A Buoyancy Compensator (BC) or Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) as it is sometimes known is one of the most basic pieces of dive gear or equipment needed to SCUBA dive. If you’re looking at owning your own set of gear, diving as a profession or even a long term hobby, next to your Scuba regulator it’ll probably be the biggest investment in your dive kit. So how do you choose the right buoyancy compensator for you? Let’s start with the basics and understand BCD’s to help make that purchase easier.
What is a Buoyancy Compensator and Why do divers use it?
Just as the name suggests, Buoyancy Compensators are a device that helps divers control their buoyancy underwater to attain neutral buoyancy. Diver’s have to wear heavy gear like the Scuba tank which make diving possible in the first place. The heavy equipment coupled with the fact that the human body wasn’t designed for underwater existence, brings the need for some man made help- A Buoyancy compensator (BC). A BC is crucial to a diver staying underwater at a neutral level underwater so that they are not floating to the surface or sinking to the bottom uncontrolled.
A BC or Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) is essentially a inflatable vest/jacket worn by a diver with air pockets.Air is added into the BC if you want to rise in the water and there is a release mechanism that lets air out of the BC to descend, thereby allowing the diver to control his buoyancy underwater. However a BC jacket is needed for more than just buoyancy. It forms the central part to securing the entire dive kit together. A divers air supply i.e the Scuba tank is strapped onto the back of the buoyancy compensator. Integrated with a harness to strap the tank on your back, the BCD also has pockets and straps for your gauges and octopus. In short, it secures all your other necessary dive gear to it.
Types of Buoyancy Compensators
There a two types of BCD’s in wide use today-
1) Jacket or Vest Style BC’s
This is the most common type of BCD used in recreational diving today. As the name implies it looks just like a vest or jacket. The air pockets wrap around the diver from back to from and the front is fastened with buckles.
The jacket style of scuba BCDs is stabilizes and allows a diver to float vertically at the surface as it it’s pockets around the divers body, fill up evenly with air.
2) Back Mounted or Wing Style BC’s
This second type of buoyancy compensator is not as common as the first. It has it’s air pockets located at the back of the vest and when filled the air pockets fill up on either side of the tank much like wings.
The advantage of this style of BC is that it allows more freedom of movement as it doesn’t wrap around the sides of the body. It can also be quite modular and allow for two tanks and more weight to be carried with out obstructing. Technical divers prefer this style of BCD’s. The wing style BCD also tends to put the diver in a horizontal position since the air pockets are on the back.
In the next post on SCUBA Gear we’ll talk about what features and parts you’ll want to look at while buying a buoyancy compensator. Till then take a look at some of our other Scuba Gear articles here .
Pictured above Aeris Atmos LX BC (left) ,Mares Prestige BC With MRS Plus Weight Pockets (right, top), Bare Blackwing BCD (right, bottom). All available at LeisurePro.com
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