Buoyancy on a budget

Credit crunch. Cutbacks. Economising. Sound familiar? Yes, we’re sick of hearing about it too. But while divers may well stop splurging on those expensive overseas trips, we’ll still keep diving: spending hours underwater is paramount, and we all need to buy new gear from time to time, global financial meltdown or not. 
So, if you are just starting out or you need to replace your old BC, what’s at the budget end of the market? Do they have the specific features you need for your type of diving? Do they offer good value? And are they any good? 

We asked ten leading diving equipment manufacturers which of their BCs we could buy with a budget of a mere £250, which is much less than most would normally expect to pay. We weren’t optimistic about receiving a wide selection. But we were wrong: we were simply inundated with choices that were of reassuring good quality. So, here are ten of the best, with DIVE’s opinion and a summary of the main features of each model. Note that the lift capacity given (in newtons) for each BC is for a large-sized version.


Aquatec Elite Tec • £194.87


For under 200 quid, you get a heap of features and goodies on this BC for which you would normally expect to pay a lot more. It has loads of D-rings catering for every conceivable kit configuration, integral weight pouches and trim weight pockets, and a cam-band buckle you could drive a tank over without denting it. Aquatec even gives you the option of including an integrated air horn in the power inflator free of charge. The general impression of the Elite Tec is one of ruggedness, and I would have no hesitation in using it on serious expeditions. The pockets are generous in size but do get a little cramped when the weights are in situ. 


Verdict: tough BC with loads of features

Tech Specs

Weight integrated: yes
Trim-weight pocket: yes
Lift capacity: 176N
D-rings: 7 stainless steel, 2 plastic

Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear

Problue Explorer • £199

The Explorer is a comfortable BC that generates a huge amount of lift when fully inflated – my chest was almost entirely clear of the water when I tried it on the surface. The weight-integrated system works fine, but there are better ones on the market; however, the pockets can still accommodate quite a few goodies with 4kg of lead in each pouch. Plenty of D-rings allow for most configurations, and the shoulder ones are pre-bent to allow easy accessory attachment. To fasten the cylinder in place, Problue has opted for a stainless-steel clamp rather than those difficult-to-remember-how-to-thread cam bands used by most manufacturers – while this makes it initially longer to set up, it’s far quicker and easier to use once it’s done. 

Verdict: packed with features normally found on more expensive jackets 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: yes
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 223N
D-rings: 6 stainless steel, 6 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear


Scubapro T-One • £205

Like the Sherwood Silhouette also reviewed on these pages, the T-One is colour-coded for different sizes, which makes it easy for clubs and schools to identify them from a distance. It produces a generous amount of lift, the backplate is padded, it has a sturdy carrying handle, and all buckles and fasteners can be operated with gloved hands. However, it lacks sufficient D-rings, with none on the shoulders or at the bottom, so storage has to be in the two large pockets on either side. The problem here is that the pocket flaps are sewn at the sides, making accessing the contents a fiddly matter. Besides this, the BC looks well made and has a feeling of quality, the power inflator is a positive, and all the fittings look like they could survive some rough treatment. 

Verdict: quality-looking BC with colour-coded sizes

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: no
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 180N
D-rings: 4 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear




Beuchat Masterlift Sport • £205.72

Simply styled, the Masterlift appears to be a good entry-level BC with just about enough features to progress you through training to an advanced level. On the negative side, the pockets are a tad small, and it’s almost impossible to get to anything inside them when the BC is fully inflated. The amount of lift is also at the lower limit but is perfectly adequate for anyone using a single cylinder setup. However, we like the sturdy carrying handle on top of the backpack, and the large toggles on the dump valves make them easy to use with numb or thickly gloved fingers. Beuchat also throws in a whistle – although quite why it has to be tie-wrapped to the corrugated hose in such a way that it tends to stick in your left cheek is a mystery. 

Verdict: simply designed but very capable BC 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: no
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 140N
D-rings: 8 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear




Sherwood Silhouette • £213.95

New to Europe is the recently CE-approved Silhouette, which is one of the USA’s top-selling BCs to schools and for shop rental. The colour-coded large model was only just big enough to go over my drysuit (odd, considering the size of some citizens in its country of origin). It’s a simple BC that looks as it could withstand plenty of rough treatment. The backpack has a sturdy integrated carrying handle at the top and is wonderfully padded. Although it’s a little lacking in D-rings, there are a couple of clips that take a standard lanyard and also a dog clip for attaching a torch, for instance. There is only one pocket on the right side, but this is quite generously sized and would easily take a small reel and delayed SMB. Also on the right shoulder is a pouch that is designed to house a strobe or small knife. 


Verdict: tough and robust BC with colour-coded sizes 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: no
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 151N
D-rings: 4 plastic
Dump valves: 1 shoulder, 1 rear




Seac Sub First • £215
Considering that the Seac Sub BC we tried was a large, getting it over a drysuit was quite a squeeze. This means that once it’s on, the pockets are around your kidneys, rendering them almost useless when you’re wearing 5mm gloves. A similar issue faces the cummerbund pocket – which at best could accommodate your car keys – in that you can’t access it when wearing gloves. Besides this, the First appears well made and tough enough to take the knocks it would undoubtedly receive when being used for UK diving. A couple of shoulder D-rings would have been nice, but the eight others are likely to be plenty for divers to attach everything they need in an accessible place. The backplate is particularly sturdy and could probably take a small twin-set at a push. 


