Buoyancy, Comfort, and Scuba Diving BCDs
Those that have never gone on a scuba diving excursion will often take for granted the diver’s ability to ascend and descend in the water. Experienced divers do understand such ability derives from wearing a quality scuba diving BCD. BCDs (Buoyancy Control Devices) are the inflatable vest apparatuses responsible increasing the buoyancy needed to reach the surface.
This is achieved through filling the BCD with air from the scuba tank. Deflating air levels will offer the equally important opposite effect which would be to decrease buoyancy in order to sink below the ocean’s surface. Most importantly, a Buoyancy Control Device allows divers to maintain a sense of stability regarding the depth they wish to maintain. Again, this is achieved through inflating or deflating the BCD to the appropriate required level.
Scuba diving BCDs are best described as jackets worn over the torso. Since a diver needs to move without any restrictions it is critical that the proper BCD is purchased.
How can you define a proper BCD? The attributes required in scuba diving BCDs would be reliability, performance, and comfort. Without any of these elements, the BCD is not going to deliver on what is expected of it. That means the potential to have a safe and enjoyable scuba diving experience will be compromised.
Determining performance and reliability of a BCD is not all that difficult. Selecting top name brand BCDs produced by a major name manufacturers is the way to do this. As for comfort, you need to be a little more personalized in how you make a purchase.
In a way, you should look at a BCD as being similar in many ways to apparel. This means you need to make finding the proper fit to be your first priority. The system should fit snug but not too tight and definitely not too loose. You also will need to wear the BCD both fully inflated and deflated. You also should try it on while a scuba tank is connected to it. Many will try out wearing a BCD and base an impression on it without the tank. Doing so can be a huge mistake since the BCD is only valuable when you are in the water at which point it will have a tank connected to it.
BCDs should also come with the proper amount of padding to ensure that it does not scrap or chaff the person wearing it. The padding can also act as a buffer when the scuba tank shifts and moves as you maneuver in the water. A padded neck lining is also another plus.
You will also find that certain scuba diving BCDs are heavier than others. Is one better than the other? This can be considered a matter of personal preference and you do want to be sure that the BCD you procure is the one that matches your own particular preference.
There is a significant difference in the range of prices among the many different types of BCDs available. BCDs prices are commonly listed in between $250 and $600. The higher priced BCDs will come with additional features which enhance the experience of wearing one. For example, the higher end BCDs may contain a back mounted air cell which makes the chest area much more spacious and comfortable. The lower priced versions might be considered a bit stripped down in terms of their additional features but do effectively perform the basic tasks a BCD is intended to deliver. To those concerned merely with the basic performance of a BCD, the lack of added features might not be of much concern.
BCDs should also include pockets which are intended to hold additional weights needed to help overcome buoyancy. Granted, your primary weight holder will be a weight belt but the added benefit of exercising the option of adding weights to the BCD can be beneficial. How much weight can be held and how the weight is distributed through the BCD should all be taken into consideration prior to making a purchase.
It is also important to point out that there are both men’s and women’s designs. The main difference would be the way the BCD fits the contour of the wearer’s shape. Since the torso and bone structure of men and women are different, BCDs are definitely not one size fits all and this is doubly true when basing size and fit on the gender of the diver.
It may seem like there are quite a few things of consideration one must weight prior to purchasing a BCD. Considering the extremely important purpose a BCD serves, taking the time out to carefully weigh these many options will be worth the extra effort.
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Mares Dragon AT Scuba BCD Sale Price: $648.24 - $750.00  |
Description
Control, comfort and style• Airtrim for fast and intuitivebuoyancy control• Trim Weights and MRS Plus• Internal plush lined withcomfortable padded neopreneneck collarDrysuit or No Suit. Designed for people who want fast and easy buoyancy control, security, comfort, and style. Dragon AT offers the comfort of a full jacket style BC using the streamlined Dragon bladder that features excellent buoyancy lift without being bulky. Further protected by 3D Alutex: metal woven thread wrapped around 600 denier nylon.
Features
- PADI Master Scuba Diving Instructor Owned and Operated.
- This Product Comes Complete With A Full Manufacturer Warranty.
