How To Choose A BCD Full Video

[@turgutvelettin6727]

True Legend , thanks for your precious time Freddy

[@LeviathanScuba]

A true privilege to help in the hobby that is my true passion. Take care. Freddy

[@mohdnt]

Hey Freddy, awesome video! The way you explained the different types of BCDs was super clear and easy to understand. I learned a lot, and it really kept my attention the whole time. Can’t wait to check out more of your videos! 👍

[@mikkel4606]

could also mention with the backinflates. that if you lie back on the surface. its like lying on a bed. as it keeps you stable

[@coralkeyscuba]

Thanks for the comments. Makes it better for all of us. Freddy

[@Hectorsdad]

I’m a total newbie to this subject. Having just watched a handful of your videos so far, I’m completely in awe of your expertise and good advice. Thanks for posting such useful information.

[@LeviathanScuba]

Don't rush it my friend. It is a great place of wonder to have all of it new to you. Go slow and enjoy the journey. Thanks for watching. More to come soon. Freddy

[@retireeslife4013]

I've been diving with the oceanic bio lite for 6 yrs now. If this breaks I will buy another. Its just that comfortable.

[@coralkeyscuba]

It won't break. I have over 2000 dives on mine. Faded but still works great. If properly cleaned I can't imagine what would kill it for most people. Enjoy, Freddy

[@retireeslife4013]

@@coralkeyscuba I only have 200 on this one and treat it like it's brand new.

[@anthonyrandolph1327]

thank you so much for taking the time to give us an educated opinion sir. Really appreciate the info!!

[@coralkeyscuba]

Happy to help. More to come soon. Freddy

[@cyklopPL]

Supper interesting. Incredible lesson. Thank you for recording and sharing. Greetings from Hong Kong

[@LeviathanScuba]

Hope it helps. Thanks for watching, more to come soon. Freddy

[@jean-yveslendormy8240]

Great video. thank you.

[@coralkeyscuba]

My pleasure. Take care. Freddy

[@theknightofni]

Hay freddy, first off thank you for being so ingormative and protective of other divers. I really appreciate your info. I have a question on wing bcd. How newbie friendly are they? Im willing to spend a little more for them becaude my end goal is to be able to dual tank and i dont want to buy a single tank bcd and then buy another dul tank bcd later on. Thanks again!

[@LeviathanScuba]

You are most welcome. So, tricky answer as you are a newbie. Which I love that you are thinking about adding to your skills in the future. First answer is if you truly add dual tank diving to your skill folder you most likely will have different sets of gear. Without knowing you, I will speak generally. Twin tanks sounds cool, however extremely rare. Why you may ask is that recreational trips, resorts, dive boats cater to the 99.99% crowd. I haven't seen anyone dive twin tanks for 12 years. If you are on the coast and doing it with your buddy on the weekends then great but almost no one today dives twins. That is a lot of time underwater without a break. Brings up more concerns with decompression sickness etc. Changing your gear over from single tank diving to double takes time and not the easiest transition if you are traveling. Example if you are on a dive trip, everyone else will be on singles. The divemasters won't just leave you down while everyone else surface intervals on the boat. Not to mention the expense. Special valves, manifold, regulator or two depending on how you do it. Weight and as you are wondering your bcd setup. The actual answer to your question is that it is a little tougher diving a twin back plate design. But once you are used to it, not a problem at all. Your greatest sacrifice will be convenience and expense. I hope this helps a bit. I will say most divers that get technical have more than one set of gear depending on what you plan on doing.

[@HarleakinSimi]

SSI teaches for Deep Dive your BCD should give you 15kg lift when on the surface, so you could help your buddy and yourself comming up from the depth of 40m (should be 120ft in imperial) in an emergency. Its the only time i've read something like that and searched panically online before my first deep dive if my vest is good enough XD

[@LeviathanScuba]

And I don't actually know of a commercially available BCD that offers lift that low. So I guess they would all work in that scenario. Thanks for watching. More to come soon. Freddy

[@danewood2309]

an interesting informative video as always thank you. can I ask your thoughts on a BCD ? I haven't dived since the mid 80's, and I am way out of date with equipment, so I'm signing on with a Dive school here in the UK to do the Padi courses for Open Water Diver and Advanced Diver. I'm doing a "packages" course which includes buying all of my equipment , The BCD the Dive school supply is the Aqualung Rogue and the Regulator is a Apeks MTX RC regulators , Im 5ft 10", weigh in at approx 195lbs.... when Qualified , I Intend to be doing some UK Diving, but mostly travelling to the Mediteranean, Red Sea and Thailand to Dive....what are your thoughts on the Rogue BCD ?

