Intro | Table | £150-199 | £200-249 | £250-299 | £300-349 | £350-399 | £400-500 | Conclusions
EXTRA
May 2000
COMPENSATION CLAIMS
CRESSI-SUB S108 Its forerunners the S102 and 104 received rave reviews when we tried them for Diver Tests, and the S108 upholds the family reputation. So what's so special about a BC which looks rather ordinary, does not have a huge amount of maximum buoyancy available and did not hold me particularly high out of the water at the surface?
It's just so comfortable. When you're diving, this BC really feels part of you, and fully inflated at the surface there was no torso squeeze.
It is also extremely well finished and has useful zipped pockets (and the ubiquitous key pocket), five D-rings, an integrated-weight system that works very well, and pockets high up at the back for inserting trim weights. All in all it was very agreeable to use, though I can see that club instructors might feel it was unsuitable for someone new to the experience of hanging about in big water. £352
POSEIDON POWERLIFT PHOTIC 30 The name gave us cause for great expectations and although it performed well enough, it was not in the same league as its cheaper stablemate tested here. It is undeniably a nice jacket and its single-bag design looks tough and long-lasting.
It proved very comfortable, too, and came equipped with eight stainless-steel D-rings to satisfy those keen on dangling. I did find I needed to twist a little to get that last bit of air out of its single top dump valve while swimming horizontally, but it wasn't the end of the world.
We thought this example of Swedish engineering would appeal to those who liked other traditional Swedish things such as Volvo 760 estate cars and Anita Ekberg. £352
AP VALVES BUDDY PIONEER If any Buddy BC deserves to be popular with UK club divers it's this one. It has all the qualities of indestructibility that have made the double-bag brand so popular here, but it clings to the diver more like the sleek single-bag styles from abroad.
It has both a pull-cord dump and a corrugated hose pull dump, useful zipped pockets, lots of reflective stripes and, surprise surprise, was one of the most colourful BCs sent for this review.
The 400ml auxiliary cylinder is rigged at the back for better trim but is operated by a remote valve at the front. It has two stainless-steel D-rings (the TD version has more) and AP Valves' own shoulder-buckle design.
Some would say essential equipment for British waters, a line-cutter is secreted away in its own pocket and quickly deployed by pulling on a toggle. The version we tried came with the AutoAir combined direct-feed and alternative air system. from. From £355
APEKS SB2000 When the SB2000 was fully inflated it felt a bit like a large comfortable sofa. It was a pity so much of the available buoyancy ended up out of the water at the surface, which accounts for the below-average mouth-to-water height achieved.
Although it has plenty of buoyancy towards the front, like a conventional jacket-style BC, the harness is separate. This item is made for Apeks by Zeagle and betrays its US origins with a double-bag design, soft backpack and twin tank-bands.
As usual there were plenty of D-rings but unlike its wing-style siblings this BC had some of the most useful zipped pockets of all the BCs here. They were not so large, but very accessible and drained well.
Unlike the other Apeks and Zeagle BCs, the integrated-weight system with simple vertical velcro flaps on the SB 2000 didn't appeal to us. We felt it left the weights insufficiently secure in the two rear pockets. £368
SEACSUB PRO 2000 This high quality single-bag BC is packed with ideas, including the ability to change the way it is rigged during the dive.
Inside the pockets on either side are two sets of straps and buckles. These can be pulled tight to make sure all the air stays in the back while you are under water, and released when you reach the surface so that the front cells fill to keep you securely upright.
This was very effective, though it was hard to get to the straps and buckles once the jacket was fully inflated. You need to remember to do this earlier, for instance at your safety stop. The Pro 2000 comes with an integrated-weight system and extra weight pockets at the back. It proved very comfortable. £369
MARES FRONTIER This is a conventional single-bag BC that is just that bit better-made than many others. It has the Mares integrated-weight system, which needs the big knobs supplied to drag the weight pockets from where they are securely stowed. Its zipped pockets proved very accessible and the choice of two upper dumps left me spoilt for choice underwater.
At the surface they was sufficient surface support to keep my mouth well clear of the water, although there was a tendency for the BC to squeeze if fully inflated. The absence of stainless-steel D-rings assures the user that this BC is free of wannabe pretensions. It is just a straightforward, high-quality product. £395
Intro | Table | £150-199 | £200-249 | £250-299 | £300-349 | £350-399 | £400-500 | Conclusions
Appeared in DIVER - May 2000
