Advise for a travel friendly BCD

[Mark Castro]

Hi community. I'm looking for any advise on a more travel friendly BCD with an integrated weight system. I'm a divemaster but I've only ever used my cressi BCD and a standard Scuba Pro. Can anyone advise me on different options and the advantages or disadvantages etc? Thankyou

 

[2airishuman]

I almost bought an Aeris Jetpack but ultimately came to the conclusion that I was better off with my ordinary BP&W BC with a smaller wing. I made a canvas backpack to fit it using the backplate as a frame, which worked out OK for what I was doing. I was on a cruise ship and getting in dives where possible so I had to carry my gear quite a lot. A BP&W packs down quite well, especially so with a smaller wing. I used a 17 pound wing. On trips I've taken without the canvas backpack, I've just folded up the harness and put the backplate in the bottom of my carry-on.

The Aeris Jetpack seems to have mixed reviews. People who have actually used it sometimes complain that it's not stable, the tank shifts and can pinch the wing. Also some complaints of limited weight capacity. I haven't used one or even had one in hand so I don't know.

Scubaboard has a systemic bias towards backplate and wing BCs, but nonetheless, I would hold up one of the benefits of these BCs as being the relative ease with which they can be folded up into a carry on.

 

[Blasto]

Had the same problem. My solution is a 20 lbs wing (even less will do) and an ultralight aluminum backplate. Don't go with plastic (even delrin), it saves negligible weight, but lacks negative buoyancy. Steel's great for weight, but I haven't seen steel BPs light enough to call travel-optimized.

Once you switch to BP with a small wing, you'll notice you need less weight. There are some weight integration solutions for harnesses and even STA. Personally I prefer a weight belt, so as to have a few droppable pounds, and it's usually rented free as part of the tank+weights package.

 

[Altamira]

Zeagle Covert works great. Light, with integrated weight pockets.

 

[scubadada]

See my review and pictures of the Aqua Lung Outlaw posts #s 57,63, 65 Aqualung Outlaw. I have more dives with it now, have entirely taken care of the regulator smacking me in the back of the head by proper placement of the BC on the cylinder. Is proving to be a very good, light, small, travel BC. Just returned from Cayman Brac

 

[stuartv]

I haven't seen steel BPs light enough to call travel-optimized.

Dive Rite XT Lite SS back plate

 

[stuartv]

For the OP, I would look at the AquaLung Outlaw or the DiveRite TravelPac.

Dive Rite TravelPac BC, Black

If you really want QR weights, you can add the Dive Rite QR weight pouches to the TravelPac or many other BCDs. Personally, I would just buy DGX Trim weight pouches and put them on the tank straps. They would not be ditchable. But, if you're weighted properly for a warm water, single tank dive, you shouldn't need ditchable weight anyway.

And if you do not really need QR weights, then I would also consider the ScubaPro Hydros Pro, with the travel waist belt installed. With the bulky weight pouch waist belt, it's not very travel friendly. With the travel waist belt, it looks like it would pack about as small as any of the others mentioned.

And, has been mentioned, if you do not need QR weights, you could also go with a lightweight backplate and a small (17 - 25# lift) wing. My new "travel" rig is the Freedom Contour plate with a HOG 23# wing. The plate weights 5 #, but the rig is small, streamlined, and SO comfortable.

 

[diversteve]

If the concern is packing SIZE and weight, look at the Zeagle Covert or Aqualung Zuma - both roll up small and either come with or can be fitted with a integrated weight system. Zuma's include a pouch for it.

A third option is Scubapro's Lighthawk - the current model has no inherent buoyancy. There goes the supposed bp/w advantage...

You can also add a weight system to Zeagle's Express Tech - a minimalist soft backplate design but confiured that way they're heavier - something over 6lbs. IIRC. And will price several hundred dollars more.

I personally would not want to lug either a steel or aluminum plate around on every flight when weights are always available at the destination.

Dive-rite makes some options also, IDK them well enough to discuss.

 

[stuartv]

A third option is Scubapro's Lighthawk - the current model has no inherent buoyancy. There goes the supposed bp/w advantage...

BP/W's are generally negative. How does being neutral take away the BP/W advantage?

I have packed my SS BP/W, along with a 3/2 wetsuit, booties, hood, gloves, masks, regulators, and computers in my carry-on luggage and flown to Mexico and Hawaii with it. What's the big deal? My only beef would be if it actually took up more room and made it where I could fit less in my carry-on bag. Just weighing an extra 3 or 4 or 5 #s to have the SS BP in there has never been even a small deal, to me. I guess if I were putting it in a checked bag, I might feel differently, but I've never done that.

 

[diversteve]

I have HD Video gear (heavy Amphibico housing), regulators plus a full sized HD editing-capable laptop in my carry-on. I'm not in any sort of mood to add 5lbs. of steel plate to my load since most flights from here usually require at least one plane change/connection to get to any of the better Caribbean locations.