There are hundreds of choices when it comes to picking a scuba BCD and many people get overwhelmed when they go to purchase one. There are tons of benefits and features that many divers are not familiar with or have never even heard of. What about brand names… should they be a part your final decision? No worries, we can help guide you in the right direction so that you are one hundred percent confident in your BCD decision!

The first factor to take into consideration is the brand name. Luckily when it comes to the diving equipment industry, all of the companies put a lot of money into research and development. This is very important because it means that there will always be newer and better technology that is included in new versions of scuba BCDs. There are some companies that do stand out and it’s worth it to start your search with them. The names you will get to know are Seasoft, Mares, Zeagle and Oceanic. All of these brands have very high standards and put their BCDs through extensive testing so you should feel comfortable that you are getting the best when you buy one from them.

The next decision that you will need to think about is whether you want a weight-integrated BCD or not. As you know, every diver uses weights to help keep you buoyant during your dive. In the past all divers wore weight belts but a couple of years ago a new invention was introduced and it has made the process of getting ready for your dive even easier. This invention was the weight-integrated BCD, which comes with pockets for your weights and it is great because it ensures that you will not lose your weights while you are in the water. Any dive master you talk to will recommend that you buy a weight-integrated BCD.

Now that you have found your brand and decided what kind of weight system you want, you need to think about what kind of climate you will be diving in. Why is this important you might ask? Well, if you are going to be diving in cold water then you will need a BCD with a higher life of 45 pounds and this means that your BCD will be heavy. Another reason you might need a higher lift is if you are going to be technical diving in caves or wrecks and will have two tanks and more gear with you. If you are only going to be diving in warmer climate, make sure you buy a warm water BCD and be grateful that your BCD is not as heavy as the cold water ones.

Finally, make sure that you feel comfortable when you are wearing your BCD. It is very common for people to order BCDs online nowadays because there are better sales, so you won’t be able to try it on until it arrives at your house. Luckily most online dive shops will let you return your BCD if it does not fit well. Make sure that when you have your BCD on your body it does not feel too big or too tight and test this out when it’s deflated and inflated.

So there you have it, these are the best pieces of advice that we can give you so that you can go out and find the right BCD for you!