BCD Buying Guide
Your BCD is the backbone of your scuba setup, providing buoyancy control, stability, and gear integration. Whether you're a beginner or a technical diver, choosing the right BCD is crucial for comfort and performance. This guide simplifies the process so you can find the perfect fit for your diving style.
Jacket-Style BCDs
Best for beginners, recreational divers, easy to use.
Back-Inflated BCDs
More streamlined, ideal for advanced and travel divers.
Wing & Harness Systems
Modular, technical divers, precise trim control.
Women's BCDs
Better fit, improved comfort, different strap positioning.
Jacket-Style BCDs – Best for beginners, recreational divers, easy to use.
The Jacket style BCD consists of a wearable jacket into which an air bladder is integrated that wraps around the diver. The types and configurations of this kind of BCD are numerous, but the basic premise remains that the bladder wraps around and inflates both in front, on the sides and behind the diver. Jacket BCD’s are extremely stable on the surface and act somewhat like a life jacket.
Cons: In the water they can create more drag as they contain more padding and a cummerbund.
Best-selling Jacket BCDsShop All
Back Inflation BCDs
The Back Inflate BCD has no inflatable bladders on the front or sides leaving the diver’s chest area completely uncluttered with the exception of chest straps. The flotation bladders are positioned on either side of the tank which give the diver a great degree of mobility and freedom of movement and also makes the diver much more streamlined in the water as there is less drag created by the BCD.
Cons: At the surface, the flotation bladders on the back tend to tilt the diver forward rather than keeping them upright. While this takes some getting used to, it’s not a significant drawback.
Best Back Inflation BCDsShop All
Technical Harness: Back Plate & Wing Style BCD
The Back plate and wing BCD is perhaps the most streamlined of the three types of BCD’s and does not contain, weight pockets or harnesses in the front. It merely consists of a metal back plate made of aluminum or steel through which a continuous harness with waist belt and crotch strap is looped through notches in the plate.
Cons: The single biggest drawback of the back plate and wing BCD is the lack of pockets for dive accessories or weight integration pockets.
