Which BCD should you get?

Start with what you’ll use it for

It’s personal preference, and it depends on what you intend to use it for: diving here in Puerto Rico, traveling, wanting one size that fits most, or comfort above everything else.

Three styles

• Jacket: air wraps around your sides and back. Stable and comfortable at the surface, and the most familiar for new divers. A little bulkier.
• Back-inflate: air sits behind you. Easier to stay horizontal underwater, which helps buoyancy and trim. It can tip you forward at the surface until you get used to it.
• Backplate and wing: a plate, harness and wing you set up to fit you. Simple, sturdy and popular with technical and experienced divers.

New divers are sometimes scared of back-inflate because it’s usually associated with technical diving. The reality is, if you don’t know which is better, you can learn on either one and be fine.

Travel and lightweight versions of each fold smaller and weigh less in your luggage.

What to look at

• Integrated weights: weight pockets with a quick release instead of a belt. We’ve gone fully weight-integrated for comfort: our rental and training BCDs, and every BCD we stock except backplates and wings. People do get it wrong, with pockets not seated, not knowing where the release is, or carrying too much weight, but as long as it has a quick-release system you can find, you’re good.
• Lift: more isn’t better. Warm-water diving with one tank doesn’t need a huge bladder, and a smaller one is easier to control.
• Pockets and D-rings: enough to carry a light, a surface marker buoy and a cutter where you can reach them.
• Trim pockets: small weight pockets higher on the tank that help you stay level.

Fit

It should fit with the wetsuit you actually dive in: snug around your chest and waist when inflated, without squeezing your breathing, and staying put when you turn your head and reach for your hoses.

Buy your size, not one to grow into, and size it with your wetsuit on. If you’re between sizes or want gear that adjusts, consider a backplate and wing, which are usually one size fits most.

Finding the right one

Remember the diver from our fins guide who went from Advanced all the way to Master Scuba Diver with us? He also switched from a jacket to a back-inflate BCD, and he’s never looked back.

Care and service

The problem we see most is salt crystals building up inside the BCD, because the inside never gets rinsed and cared for properly. There are a few right ways to rinse the inside of a BCD, and we’re happy to show you. Taking the dump valves off is not one of them.

A BCD also needs regular service on the manufacturer’s schedule. Not sure when yours is due? Use our gear service checker.