BCDs £250-£350
 | MARK EVANS PADI Divemaster 22 years diving experience |  | DAVE HOPE PADI MSDT 16 years diving experience |
 | GARIN PHIPPS PADI Course Director 8 years diving experience |  | JIM BREWIS PADI Divemaster 4 years diving experience |
 | ANDREA BREWIS PADI AOW 5 years diving experience |  | LIZ MEANEY PADI Assistant Instructor 11 years diving experience |
Buddy Commando TD (SRP: £337.35 with AP200)
Weight: 3.36kg Lift: 49lbs
Mark:
Buddy jackets have a reputation for their bullet-proof build quality and the Commando is certainly constructed to last. However, the big surprise was that you could use it as a holiday jacket as it was one of the lightest BCDs on test! The AP200 inflator is a tried-and-tested unit, but the pull dumps couldn’t vent fast enough to keep up with it. The pockets were easy to get into.
Dave: Wearing the Commando is like sitting in a lilo on the surface, it gives you that much lift. You are kept in a high, head’s-up position. As you’d expect from AP Valves, the Commando has the rock-solid build quality the company is famed for, and it would give years of sterling service. I prefer normal pinch-clips to the one-button releases made and used by Buddy.
Garin: This was the only jacket out of all those on test that I had trouble keeping my position under the water. It is certainly a durable piece of kit – I’ve got one from years ago – but I don’t think performance-wise it matches up to the others.
Jim: I personally don’t like the AP200 inflator, I just find it a bit on the bulky side. The BCD has got tonnes of lift and it is extremely comfortable, particular under the water. The pockets are the best on test – easy to get into on the surface and while you are diving. I’d love one of these!
Andrea: I really didn’t like this jacket. It felt bulky and clumsy in the water – I think it is one for the men, not the women.
Liz: This seemed to deflate very slowly under the water, whether you were using the pull dumps or the AP200, but it was very comfortable on the dive. The pockets are large and very easy to access, on the surface or underwater.
Mares Dragon MRS+ (SRP: £329.95) CHOICE
Weight: 4.26kg Lift: 43lbs
Mark: Mares has certainly upped the ante with its current crop of BCDs. After several years when minor cosmetic changes to existing products seemed the norm, the latest jackets are stylish, well-built and work exceptionally well. The Dragon is nice and comfy, especially the elasticated cummerbund. The integrated weight system is sturdy and works well, and the pull dumps vent quicker than the inflator can put air in – excellent performance.
Dave: I quite like this one. The integrated weight pockets are easy to put in and take out, even while you are on the dive, and once on the surface it holds you nice and high out of the water. When fully inflated I could feel the weights against my chest. The elastic cummerbund is perfect!
Garin: This BCD was very comfortable in the water, and the elasticated cummerbund added an extra level of comfort. I couldn’t get into the pockets either on the surface or underwater. I really liked the ergonomic power inflator.
Jim: I also like the shape of the power inflator, it sits well in your hand. The elasticated cummerbund is perfect for the ‘fuller figure’, and the integrated weight pockets work very well. It held me perfectly upright on the surface. I’d buy one of these.
Andrea: This was a comfortable BCD which held me in a nice, head’s-up position on the surface and also provided great support underwater. It has an excellent power inflator, and the integrated weight system works well, but the pockets are too far back for me to be able to get at them.
Liz: The pinch-clips sat very high on my shoulders and I couldn’t get into the pockets, but it held me in an excellent position underwater and forced me into an upright position on the surface. It dumps air very quickly. A nice BCD.
Oceanic OceanPro FX (SRP: £299) BEST BUY
Weight: 3.96kg Lift: 41lbs
Mark: This was a good all-round BCD. The pockets were easy to get into, the integrated weight pouches are simple to slot into place and are held securely, and it felt very comfortable both on the surface and underwater. The pull dumps vent quicker than the power inflator, so no worries about a runaway ascent if it jams.
Dave: The elasticated cummerbund is very comfortable and the jacket held me very high in a head’s-up position on the surface. Underwater it was well-balanced, and I felt very free across the chest thanks to the uncluttered design.
