Used Mares Prestige SLS BCD Blue Large

SKU: US31768 MFR: 417224L
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Questions & Answers

Shopper : Is this a men’s or women’s BCD?JOSE C : This equipment can be used by either or, if it fits you and your comfortable using it a fit for you. Happy divingMICHELLE L : I would say leans more towards a womens frame. If the man were a skinny.... would me ok.ERIC O : I don’t think it is specifically for men but I’m not sure. There are BCDs that are designed especially for women.Robert R : It is a man’s BCD but I believe that also have a model for women
Shopper : Why Did You Choose This?GEORGE H : Good starter BCD for my 15 year old niece.Ryan C : Seemed nice

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2025-06-13T15:26:11

Rated 5 out of 5

Great BCD for the Price!

Love this BCD, compact for all it's features and it has been to Bali and back. Reasonably priced and very reliable. Easy to get buoyancy down due to the weight pockets on the shoulders.

Edward F.

2024-07-28T08:15:50

Rated 4 out of 5

Good BCD for the money.

Works great and very comfortable. The only thing negative is the tank strap could secure better.

JAMES L.

2024-03-03T02:57:55

Rated 5 out of 5

Weight System use is Easy When You Do This

This is an excellent BCD, especially for the price-a great value. I, like others, had a hard time at first with the weight system. You'll find that the release handle is shaped like the letter T. To insert the weight pouch in the BCD, pull out the red release knob (vertical part of the T) until it clicks open, and then make sure you don't click it back to the locked position while you insert the pouch. If you do, it will be impossible to insert and lock the weight pouch. To make sure you avoid pushing on the red knob while inserting, only push on the top of the T (horizontal, top part of the handle). Once the pouch is inserted all the way, a small indicator will show the color red. Now push ("slap" because it is not easy to just push) the red knob in until you hear a click and the indicator will show green (locked). A small technique that makes the weight system easy to use. P.S. I agree that this BCD runs slightly large-maybe a half size.

Robert N.

2023-09-08T08:10:29

Rated 5 out of 5

Mares Prestige SLS BCD

Good day, Mares Prestige SLS BCD is great quality, price, and value. As with the Mares line of products. My students and I use Mares products and Mares has not let me down yet.

John J.

2022-03-23T08:33:05

Rated 5 out of 5

Great BC

Wish I would have gotten a smaller size, I think it fits a little big on me. But the BC is great.

caleb l.

2022-01-21T10:12:18

Rated 5 out of 5

Great BCD, but test weight pocket system before diving

this is the third BCD I have purchased and I just got the opportunity to use it in Aruba and in Brazil. It is very sturdy and comfortable for a man, it performed flawlessly in about 25 dives. It is a simpler BCD in that it doesn't have extra pockets or bells and whistles, but as a straight BCD it does the job. I am not in love with the way the weight pockets attach to the bcd; initially I had a hell of a time getting them in and out, but as the parts wore on, they became much smoother. My advice: do not wait until the dive to learn about the weight system, practice at home many times to loosen up the parts. if you wait till your dive to learn it, it will be very stressful.

JULIO C.

2022-01-17T08:23:02

Rated 5 out of 5

Best Deal of the Year

This was the absolute best deal I have found in years. Purchased during the Christmas sale. I bought one for my wife and myself. They both performed flawlessly and the value was wroth way more than I paid.

GEORGE A.

2022-01-06T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Very good BCD

I have done 5 dives on it now and it has been working great if you are looking for a BC for travel than its probably not the right one because its on the more bulky side but otherwise it's a very comfortable well designed good quality BCD

kai

2021-12-22T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Solid BCD

Solid BCD, purchased to use while instructing... Integrated weights are hard to reseat, but expect they will loosen up with use... At the right price, you will be very happy... that price is NOT $600 though...lol

JohnG

2021-04-27T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Awesome! Love it!

Can't wait to get in the water!

williamb

2021-02-03T08:25:35

Rated 5 out of 5

Perfect for Traveling

bought this for my daughter as she travels a lot for underwater photo shoots, etc; just what she needed, as it is very light and packs down well, which means less overweight bags!

KEVIN L.

2021-01-17T09:31:58

Rated 5 out of 5

Highly recommend

So far everything is great. I’ve done 6 dives with my new BCD. It fits well and works well. Great value for the price.

MATTHEW T.

2020-12-04T08:02:20

Rated 5 out of 5

BCD

Best BCD good quality and good look. Best of the best

PABLO C.

