Intro | Table | £150-199 | £200-249 | £250-299 | £300-349 | £350-399 | £400-500 | Conclusions
EXTRA
May 2000
COMPENSATION CLAIMS
EFFESUB IDI NEKTON 2000 This was frankly disappointing. It looked as if it should have been good and we were grateful for its splash of colour among the sea of black we had been looking at for several days. However, its comfortable-looking single bag managed to exert some squeeze when it was fully inflated, even though its parachute-style harness was entirely separate.
This meant it left me unacceptably low in the water at the surface when compared with all the others.
But before we dismiss it, let's agree that it has a useful integrated-weight system, plus large pockets for trim weights on the upper of its two tank-bands. It has eminently accessible zipped pockets plus a small key pocket, felt comfortable before it was inflated and worked well under water. £315
AP VALVES BUDDY COMMANDO TD Still the best-selling jacket from AP Valves, which must say something about the influence of club instructors advising trainees to "get one like mine".
It's a bullet-proof, double-bag design which, like a bullet-proof vest, is not terribly comfortable to wear but does its job efficiently. The TD version comes in black and has plenty of D-rings. It was probably the least well-fitting of all the BCs in this review because the shoulders wanted to stand proud of the wearer's no matter how we tightened the straps.
Two good zipped pockets are supplemented by a net-cutter in its own slot and, of course, the 400ml auxiliary cylinder some divers would never be without. Its massive maximum buoyancy was not fully effective at the surface because so much of it was high above the water, but if you buy one of these you won't change it because it wore out!
Unlike nearly every other BC here the Commando had no dump via a pull on its corrugated hose, only the very effective cord-operated dump valve on the opposite shoulder. Nice Buddy touches are the velcro-style hose routeings.
This BC came with the optional AutoAir alternative air supply combined with the direct-feed. AP Valves uses a unique press-clip buckle design best operated by opposite hands. From £315
EFFESUB IDI BALLISTIC SEA ERA PAC Made in the USA, this one comes with an armchair-shaped buoyancy bag, soft backpack, and parachute-style harness covered in stainless-steel D-rings. It has two excellent zipped pockets and one small one for your car key. There are two tank-bands with two trim-weight pockets fitted to the upper one (ideal for use with aluminium tanks) and two strap arrangements which we presumed were for routeing hoses through.
We were surprised to find less maximum lift than expected but it was enough and gave an average mouth-height above the surface.
Because the buoyancy bag is entirely separate from the harness (which has some elasticated straps) there is no torso squeeze whatsoever and we considered the integrated weight system to be OK. £328
SEA QUEST PRO QD This one looks to have been designed specifically for our home market. Again we were sent a large version so could not compare it directly with other BCs here, but we could tell it was a good one from the point of view of the surface support it gave, with a lot of buoyancy available in the right place.
Pockets for trim weights, six D-rings, two useful zipped pockets, and even a lifting handle that was better than average feature on a BC that, in use under water, dumps perfectly from either shoulder. It was just a pity that the integrated-weight pockets seemed so insecure and likely to dump the lead on the heads of unsuspecting divers below, before sending you irrevocably upwards.
We suggest that if you buy this otherwise excellent BC, you stick to weights on a separate belt. £330
SEA QUEST DIVA LX We were not supplied with this BC for the purposes of this review but we had an example, albeit in size XS, and thought we would find out how it measured up.
The Diva is meant for women and has a soft, elasticated bodice with a little wing affair behind. I don't have the figure to get any real advantage from it, but any excuse to dress up in lady's clothing - I tried it and found it very comfortable!
With not a great deal of maximum buoyancy in this extra-small size, it still acquitted itself well and gave a surface flotation height as good as many larger BCs. It also worked rather well under water and was able to dump air with alacrity when needed.
The Diva comes with four stainless-steel D-rings, two average pockets and a key pocket, an integrated-weight system and two pockets high at the back for trimming weights. £340
ZEAGLE CONCEPT This wing is a cheaper Zeagle BC so comes without any D-rings but still with the useless little pockets of its more expensive brother. Superficially similar to the Tech reviewed here, it had far less maximum buoyancy available, although there was still plenty. We suppose this is intended for the person who wants a Zeagle wing but is probably going to dive with only one tank.
It gave good support at the surface with its classic double-bag design but we were surprised to find that it dumped air less effectively than many of the others, and some air would get trapped in the corner of the wing opposite the corrugated-hose-operated valve.
That said, it is still a good example of a wing and has the advantage of the one-hand-operated Zeagle integrated-weight jettison system. £340
OCEANIC PROBE Made of a lovely soft velvety material, this single-bag design is made of Kevlar Bioflex and is probably the only BC here that would be really comfortable if you were diving without a suit. Not that any real diver would think of such a thing! Clearly the makers were thinking of diving in warm, clear water when they approved this design, because there was not a lot of maximum buoyancy and, with the big steel tank, my head was only just clear of the surface.
That said, a confident diver would swap the lack of surface clearance for the extreme comfort on offer. As the Probe was filled, it expanded outwards, with no torso squeeze. It had six D-rings, two useful pockets and a comfortable ribbed carrying handle.
Without a sternum strap, the chest area was uncluttered, and women who dislike many BCs obviously designed for men might care to try this one. Under water it excelled and operated smoothly without any extra help to get air out when that was demanded. It had the typical Oceanic integrated-weight system, plus pockets for small weights at the rear. £344
Intro | Table | £150-199 | £200-249 | £250-299 | £300-349 | £350-399 | £400-500 | Conclusions
Appeared in DIVER - May 2000