Verdict: sturdy and well built, but pocket design could do with a rethink 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: no
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 180N
D-rings: 8 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear




Cressi-sub Flex • £233.10

Weighing in at 1.9kg, the Flex is the featherweight of the bunch on test here. It also folds up into an extremely small package when deflated, and can be further held together by unfurling a special strap normally hidden at the base of the BC. These two features alone mean that it’s ideal if you want a BC to travel with. The pockets can easily store a delayed SMB and small reel, while the alloy D-rings provide ample attachment points for torches and other gizmos. At the back of the BC are two trim-weight pockets capable of taking 2kg each, which is perfect for countering the lift of lightweight aluminium cylinders often found when diving in warmer climes. The backpack is wonderfully padded, and Cressi-sub also throws in a couple of hose retainers to secure any dangly bits. 

Verdict: excellent lightweight travel BC 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: no
Trim-weight pocket: yes
Lift capacity: 140N
D-rings: 8 alloy
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear




Mares Origin Sport MRS • £225.70

Mares has one of the best weight-integrated mechanisms on the market, and this comes for free as part of its entry-level jacket. It’s a delight to use – if this is an important feature for you, look no further. The downside is that when the lead is in place, the pockets are restricted, meaning it can only store, for example, the smallest of backup torches. All buckles are easy to use while wearing gloves and there are just about enough D-rings. The cummerbund is fully adjustable to fit a range of girths, and the backpack has a small amount of padding to absorb any knocks from the cylinder. The nylon outer shell has been designed to withstand UV radiation, so is particularly suited for hot climates as well as UK diving. 

Verdict: the best weight-integrated BC in this price bracket 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: yes
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 155N
D-rings: 2 stainless steel, 3 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear




Seemann Sub Pure • £235

Appearing well made, the Pure is one of only a few weight-integrated BCs that still has a usefully sized pocket space when the weights are in place. It feels very comfortable when wearing a single 12-litre steel cylinder due the shape of the backpack and the way that the jacket distributes the weight across the shoulder straps. The wide cummerbund also helps to keep the jacket snug and to distribute the weight further. While it has ten D-rings, most of them are small and fiddly to access when wearing 5mm neoprene gloves, and the bottom rings should have been made from stainless steel rather than plastic. The left pocket features grommets to take a small knife, which is becoming a preferred method among sports divers. 

Verdict: comfortable weight-integrated BC with large pockets 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: yes
Trim-weight pocket: no
Lift capacity: 170N
D-rings: 10 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear


Tigullio Sea Born ADV • £245

Nicely styled, the Sea Born ADV has the appearance of a jacket costing twice as much. The shoulder D-rings are pre-bent and the others are all in exactly the right place for attaching various accessories. The pockets are quite generously sized and keep most of their capacity when the weights are loaded; the right pocket features grommets for attaching a knife. The integrated weight pouches are held firmly in place but are simple to remove in an emergency. All straps and buckles are large and wide, making them easy to use when wearing gloves. My only gripe is that the pouches are awkward to replace as the clip retaining mechanism is tucked inside. Also, the trim pockets are on the inside of the jacket and on either side of the backplate, which means that the weights tend to dig into your back. 

Verdict: lots of features normally found on more expensive models 

Tech Specs
Weight integrated: yes
Trim-weight pocket: yes
Lift capacity: 136N
D-rings: 6 stainless steel, 4 plastic
Dump valves: 2 shoulder, 1 rear


Choosing a BC

Besides the features, there are a few important things that you should also consider when selecting a BC. First, take your drysuit along with you. Make sure that the BC doesn’t obscure your suit valves, especially the chest strap. Think about what accessories you normally carry and how you want to retain them. Are the pockets big enough and easy to get at when wearing gloves? If you chose a weight-integrated BC, fill it full of lead and test the carrying capacity of the pockets. 

Are there enough D-rings, and, more importantly, are they in the right place for you to clip off reels and torches? If you carry a side-mounted cylinder as a bailout or for decompression, are there suitable fittings on the BC and are they in the right place to attach it to? 

The lift is also important. As a general rule when using a single cylinder, there should be enough buoyancy to at least lift your weight belt, so if you take 12kg of weight, the lift capacity should be a minimum of 120 newtons. 

Last but not least, does the BC feel comfortable? Ask the shop to lend you a cylinder and put on the whole setup to get a feel for it – the last thing you want is to discover that it digs into your hips as you walk down to the beach.

Alpha Distribution (Beuchat) • 01709 515157 • www.alphad.org
Beaver (Seac Sub/Tigullio) • 01484 512354 • www.beaversports.co.uk
Blandford Sub Aqua (Problue) • 01823 663849 • www.blandfordsubaqua.co.uk
Cressi-sub • 01484 711113 • www.cressi-sub.net
Hydrotech (Aquatec) • 01455 274841 • www.hydrotech.co.uk
Mares • 01539 724740 • www.mares.com
Scubapro • www.scubapro-uwatec.com
Sea & Sea (Sherwood) • 01803 663012 • www.sea-sea.com
Seemann Sub • www.seemannsub.com