2020-12-04T07:24:23

Rated 4 out of 5

Gift for Son

I was pleased with the delivery time and the fit of the BCD. This was bought as a gift for my son. We have not been able to use due to travel restrictions, but I have had good results with Mares equipment in the past and expect this item to perform well.

John G.

2020-11-04T19:27:52

Rated 5 out of 5

Morris BCD

Fantastic BCD. Fits great and functions perfectly.

BRIAN M.

2020-09-17T09:58:45

Rated 5 out of 5

Mares BC is perfect for me

I bought this to replace my 20 year old Mares Frontier Expedition. I hope it will be as awesome as its predecessor! Excellent price and fast shipping from Leisure Pro.

MAIA M.

2020-06-17T04:10:28

Rated 5 out of 5

I would recommend this BCD!

I've only used it once since purchase. I love several things about this BCD. I love the trim pockets, I love the handle attached to the backplate for ease of carry and I love the already bent D-rings along with the big pocket space. It will take time to get used to the SLS weight pockets but I think I will like them. I am a female, the only complaint I would have is that it's a bit bulky but overall I love it and would recommend for purchase!

DUSTI J.

2020-06-12T05:44:22

Rated 5 out of 5

Mares prestige BCD

The product arrived sooner than expected with excellent conditions. I tested it immediately and the BCD worked perfectly.

CARLOS E.

2019-12-15T14:36:59

Rated 4 out of 5

Good bc

Nice BC, air will get stuck occasionally, but a firm hug usually gets it out. New weight system works great so far! Shipped fast.

Maxwell S.

2019-09-08T10:29:32

Rated 5 out of 5

Great BC for the money!!

It’s a great BC!!! Quick release weight tabs and trim tabs excellent.

Daniel H.

2019-08-13T11:37:58

Rated 5 out of 5

great equipment

was really satisfied with this equipment will recommend to any scuba beginner or expert.

Jose C.

2019-08-02T08:43:33

Rated 4 out of 5

Very nice bc with just minor complaint

Great quality. I love that mares color codes the lpi buttons. Makes it much easier for students to press the correct one. I like the front buckle vs a weight belt style release. The color indicator for the quick release weights is a nice reassuring touch. But it's a PAIN to put them in bc of the handle button. So I'm not fond of that for teaching. Quality is great. Comfortable. Love that the trim pushes are reachable from the outside with the bc on a tank. Nice for buoyancy and trim checks. They just need find an alternative to having to hold down the red button on the right pouch while inserting it.

ERIC N.

2019-05-29T11:05:10

Rated 5 out of 5

Well designed.

This is my first BCD. I haven't tried any others. This one does everything I need. Has good ergonomics. Useful pockets in logical places. Lots of attachment points. Very happy with my selection.

Wes W.

2019-05-12T12:06:09

Rated 5 out of 5

Love my Prestige!

Love the back plate and the fact the shoulder straps unclip. It takes a little bit to master the SLS system, but once you have it down, it's great! Excellent for small torsos.

Michelle L.

2019-05-05T04:50:23

Rated 5 out of 5

Form, fit & function, Great!

I needed a Recreational BCD. I've always had a backplate with wing, now this BCD right here performed perfectly. We dove in a couple fresh water springs in Florida in March. I wanted to get a good equipment check before we hit the dive season hard.I love it!

John H.

2019-02-05T13:35:26

Rated 5 out of 5

Definitely a great BC

I tried on 20+ BCDs til I found this one. It has become my primary and love it. Fits perfectly and build as comfortable as you could ask for.

Eddie L.

2019-01-25T01:12:06

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent

I bought this for my son, 9 dives great BC. Weight pockets are a bit narrow, trim pockets help distribute weights. Takes a bit of pracctice to lock weight pockets, though they secure well.

ronald C.

2018-11-12T16:06:25

Rated 5 out of 5

A great full sized BCD

Very well made, quality stitching and hardware. The SLS system works very well even with maximum weights. There are grommet type attachment points that work well with the Mares dive knife mounting system. I've got 10 dives on it so far and I'm very happy with this BCD.

James C.

2018-09-08T05:14:16

Rated 3 out of 5

Problem with weight system.

I loved this BC. It was comfortable and light weight, but the weight system was faulty. When ever I tried to remove the weight pouches with weights in them, the handle would sometimes pull loose, leaving the weights locked into the BC. This could be a big problem if I had a real emergency. Leisure Pro was very nice about it, and sent me some new weight pouches to try. They did the same thing. Leisure Pro took the BC back with no problems, and a full refund, and I purchased another BC from them. (I went with the Aqua Lung Pro HD and it is awesome).

CARLTON D.

