How to Choose a Travel BCD

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How to Choose a Travel BCD (6 Best Travel BCD)

As you plan your travels to warmer climates or are just wanting to get out into the water again, it’s important to know what your options are in terms of buoyancy compensator devices. Integral to the diving experience, there are so many on the market that it may be hard to choose—especially for that next vacation.

6 Best Travel BCDs

But looking at this list, how do you know which one is best for you? How do you make the choice between a jacket style, semi-wing, or a wing? Are you looking for a smaller BCD or one with more storage? Read on to find out more.

What are the different types of BCD?

While searching for the perfect buoyancy compensator device for you, it’s important to note that there are several different types of BCD.

The jacket style BCD is the most popular among divers—the way it is constructed, allows air to fill all around you. Upon inflation, the BCD starts on the back but shifts to your sides. The benefits of this style are that you are very stable when you’re on the surface and it is very easy to change your diving position. You also have room for more accessories when using this style of BCD.

The disadvantages, though, mean your diving position isn’t ideal due to how much buoyancy you have. The size, although helpful to keep you upright, also means you don’t have as much movement. Some divers also feel constricted when wearing this kind of BCD.

The wing style BCD isn’t as popular yet, but it still has its advantages. The wing style is a simplified version of the BCD, removing all unnecessary parts and only consisting of the harness, backplate, and air bladder, which is mounted on your back.

Because of its mounting position on your back, your diving position is streamlined and sets you prone. While the harness is hard to size, once it is fitted, it is a comfortable dive. You have more freedom of movement with a wing style, and everything is replaceable in terms of parts.

You do sacrifice the amount of storage space for a smaller BCD on this style and note that when wearing it, the BCD tends to push you underwater, as the bladder is on your back.

The last style is the semi-wing style, which is a combination of the wing and the jacket. With the bladder still on the back, but with more pockets and an adjustable harness, you have the best of both worlds using this type of BCD.

While you are set in a prone position using this, you also have weight integration and an adjustable harness, which can be better used with a dry suit or a wetsuit. It is much easier to deflate, and you have all the pockets of a jacket style. You can’t do technical diving with this type, though, nor can you replace parts without a specific type of BCD.

What should I look for in a travel BCD?

Purchasing a travel BCD is just as important as considering your standard BCD—with a few extra questions. First, you have to determine what style you would like, whether it is a jacket style, wing style, or semi-wing style.

The differences between the standard BCD and the travel BCD are usually storage—you sacrifice having space and rings to place your equipment for the travel size. They are also usually lighter and smaller than the standard size with fewer features, allowing them to be easily brought aboard flights. You can also consider choosing a BCD that has easy packing abilities, like having its own travel bag.

They also usually have lower lift capacity—because you are traveling to locations where you are more likely to be in warm water with aluminum cylinders, most travel BCDs will have less than 30 pounds of lift. They are also more compact, which means they have less weight, which means they have less buoyancy—which is something you should consider before making the purchase.

Best Travel BCDs for 2021

1. Oceanic Jetpack

This back-inflated travel BCD is rated with a lift capacity of 30 pounds and has a dry weight of a little over 8 pounds. What makes this one of the best types of BCDs is that it also converts into a semi-dry day backpack.

This BCD has several pockets for more weights with an adjustable harness and a pair of stainless-steel D rings, all while being lightweight, durable, and quick-drying. With the dry bag attached, you have two external pockets, a main compartment, and a laptop sleeve inside. The ability to add integrated weights when diving also eliminates any need for a die belt. It also comes with a power inflator and dump cable, allowing for better buoyancy control.

Note that while you can fully pack this backpack with your gear, it may not fit into overhead compartments on flights and is heavier than other travel BCDs.

The Oceanic Jetpack costs around $600 on Amazon.

2. Scubapro LiteHawk

With a similar lift capacity as the Oceanic Jetpack, this back-inflated BCD has a dry weight of about 5 pounds. It is one of the most comfortable on the market, one of the cheapest, and one of the most lightweight, making it a great option for you as you travel.

Even though this BCD is light, it has extra padding around your shoulders for maximum comfort. The back positioned bladder helps to give you more freedom of movement, and the LiteHawk comes in several different sizes for your convenience. The harness does not have many features, which isn’t a negative—it reduces your drag in the water.

If you’re considering disadvantages, there’s only one real disadvantage to the LiteHawk—it only comes in blue and gray.

The Scubapro LiteHawk runs about $500 on Amazon.

Do you know how often you should service your BCD? Learn more here.

3. Mares Pure SLS BC Vest

The Mares Pure SLS BC vest is larger than the others on the list, coming in at around 8.6 pounds, but it is still much lighter than your standard BCD. Because it is back-mounted, it does allow it to be folded down. This BCD has a higher lift capacity, coming in at 40 pounds of lift.

The harness focuses on comfort and has 9 D rings with storage pockets. One of the best features in this Mares vest is the SLS, or slide and lock system—for integrated weights, they have pouches that lock into place. When locked properly, a green flag will be shown; if not locked properly, it will show a red flag. This weight system holds up to 9 pounds.

The Mares Pure SLS BC Vest costs between $300 and $460 on Amazon, depending on size.

4. Scubapro Go

This BCD is very light—coming in at under 6 pounds—making it a perfect choice for your travels. The Scubapro Go is a jacket-style BCD that comes with a backpack and carrying bag. The wraparound bladder gives you enough lift, while the aluminum D rings and zippered pockets give you enough storage. The ScubaPro Go also comes with quick-release shoulder buckles, an integrated weights system, and a power inflator.

This BCD boasts a size that is small enough to fit into airplane cabin baggage. Because of its size, weight system, and weight, it is a perfect BCD for a beginner looking to get more dive time.

The Scubapro Go runs between $650 and $790 on Amazon.

5. Cressi Travelight

If your main concern is weight or size, the Cressi Travelight is your best option. This jacket style BC has a dry weight of about 6 pounds and has a specific folding system that allows it to be folded compactly. It also comes in several sizes that change its lift capacity—from 13.5 pounds to 36 pounds on its largest size.

You don’t have to sacrifice space for that compact fold, though—the Travelight comes with pockets for integrated weights and 8 D rings for accessories, along with padding and pockets for storage. The special folding system allows it to be folded up in a few seconds and put into its own travel bag. Because of the jacket style, you are also more streamlined when in the water and is easy to use, making it popular. It also has an anti-sand filtering system when inflating.

One of the only disadvantages to this travel BCD is that there have been complaints that the product tag pops out, but other than that, it is a great choice for your travel BCD. It is also not the best for advanced divers.

The Cressi Travelight runs for around $430.

6. Oceanic Biolite

If you’re a smaller-sized diver, the Oceanic Biolite is the right BCD for you. This BCD comes in four different sizes, which is helpful when many of its competitors are one size fits all. It is also made from stretchable material, allowing it to wrap around your body. This construction also helps to reduce drag and makes it less bulky, which means less weight for you when you travel. Its dry weight comes in around 5.5 pounds, and its lift capacity is around 35 pounds.

It is very easy to fold and very straightforward, allowing for more stability with its integrated weight system. With its size and color choices, it is also a great choice for women. While it is smaller, it does suffer in terms of space—it comes with fewer D rings and less storage.

The Oceanic Biolite costs about $490 on Amazon.

Finding the right BCD is hard enough without having to consider making it portable. Whether you’re looking for more storage, less weight, or converting your BCD into a functional backpack, there are options for you before you head out for your next trip. Once you decide on what you want out of your travel BCD, you’ll be headed for the water in no time!