Question about Buying a New BCD

[Simon1985]

I would appreciate some advice on buying a new BCD so that you have a BCD that fits correctly. Up until now I have always hired a BCD when diving. What should you be looking for. I was told by one dive shop that when you are wearing the BCD and tighten the straps below the 2 shoulders the BCD should be a really tight fit and the bottom of the BCD at the from should be around the bottom of your ribcage. Any info appreciated.

[PhuketdashScuba]

Find a different diveshop.

Those straps are only meant to adjust the height of the BCD, nothing more. A lot of people do tighten them, and sometimes that is required for a good fit, but mostly that is not necessary and will lead to diving with a BCD that is too big and will float up during the dive. Most instructors make the same mistake with their students BTW.

Sorry, can't give you any more tips here, for a good fitting BCD you have to find a shop that knows what they are talking about and where you can try out a few BCD's. You will notice a big difference in fitting when you have found one that fits, it will really feel quite comfortable.

[AleG]

A couple months ago I bought an Oceanic Biolite and I love it, it's a "wing" tipe of BCD, so the flotation bladder is on the back, there's no wide band around your waist, it feels just like wearing a backpack. It's also very light and easy to pack.

The only problem I had with it is that the tank slipped a couple times, I think because the nylon bands are too new and stiff and it's hard to tighten them well around the cylinder, I expect that with a little use it will get better.

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

[PhuketdashScuba]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

[Simon1985]

Find a different diveshop.

Those straps are only meant to adjust the height of the BCD, nothing more. A lot of people do tighten them, and sometimes that is required for a good fit, but mostly that is not necessary and will lead to diving with a BCD that is too big and will float up during the dive. Most instructors make the same mistake with their students BTW.

Sorry, can't give you any more tips here, for a good fitting BCD you have to find a shop that knows what they are talking about and where you can try out a few BCD's. You will notice a big difference in fitting when you have found one that fits, it will really feel quite comfortable.

I have gone to a different diveshop and found a comfortable BCD. The person at the 1st dive shop said I should buy a medium sized BCD and when I looked at the manufacturers website and downloaded the size chart, it said someone of my height and weight should be buying an XL.

[AleG]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

Well, I had weights, of course, I just didn't need to put air in the BCD to control the buoyancy. Oddly enough I only felt light at the beginning of the dives, had to kick down a bit to descend the first 10 meters or so, not at the end. Which is weird because the empty tank is supposed to weight 2 or 3 kilos more.

It actually made me think of trying to dive without a BCD at all, hey!, if it was good enough for Cousteau it's fine by me!

[h90]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

Well, I had weights, of course, I just didn't need to put air in the BCD to control the buoyancy. Oddly enough I only felt light at the beginning of the dives, had to kick down a bit to descend the first 10 meters or so, not at the end. Which is weird because the empty tank is supposed to weight 2 or 3 kilos more.

It actually made me think of trying to dive without a BCD at all, hey!, if it was good enough for Cousteau it's fine by me!

There are still people around that dive without BCD....But it has a reason that it got very standard equipment.

IF you have a big wetsuit it compress at the deep, but with almost nothing on there isn't a big need for BCD as long as nothing goes wrong.

I wouldn't dive without one, but it is possible...in Chumphon was (or maybe still is) a french guy who always dove without.

[IrishIvan]

Go aqualung bro. Aqua master in Chalong has a nice sale on now from last years stock

[Basil B]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

Well, I had weights, of course, I just didn't need to put air in the BCD to control the buoyancy. Oddly enough I only felt light at the beginning of the dives, had to kick down a bit to descend the first 10 meters or so, not at the end. Which is weird because the empty tank is supposed to weight 2 or 3 kilos more.

It actually made me think of trying to dive without a BCD at all, hey!, if it was good enough for Cousteau it's fine by me!

Yes, I have done it, going down with a Kilo or so less than I needed, once you get down to 10M you have no problem but if you come back up to around 5m you will find yourself really struggling to stay down, another thing for a BCD if you are on a busy boat that has to shoot off to pick up some less experienced divers you could be on the surface for some time, being able to inflate your jacket make life easy,

Also I would advise against wings unless you really are intent on using twins, I found they tended to lift me from the back and push me forward.

[hiso]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

Well, I had weights, of course, I just didn't need to put air in the BCD to control the buoyancy. Oddly enough I only felt light at the beginning of the dives, had to kick down a bit to descend the first 10 meters or so, not at the end. Which is weird because the empty tank is supposed to weight 2 or 3 kilos more.