Mares Prestige SLS BCD Blue Large Specifications

  • BC Body

    Jacket Style

  • Buoyancy Bag

    24 lbs. to 38 lbs. (10.8 kg x 18.3 kg)

  • Valves

    3 Pull-Dump/Overpressure Relief Valves

  • Pockets

    Two, 3-D Zippered Self-Draining

  • Shoulder Straps

    Yes, Torso Adjustable w/"Squeeze-Style" Swivel Side-Release Buckles

  • Stainless Steel Rings

    Yes, Two and 4-Techno Polymer

  • Waist Strap

    Yes, w/"Squeeze-Style" Side-Release Buckle and Adjustable Cummerbund

  • Chest Buckle

    Yes, w/"Squeeze-Style" Side-Release Buckle

  • Oral Inflator

    Yes, Mares Ergo Inflator

  • Materials

    Air Cell; 420 Cordura w/Urethane Laminate, Harness; Nylon Webbing, Plastic, Stainless Steel

  • Weight Integrated

    Yes

  • Weight Capacity

    Releasable (each pocket); 9 lbs. and 13 lbs. (4 kg and 6 kg), Size Dependent, Non-Releasable Trim (each pocket); 5 lbs. (2.27 kg)

  • Weight

    (Size L) 8.6 lbs. (3.9 kg)

5 Accessories for Mares Prestige SLS BCD Blue Large

  • All Accessories (5)
  • Equipment Care & Maintenance (2)
  • BCD Accessories (1)
  • Computer Accessories (2)

About Mares Prestige SLS BCD Blue Large

FEATURED REVIEWS

Great BCD, but test weight pocket system before diving

By JULIO C.

this is the third BCD I have purchased and I just got the opportunity to use it in Aruba and in Brazil. It is very sturdy and comfortable for a man, it performed flawlessly in about 25 dives. It is a simpler BCD in that it doesn't have extra pockets or bells and whistles, but as a straight BCD it does the job. I am not in love with the way the weight pockets attach to the bcd; initially I had a hell of a time getting them in and out, but as the parts wore on, they became much smoother. ...

View full Review

I would recommend this BCD!

By DUSTI J.

I've only used it once since purchase. I love several things about this BCD. I love the trim pockets, I love the handle attached to the backplate for ease of carry and I love the already bent D-rings along with the big pocket space. It will take time to get used to the SLS weight pockets but I think I will like them. I am a female, the only complaint I would have is that it's a bit bulky but overall I love it and would recommend for purchase!

All the main characteristics of the Prestige SLS BCD have been developed for even greater comfort and stability combined with excellent fit and performance. Mares' Jacket Style Prestige Bladder is design to envelope the diver on the sides and back. High lift capacity 24 lbs. to 38 lbs. (10.8 kg x 18.3 kg)and very comfortable position on the surface characterize this bladder design.

Superbly comfortable and stable yet tough and durable. The air cell is made of durable 420 Cordura denier. The Mares Prestige SLS BCD has Mares Slide & Lock System (SLS) for weight release. This unique weight integrated BCD provides a visual confirmation of proper weight pouch insertion, so there is no guessing when you do your pre-dive check before entering the water. In addition, the BCD is equipped with smart trim weight positioning for a balanced feel when diving. The Slide & Lock System (SLS) weight pockets have sturdy zipper closures and are easy to slide into the BCD even when wearing thick gloves. The SLS is the safest system available and come in weight capacities of 9 lbs. and 13 lbs. (4 kg and 6 kg) weight capacities. SLS weight pockets will work with block or soft pouch weights.

Smart D-ring position with large AISI 304 stainless steel rings, 2 bent upper, 4 x heavy duty techno polymer D-rings that are positioned intelligently within your downward vision also functioning as leverage while inserting the weight pockets. Comfort is paramount with the Prestige SLS elastic cummerbund secures the BCD in place and adjusts for wetsuit compression at depth. BCD comes standard with 3 Pull-Dump/Overpressure Relief Valves, one incorporated into the top of the Ergo Inflator; one located on the right shoulder and a third is located on the rear lower right. Activation of the valves are made easy with both the upper and lower right valves coming with pull cords and the valve incorporated into the Ergo Inflator is activated by an internal cable attached to the inflator mechanism. Inflator includes a 3/8" threaded low pressure quick disconnect hose.

With torso adjustable 2" (50 mm) swivel shoulder straps, adjustable chest and waist straps, all equipped with squeeze-style side release buckles for easy donning and doffing. Two 3-dimensional zippered self-draining pockets, and safety whistle all makes this one great BCD. The Prestige SLS comes in multiple sizes.