[@LeviathanScuba]

First of all let me apologize to you for the delay. I hope you have not purchased it all yet. I was in Fiji for the last 3 weeks. Rogue is a good BCD. I like it. For the UK however it might just be too lite weight. I say that because cold water requires thicker suits or dry suits. The Rogue doesn't hold enough weight for cold water diving. Of course, you can make anything work but is it optimal, no. If only warm water then it is a good bcd. The Apeks is quality but overkill for a newer recreational diver. More than twice what you need to spend to get a good quality regulator. I don't know your shop and I don't want to know but I am brutally honest on your behalf. Sounds like the gear they are recommending for a new diver is way way too much and very expensive. Brother, look around. I don't believe in going with the cheapest stuff but you can get quality for a lot less that will last a very long time. Look at some pricing for Oceanic Delta 5 regs, Tusa regs. Great, durable, affordable and last a long time. I try and answer questions here at least once a week but if I can't get to you quick enough, email me at [e-mail]. Happy to keep them honest for you. Freddy

[@danewood2309]

@LeviathanScuba Thank you very much for the reply , I really appreciate it . I've not invested the money yet ....basically because I met a couple who have been diving as instructors for over 20 years , they've recomended I take an open water and advanced course with kit rental, and use the £2200 I save to buy my own kit at one of the Dive shops in London.

[@LennertVD]

Hello, im considering to buy an apeks exotec but i see a lot of different opinions on the internet. Do you have experience with this bcd or know if it’s worth the price? Found one for 425$ brand new.

[@LeviathanScuba]

I apologize but I do not have experience with that BCD. I would suggest going somewhere that sells them to get sized to make sure it fits properly if you are looking to purchase from the internet. Apeks is typically good quality as a brand. I did notice a number of reviews online. Thanks for watching. Freddy

[@LennertVD]

@@LeviathanScuba Thanks for the info and quick response Freddy! Was a very nice and informative video :)

[@harambeexpress]

The most important thing mentioned: crap is crap! Buy quality. There are way too many gimmicks for sure. I don't see a single advantage that jacket style BCDs have over a backplate and wing. Back-inflate options only have a single advantage over backplate and wing - but even then, only barely and they still have most of the downsides of the jacket BCDs! Here's why backplate and wing: they are (mostly) standardised which means that you can choose all all the best bits if you please (but simpler is better), the construction is very simple and tough - a lot less plasticity crap, two cam bands to hold a single cylinder more securely, you can easily replace any part that breaks rather than throw the whole thing out, you can keep it for your entire diving career and take it from recreational to technical (and back). You also don't get a lot of gimmicky crap on the vast majority of them (if you wear a wetsuit you don't need padding - save your cash!). You can buy a lot of the bits second hand because they wear so well, you can adjust and tune them almost infinitely and you can make them for anyone. You don't normally use a weight belt (although you can). You can easily use a hogarthian configuration and you can easily place D-rings where you need them, you can be more streamlined, you can be better trimmed. They don't squeeze you. They have a crotch-strap which keeps you more secure and allows you use use (a decent) DPV. Swap out wings to suit the type of diving you're doing... Plus more. Tech shorts or drysuit pockets are far superior to pouches on your BCD. You can access your stuff better and it's more streamlined. So it's an advantage that these don't come standard on a backplate and wing. And comparing a "technical" grade backplate and wing against a high end recreational jacket/back-inflate BCD you will find the backplate and wing cheaper initially but also cheaper over your entire diving career.

[@jonnieinbangkok]

So right on everything; and I make my own B&W systems from components ordered online for about $300-$350, which is the cost of an entry level or rental model branded jacket style BCD. I feel for divers who fall for the BCD marketing hype and dive store up sell.

[@edwardagius4379]

I disagree with the price of the Wing BCD being lower than any other jacket BCD because of less material being used, as you have said. Here in my Country Malta, these Wing BC are even more expensive because they treat it as a PRO product and on the Technical side. Things here don't work as in anywhere in the World. If you now what I mean!! Things are interpreted differently here.

[@coralkeyscuba]

I believe I did say the wings are more expensive. They shouldn't be because of less material parts and pieces but they are more expensive. Thanks for watching. Freddy

[@maxheadrom3088]

I knew fish had BCDs ... I use to play with them when I was a kid. I haven't fished in decades, now, though. Why the "Mae West", I wonder ...

[@LeviathanScuba]

Nature perfects all things.

[@johnwilliamsscuba6487]

Any good diver who is properly weighted will be just fine with any functional bcd.

[@LeviathanScuba]

Any functional, properly sized, bcd. I agree. Or no bcd at all. Thats coming soon. Freddy

[@LouellaSiegrist-p8c]

Mitchell Parkways

[@johnwilliamsscuba6487]

I use a horse collar just to prove a point now and then

[@LeviathanScuba]

Keep watching brother. I am now filming diving with no bcd as well. Not even a horse collar. Before you comment wait and see. An inflatable life vest not inflated. Modern version that is similar to a thick strap 2 inches wide on either side of your neck. Made for boaters that really don't want to wear a life jacket. Securing it to a back plate with no ability to inflate unless an emergency. So I can still rescue or self rescue if the need arises. Keep proving that point. I love it. Thanks for watching, more to come soon. Freddy

[@johnwilliamsscuba6487]

​@@LeviathanScubaFeddy I had a dive buddy that had a back inflate And a panic attack on the surface at the same time and I found myself.Wishing she had a jacket style b.C.D it would have been a lot easier to defuse the situation