and they think it is great. Personally, I don't. Like I said earlier, don't need to be able to stash your dive buddy in them.

You specifically said "I have seen these come to quarries" so I answered based on that. You asked for a reason, I responded. For me, pockets help streamline.. I really don't want a safety sausage, strobe, backup light, slate, and snorkel hanging from my D-rings. They make pockets for a reason, and it isn't to store barracuda.

Out of what I've listed, which wouldn't you bring with you as an ocean diver diving in the North Atlantic?