Garin: I really liked the power inflator, and also the easy-to-use integrated weight system. The pockets are well-positioned and easily accessible, and it held me in a good position underwater. I like this BCD a lot.
Jim: The power inflator looked a bit ‘sci-fi’ for me and I wasn’t that keen on it, but the integrated weight system works very well, and the pull dumps vent exceptionally quickly. This is a nice, comfy BCD.
Andrea: I didn’t like the shape of the power inflator either, and the shoulder straps didn’t sit too well on me, but the pockets were easy to get at and the integrated weight system, while initially being a little stiff, worked very well.
Liz: Hurrah – pockets I can get into! This was very comfy to wear, and seemed flat and streamlined underwater. I kept hitting the inflate button when I tried to vent through the power inflator. The integrated weight system worked very well.
Ralf Tech Evolution (SRP: £325)
Weight: 3.12kg Lift: 57lbs
Mark: This BCD has a very unusual look to it, thanks to the air cell continuing up from the normal back and front positions, up over the shoulders. However, it works, and is very comfortable both on the surface and underwater. It is also a very light BCD, so ideal for holiday divers. The lack of integrated weights might put some potential buyers off. The pockets are easy to get into, and the pull dumps vent quicker than the power inflator. It is a retro design, but I like it.
Dave: I felt very free across the chest wearing this BCD, but I found it was quite tricky to get off because of the lack of adjustable shoulder straps. Don’t know what the small pockets would be for – perhaps a back-up torch or strobe.
Garin: This is certainly an interesting jacket, though I also struggled to get it off. The weighty power inflator looks smart and works very well. It was comfortable underwater and on the surface.
Jim: This has a real ‘manly’ inflator – the shiny steel buttons need strong fingers to operate! It has absolutely shed-loads of lift, and holds you in a good position in the water – you hardly know you’ve got a jacket on! I found it a bit tricky to get off as well.
Andrea: This BCD is comfortable, but it sat a bit high around the neck for me. I liked the power inflator and found it very easy to dive in, but it was hard work to get out of at the end of the dive.
Liz: This jacket is extremely comfortable, though I also found it sat a bit high around my neck. The pockets presented no problems, and the inflator was nice, though not for the ladies! Far too hard to press the buttons!
Scubapro T-Force (SRP: £299) BEST BUY
Weight: 4.24kg Lift: 41lbs
Mark: This jacket is superb. The power inflator is the best on the market, in my opinion, and the pull dumps vent faster than it can put the air in. The pockets are accessible underwater and on the surface, and the integrated weight system is rock-solid thanks to the chunky pinch-clips. Very comfortable to dive in, and a good-looking BCD to boot.
Dave: The weight pouches slide in and out easily, and are held in place with a strong pinch-clip. I like the ability to tighten the strap and keep them in place. The pockets are spacious and easy to get to, and the power inflator is exceptional. The padded backplate is very comfortable.
Garin: This has an excellent power inflator, and it is really easy to use in the water. The BCD holds you in a nice position on the surface and underwater. The shoulder-strap retainers are well-designed, and the integrated weights are easy to use – once you’ve got the hang of them.
Jim: I couldn’t get into the pockets and, while it is well made and holds you in a good position in the water, it isn’t the BCD for me.
Andrea: This BCD is comfortable and very easy to use. The weight pouches are very good on the integrated system, but I couldn’t get into the pockets. This was a good all-round BCD that wouldn’t let you down.
Liz: The pockets are a sod to get into, and it seemed a very ‘rigid’ BCD to me. However, the integrated weight system was one of the better set-ups, and the power inflator fell easily to hand. On the surface it held me very upright.
Seac Sub Pro Tech (SRP: £339)
Weight: 3.9kg Lift: 41lbs
Mark: This is a very comfortable BCD, and the integrated weight system is well thought out. The pockets are easy to get into, and the pull dumps vent faster than the power inflator.
Dave: This is a nice BCD. It is comfortable on the surface and under the water – it holds you particular high in a head’s-up position on the surface. No quite sure what all the fabric ‘D-rings’ are all about.
