I guess what I'm really looking for is a "BC for travel" - and that may or may not be something marketed as a "travel BC".
Being able to pack down small is really important to me. I fly to the other side of the world, I'm bringing all my critical/expensive/fragile stuff with me in my carry-on bag. And since I don't spend all my time diving, that bag has to include some other stuff, like camera gear and another one or two compact, carefully chosen electronics - plus the BC and reg.
And although I put a premium on portability, this stuff ain't cheap, and the trips are expensive, so I want a BC that performs well, is comfortable, and has enough features to make me feel like I'm enjoying the experience rather than scrimping just so I could manage to cram it in my bag. Yes, I know, these are requirements that tend to pull in opposite directions. I'm just looking for the sweet spot.
I went to a local dive fair this past weekend, hoping to find some compact BCs. I found one or two that would pack up small, but they were just too minimalist for my tastes - soft backplates with bladders attached an a long nylon strap looped around. They looked really uncomfortable and really lacking in features. Several other BCs that were being pitched as "compact, ideal for travel" seemed quite bulky.
Right now, I'm thinking about the Scubapro Geo, the Scubapro Equator, and the Aqualung Zuma. I have not been able to locate a shop with any of these in stock, so I can't really get a good sense if any of them hit my sweet spot.
The Scubapro Geo seems like it might come close. It appears to pack up very small (I've read descriptions that compare its packed size to a large loaf of bread, although in the photos I've seen it looks more like it's the size of an "airline pillow", if you remember those). What I like about this BC (having never seen it in the flesh) are it's small packable size, and the fact that it doesn't completely do away with conventional BC features. It's got what look like reasonable shoulder straps, D-rings, and even two large pockets.
I believe this BC has a very small, semi-rigid backplate - and that seems to be the determining factor in packability: the smaller the "backplate footprint" the more compact the thing will pack down.
The Scubapro Equator, which I've just started researching, appears to have a small-sh (1/2-size) rigid backplate, and also seems to have "real BC features" - again, a bit more padding, pockets, even (I think) weight integration). At first glance, the Equator seems like maybe it was last year's attempt to make a packable BC - the 1/2 height backplate being a major difference from the Scubapro *hawk line of BCs. Is the Equator last year's Geo, before the company decided to get more minimal? I dunno, but I would like to see one and try it on. I found one online review of this BC which described its packed size as roughly the size of a box of breakfast cereal. That would probably work for me, if it's true (assuming they're talking your standard cereal box, not the Costco size...).
I've also been thinking about the Zuma. I have some concerns about durability, though - search other threads here and you will see some folks had parts break quickly and they had concerns about the quality/durability of some materials. I'd like to look at one of these in the flesh and try one on.
One thing that I wish I could find is a comparison of the packed-down size of these "travel BCs" (or "BCs for travel"). The manufacturers always post a variety of other stats and specs, I wish they would also include the dimensions when packed for travel. That seems like a pretty important bit of info - surely they sell a lot of these to people who plan to take them traveling. One of the magazines should do a comparison that includes - and illustrates - the size of these things (yes, I'm looking at YOU, Scuba Diving/Scubalab...).
Anybody who owns any of these BCs, can you describe the packed size? Any other feedback on these three BCs also welcome.
Thanks!!!