It actually made me think of trying to dive without a BCD at all, hey!, if it was good enough for Cousteau it's fine by me!

Yes, I have done it, going down with a Kilo or so less than I needed, once you get down to 10M you have no problem but if you come back up to around 5m you will find yourself really struggling to stay down, another thing for a BCD if you are on a busy boat that has to shoot off to pick up some less experienced divers you could be on the surface for some time, being able to inflate your jacket make life easy,

Also I would advise against wings unless you really are intent on using twins, I found they tended to lift me from the back and push me forward.

Depends on the make of the wing harness. I used to use a Dive Rite harness for years but just got used to the fact that at the surface it tended to push me face down - I just used to "sit back" and that was better (not always possible in rough water).

And then I then I decided to buy a complete lighweight travel set where the BCD provides its own carry bag. I bought an (Aqualung) SeaQuest Malibu Wing BCD. It has a couple of weight pockets sited just below the shoulder blades and gives perfect trim both below and on the surface. Perfect.

Incidentally the bcd and the rest of the travel gear is now for sale - if anybody is interested pm me.

[Shurup]

Well, I had weights, of course, I just didn't need to put air in the BCD to control the buoyancy. Oddly enough I only felt light at the beginning of the dives, had to kick down a bit to descend the first 10 meters or so, not at the end. Which is weird because the empty tank is supposed to weight 2 or 3 kilos more.

It actually made me think of trying to dive without a BCD at all, hey!, if it was good enough for Cousteau it's fine by me!

Empty tank weights more?? How's that? Do you live in another universe?

[12DrinkMore]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

He did not say he wasn't diving with weights.

He was absolutely correctly weighted.

Using your lungs it is easy, with practice, to compensate for the change in buoyancy of the tank during a dive, which is around 1.8 kgs or, in terms of displaced water, about 1.8 liters. By adjusting the average amount of air in your lungs this can be achieved.

But probably 99% of divers carry too much lead to do this.

Which is also OK if they feel more comfortable. It does mean that air has to be added at the start of the dive and then adjusted according to depth and air consumption.

[PhuketdashScuba]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

He did not say he wasn't diving with weights.

He was absolutely correctly weighted.

Using your lungs it is easy, with practice, to compensate for the change in buoyancy of the tank during a dive, which is around 1.8 kgs or, in terms of displaced water, about 1.8 liters. By adjusting the average amount of air in your lungs this can be achieved.

But probably 99% of divers carry too much lead to do this.

Which is also OK if they feel more comfortable. It does mean that air has to be added at the start of the dive and then adjusted according to depth and air consumption.

He was absolutely not weighted correctly.

Presuming he was wearing a suit, that suit gets compressed. This means that at depth there is less buoyancy than at the surface/shallow water. And that needs to be compensated by inflating air in the BCD. Also at the start of the dive there will be more air in the tank than at the end, which also needs to be compensated by adding air to the BCD.

Yes, you mainly control your buoyancy with your lungs, and yes, many people are overweighted (does not mean they can not control their buoyancy with their lungs BTW). And yes, diving without BCD and exclusively controlling your buoyancy with your lungs is possible, in fact quite easy. But with a BCD is even easier.

And no, air is not added at the start of the dive, air is released at the start of the dive in order to ascend. Air is added to control the descend and to establish buoyancy at depth.

[12DrinkMore]

On a side note, and I'm not sure if it's because of the BCD, but in the dive trip I did with it I didn't have to use any air to control my buoyancy at any time during 10 or so dives, only when reaching the surface for flotation.

Yes, related to the BCD, because of different buoyancy. Any BCD/wing could have effect on buoyancy/weights.

Not ideal BTW, diving without weights, simple physics learn that that means either too heavy during the dive or too light during the ascent/safety stop.

He did not say he wasn't diving with weights.

He was absolutely correctly weighted.

Using your lungs it is easy, with practice, to compensate for the change in buoyancy of the tank during a dive, which is around 1.8 kgs or, in terms of displaced water, about 1.8 liters. By adjusting the average amount of air in your lungs this can be achieved.

But probably 99% of divers carry too much lead to do this.

Which is also OK if they feel more comfortable. It does mean that air has to be added at the start of the dive and then adjusted according to depth and air consumption.

He was absolutely not weighted correctly.

