Scuba Diving BCDs | Closer Look

[@RealJonnyDiver]

I really appreciate these videos Mark, especially the amount of time and effort you put into the editing so that we can see examples of what you're discussing and navigate quickly to different sections. Your channel is my go-to resource for all things diving and I hope potential sponsors recognise this.

[@cavediver1948]

I'll try to make this as short as possible... I started cave diving in the early 80's. There were no back mounted BCD's. so, we were left to making our own.The going idea was to make a "pillow" vest. This style covered only your chest area. So I took a Seatec horse collar BC and cut off the top above the main bladder. I super glued the bladder and stitched the cover. I sewed a strap to go around the top part to go around my neck. By the way, I ran across a picture of Sheck Exley in Skin Diver magazine and used that as an idea. I removed the oral inflator hose since it was part of the upper part and repositioned it lower on the pillow part. I added a crotch strap. plus a few D-rings (2) along the bottom. This BC served me well for over 15 years until Dive Rite came out with the Transpac wing.

[@dennybe]

Like everyone, I would guess, I learned in a jacket. I dove a jacket for a little over a year and a half and 30+ dives because I had not yet bought my own and it's what the dive shop rented out. I recently bought my own BCD, it's a backplate and wing(30lb lift), single strap harness. I've done a couple of test/check dives with it to make sure I get the weight right and everything is properly located and working. I LOVE IT!!! The feeling of freedom without being wrapped up like a snuggy in a jacket it awesome. Haven't put it in salt yet due to the Rona, but anticipate loads of great dives with it. Should have done it sooner. Thanks, Mark.

[@mendezfe]

Exact same experience. Right now, at this very moment. After learning on a jacket-style and getting to test backplate a couple of months ago in Scandinavia, I finally bought my first own gear (Tecline harness for single tanks); testing it these days in the Mediterranean Sea and after having added already the final touches I must say that I couldn’t couldn’t be any happier :)

[@dennybe]

@@mendezfe Diving the Med...how awesome is that!? I retired a few years ago and headed over here to the Philippines, lots of good diving sites and hopefully, I will continue to make the rounds to visit as many of them as I can. I'm really finding the community here(diving) to be great, and great help...on Mark's channel especially--big help on getting my BP set up properly. Enjoy the Med, get wet, and go deep!

[@mendezfe]

denny be it is really wonderful here (in Greece at the moment), but the Philippines are still on my bucket list. I’m quite jealous actually :-) I think we all can’t wait for this global situation to improve so that we can travel again more freely

[@dennybe]

@@mendezfe 100%

[@pucioy]

Thanks. Mares Bolt was my first purchaise but... after few dives I cut off SLS pockets( they are huge), took away velcro cummerbund and replce it with simple 50mm band with genuine pinch clip. Now it works perfectly as a single tank, very light back plate travel BCD but for domestic dives ( cold) I'm gonna buy (when the time comes :) heavy back plate double tank wing.

[@adam211086]

Learnt in a jacket style from the club, first bcd purchased was backplate and wing.

[@maxtorque2277]

The "leash" on the back is i think not just to restrain the tank from accidental ejection (although i guess it would do that) but actually to hold the weight of the BCD (potentially with integrated lead) onto the cylinder in the correct place (height) whilst you do up the primary tank retainer! I see many divers fighting to try to get their BCD and cylinder alligned, and fastened, often ending up too high or low, or with the valve pointing off at a funny angle, but it's actually really simple: 1) during a pool or set up session, work out what height you want your cylinder on your bcd (for best trim, avoiding back-of-head-bangs, and for neat hose routing etc) 2) Before you take the cylinder off after that sesion, put the leash around the tank neck, and pull it taught, then either mark the leash length (permanent marker etc) or simply measure how much of the leash strap is sticking out of the leash clip (you can use your hand, or similar as a gauge) 3) before you fit a cylinder next time, set the leash to this length, drop the bcd over the cylinder, whilst dropping the leash over the cylinder stem/valve 4) the bcd will slide down the cylinder until held at excactly the right height by the leash, so you can now spin the cylinder to clock the valve into the right place, and apply the main retaining strap band/clasp, confident the cylinder is in the right place! Next time you're watching people set their kit up, watch how many people wrestly with their bcd & cylinder because they don't use the leash as a reference!!! NOTE: Some Tec divers like to release or remove the leash after fitting, because if it doesn't have a quick release, it would prevent the cylinder being removed from the bcd underwater, but for most, this isn't a problem, and the additional secondary retention as mentioned might be useful if the main band slips or releases (at least preventing the cyl from completely floating . sinking away and pulling the second stage out of your mouth......

[@markwallace1251]

Great Tip!

[@Krizon4]

Yeah, I do it the same way. Adjust the strap according to tank I will be using, then clip the strap, and then primary retainer.

[@FALCON-nb8nq]

Excellent presentation Mark.

[@johnjob9523]

Today was my first day of open water certification training and it was amazing. Thanks for all the informative and fun content from your channel!

[@underwatercactus]

welcome to the underwater world😁

[@nyax129]

Morning coffee made and down i sit. Thanks mark!

[@OrenNoah]

First was a Zeagle back-inflate, but I've long since gone to the backplate and wing system. I have one for my cold water/drysuit diving and one for tropical diving. Once I dove a backplate, I never went back to a conventional BCD.