Garin: This is pleasant to wear in the water and, while the long cord on the shoulder pull dump might initially seem to get in the way, it is easy to locate and use. The pockets are accessible, and the integrated weights work well.
Jim: It was really easy to get into the pockets, and the BCD as a whole was very comfortable. The integrated weight pouches were simple to put in and take out, and I personally liked the long cord on the shoulder dump.
Andrea: This was a reasonable BCD. It was very easy to get gear in and out of the pockets, and it was a comfortable jacket for me both in and out of the water. It held me well up out of the water on the surface.
Liz: I don’t like the shape of the power inflator, but it does dump and inflate very quickly. It is so comfy you don’t know you’ve got it on. It holds you in a good position in the water and on the surface. I like this BCD.
Tigullio Sea Born RX (SRP: £269)
Weight: 3.52kg Lift: 32lbs
Mark: The jacket is comfortable and holds you in a nice position in the water, but the weight pockets are less-than-impressive – Velcro has definitely had its day. The dump valves can vent quicker than the power inflator. The pockets are useless.
Dave: This seemed to take ages to deflate, and I didn’t rate the power inflator. I really disliked the Velcro integrated weight system. If I really wanted a Tigullio jacket, I’d save up a bit and buy a Hover.
Garin: This felt nice underwater, but the buttons on the power inflator were quite small. I actually liked the pockets and found they were accessible on the surface and below.
Jim: This was so comfy, I hardly knew I had it on. I like the Velcro weight retainer on the integrated system, and found it easy to get into the pockets.
Andrea: The back of the weight pockets dug into my hips, but otherwise it was a comfortable BCD which held me in a good position underwater and on the surface.
Liz: This is very comfortable. You sit very high in the water on the surface, and the pull dumps vent very quicky. Getting in and out of the pockets is okay, but it was a bit fiddly to get the integrated weight pouches out. I liked it.
Tusa Platina Evolution BCJ-3850 (SRP: £298)
Weight: 4.36kg Lift: 49lbs
Mark: This BCD is nice and comfortable, but the pull dumps cannot keep up with the power inflator. The pockets are easy to get into, and the integrated weight system is good.
Dave: The padded shoulder straps are very comfortable, as is the rest of the BCD. It has tonnes of lift and holds you in a good position on the surface and underwater. I like the ability to adjust the cummerbund and shoulder straps.
Garin: I don’t like the shape of the power inflator, but otherwise, this BCD is comfy and holds you in a nice position above and below the water. I couldn’t get into the pockets.
Jim: The pockets were tricky to get into, but the jacket is comfortable and easy to use. It allows you to maintain a good position in the water, and has bucketloads of lift. It gives a good head’s-up position on the surface.
Andrea: This is a generously cut BCD, but it holds you in a nice position in the water. I couldn’t access the pockets either. The integrated weight system is very easy to use.
Liz: This was a comfortable BCD to wear, but I could not get my hands into the pockets. It dumped the air well, and maintained a good position on the surface and underwater. The integrated weight system performed well.
Typhoon Elevator (SRP: £289)
Weight: 4.3kg Lift: 41lbs
Mark: I found this BCD kicked me forward a little on the surface, but it is comfortable and allowed me to maintain a nice horizontal position underwater. The pockets are a waste of time and set too far back for easy access. I found the integrated weight system was a little awkward to get at. The pull dumps vent faster than the inflator.
Dave: The integrated weight system is a lousy design. Otherwise, it made you feel free and unrestricted across the chest, and held you in a good position underwater. A reasonable BCD.
Garin: This BCD held me in a nice position in the water, and even with a lot of air in, there was no squeeze. The air seemed to be in the right position all the time, and the chest strap was comfy. The pockets are tricky to get into.
Jim: I found the jacket pushed me forward on the surface, but the power inflator works well and the integrated weights did the job. Underwater it held me in a good diving position.
Andrea: The pockets are tricky to get into, and the BCD as a whole is not as comfortable as some, but it inflates well and performed okay on the surface and under the water.
Liz: This was a very comfortable BCD, but I also found it pushed me forward when I inflated it on the surface. Good positioning underwater. The inflator works well, though the pockets aren’t any good. That said, it would make my short list.