Presuming he was wearing a suit, that suit gets compressed. This means that at depth there is less buoyancy than at the surface/shallow water. And that needs to be compensated by inflating air in the BCD. Also at the start of the dive there will be more air in the tank than at the end, which also needs to be compensated by adding air to the BCD.

Yes, you mainly control your buoyancy with your lungs, and yes, many people are overweighted (does not mean they can not control their buoyancy with their lungs BTW). And yes, diving without BCD and exclusively controlling your buoyancy with your lungs is possible, in fact quite easy. But with a BCD is even easier.

And no, air is not added at the start of the dive, air is released at the start of the dive in order to ascend. Air is added to control the descend and to establish buoyancy at depth.

Apart from the vaguely contradictory paragraphs where you say that it is necessary to compensate for buoyancy changes with depth by using the BCD but then go on to say that it is possible using your lungs, I am fairly sure that most people would realise that I did not mean adding air before descending, rather adding air once descended to compensate for the overweight.

Divers who are over weighted could not compensate during the whole dive with just controlling the volume of their lungs. They would either have to continuously propel themselves upwards because they do not add enough air to maintain neutral buoyancy or add and subtract air from the BCD as necessary.

I would estimate that 90% of "holiday divers" who dive maybe two days a year on holiday fall into the "poor buoyancy and always negatively buoyant" lot. It is very easy to to see. Just watch what happens when a divemaster stops to look at something. In most cases down drop the legs and all the divers start finning to prevent descending or they simply descend onto the coral or the bottom.

[Spalpeen]

Getting away from bouyancy and back to the OP's question......just buy a BCD that feels comfortable when you put it on. Don't buy one that feels small or tight because you're not going to get thinner as you get older. Buy one with big zip-closed pockets for your camera, gloves, torch, SMB, lunch, iPhone and so on. I've been using a Seaquest BCD for almost six years now and it's still in good condition, never had any issues with it, so I can recommend that.

Oh and by the way, never buy a Suunto dive computer. I've had two Suunto straps break at 100 dive intervals. Also had one computer fail during a dive, telling me I was at 58m when I was at 15m. Not good.

[mortem]

For you BCD choice, think also if you want a jacket of back inflation style. Beginners usually prefer a jackeet style as you are more stable on the surface.

But to be honest, I never felt really the difference

As Spalpeen said, take one comfortable.

When trying BCD, I decided to go for back inflation as it is more streamline underwater (so less drag) and I felt more free of my movement (as all the inflation part is in the back). I also have back problems, so I needed one with a Lumbar reinforcement.

All this set, I went for AquaLung Dimension i3 BCD (i3 because I don't like the rubber hose to dump the air).

Last thing, that's right the size recommanded by manufacturer is sometime not accurate: I had to take a lower size to fit well in the BCD

PS: when you buy a new BCD, during the first dives (about 10 in my case), you will need to add extra weight (+4 kg in my case) the time for the fabric to absorb watrer. If you don't do that, you will stay like a balloon on the surface

[AleG]

Getting away from bouyancy and back to the OP's question......just buy a BCD that feels comfortable when you put it on. Don't buy one that feels small or tight because you're not going to get thinner as you get older. Buy one with big zip-closed pockets for your camera, gloves, torch, SMB, lunch, iPhone and so on. I've been using a Seaquest BCD for almost six years now and it's still in good condition, never had any issues with it, so I can recommend that.

Oh and by the way, never buy a Suunto dive computer. I've had two Suunto straps break at 100 dive intervals. Also had one computer fail during a dive, telling me I was at 58m when I was at 15m. Not good.

Add to that getting very familiar with the BCD before diving.

Last dive trip, gearing up with a newish BCD for the first dive, I was fiddling with it looking for a place to clip my SMB when I accidentaly unclipped the weight pocket flap... thunk! 1 kilo of lead right on the ring toe... Not that a broken toe would keep me from jumping in, obviously!

[sometimewoodworker]

Oh and by the way, never buy a Suunto dive computer. I've had two Suunto straps break at 100 dive intervals. Also had one computer fail during a dive, telling me I was at 58m when I was at 15m. Not good.

my Suunto dive computer is going on for 400 dives with no problems, just battery changes.

[redbox]

Good selection of BCDs at One Stop Dive in Krabi check their website out https://www.onestopdive.com/shop/product-category/bcds/

Sherwood scuba, IST, Dolphin tech