[@matthewholton2999]

Fantastic video Mark, I actually learnt about the dump valve / inflator hose combo on the rescue course, they say to use that if you’re trying to rescue a causality that’s responsive but panicked, if they lunge for you, just pull the inflator and the last place they want to go is down under the water! Fantastic video as always, even as a DMT, who’s been diving for 10 years myself, I’m still always learning, be it through your channel, James ( Divers Ready ) or even when I’m assisting courses

[@wildsurfer12]

I reckon Owl City are the reason you call hybrid bcd’s butterfly wings.

[@GreenEagleVR]

Dream collaboration: safe diving, simply scuba, divers ready, dallmyd, vegan diver Kat One week of diving, one group of pros

[@thegreatneess]

RIP simply scuba 1995-2020

[@robbo3lj871]

sign up to Hickory Diving & Alex Pierce 👍🏻

[@GreenEagleVR]

Robbo3LJ already have just forgot the Lake Hickory part haha

[@christopherambrogio818]

Hey mark! Thanks for the great videos. Just one thing to note. The Zeagle “ripcord” style of weight ditching is primarily made to be used with their zippered mesh weight pouches inside, which means you can take the pouches out and hand them up on the boat. If you use soft weights without the mesh pouches the individual weights could actually slip out. If you use hard weights without the internal zippered pouches, it is true that you can’t easily hand the weights up to a boat. But you can just as easily use the mesh pouches for hard weights as well! Again, thanks for the videos! Loving the channel.

[@kurtsteiner8384]

I actually have a aquala lungs it pro QD blue. But did like the tusa wing, trave BCD. It was more of a travel than regular BCD. Or the aqua lung Zuma was a good travel one, as it has no plates or frames it uses the cylinder for strength

[@aaronjt74]

Love your videos, they are very informative and interesting. Thank's for continuing your videos after that "other" channel went well who knows where!

[@markwallace1251]

I ended up going for the newer Cressi Scorpion Travel BCD. Found it after considering the Rogue, and Outlaw. I wonder if Teespring would do a rash guard?

[@darkmxhishot7475]

Can you do a video on the Hollis Katana 2 sidemount BC? There's not one single video on KZbin doing a full in-depth review of it

[@illusionclassicrock6742]

I use the Aqualung Axiom. Very happy with it! It has the wrapture harness system with plenty of lift and weight capacity. And even though they don’t bill it as such, it’s more of a hybrid bladder with most of the air being on the back. The only downside that I found, is that sometimes it can be a little tricky to get the primary ditchachable weight pockets to click in tight. Especially if you’re using a lot of weight, like when I use my full 7 mm wetsuit in cold water. But it’s a very minor issue, you just have to jiggle it around a little bit sometimes and make sure it clicks in. Otherwise the fit and feel is wonderful. It’s very streamlined, and leaves you primarily open in the front. It’s not a travel BC, but still pretty light at 8 lbs (3.6 kg).

[@Larutus]

This was a very informative bit of viewing

[@sandrextv]

Another great video buddy! I just decided to buy the Apeks Deluxe One-Piece Web Harness as an addition so I can choose between my WTX Harness with steelplate or Web only.

[@stevenwood1468]

Question and I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask it. I have been diving Aqualung BCDs and have used the gridlock tank bands. I am transitioning to a BPW setup and wonder what is you opinion on using the griplock tank bands on the bpw or would you recommend staying with the traditional style cam bands?

[@SafeDiving]

Should be fine, I love the GripLock cam bands. They're an upgrade on the standard cam band but they're the same size so you can fit them to a backplate, and if you have them already then I'd be more than happy using them.

[@ernestlcolemanjr]

I learning on wing for my OW.

[@brunol-p_g8800]

Stopped the video at 32:57 to smoke a cigarette outside, when I came back my wife was lurking at my phone, asking since when did you start to make « that » kind of advice... I have to reckon, you’re gesture and you’re face at 32:57 is quite explicite

[@MostafaSaraya]

Hey Mark I love all your videos and i trust your recommendation. I'm about to buy my first bcd and regular but I'm bet confused I need a bcd grow up with me can be multi customised can carry single and double tanks my friends here in Egypt recommendation are between zeagle rangers or scubapro xblack but I'm interested the new brand Hydros X. So, does it can carry double tanks??

[@SafeDiving]

I don't know if the Hydros can take twins, it has two bolt holes on the back but they don't lead to the front. I always recommend metal backplate and wing BCDs for twins because they're far stronger. Zeagle Ranger can be adapted for two tanks with a Bibi kit I think but it's mainly made for single tanks.

[@xiiivaniix]

Get the Xdeep Zen period.

[@ruairidhbulger8514]

Mark, where are the #flappysnaghazard t-shirts?

[@Vytaswashere]

this is very informative

[@markg6594]

Your videos are usually really informative and helpful BUT you are wrong about the Zeagle BCD not having weight pouches. They do have yellow heavy duty mesh weight pouches (specifically for Zeagle) with a nylon handle and zipper, they tuck into the zippered pockets on each side of the BCD. This is what I have. You can unzip the pockets and hand up the pouches to the boat befor climbing the ladder... just trying to help.

[@Justins-Adventures]

Nice I've got a jacket style at the moment :(. But I'll eventually upgrade to a wing I reckon

[@jeffconley6366]

First BCD: AT-PAC

[@enzov9772]

You didn’t mortgage your house and review the BC2 😭😭 haha