BCD

BCDs (buoyancy control devices) from Aqua Lung, Tusa, Mares, Apeks, Cressi and Atomic, plus spare inflators, low-pressure hoses and weight pockets.

Choosing a BCD

• Jacket BCDs wrap around your torso and feel stable at the surface. Most new divers start with one.
• Back-inflation and wing BCDs put the air behind you, which makes it easier to stay horizontal underwater.
• Women's cuts such as the Aqua Lung Axiom and Pro HD fit a shorter torso.
• Integrated weights replace a weight belt. Replacement weight pockets are listed here too.

Try one on with a tank before you buy: size and fit matter more than features. Talk to us at our St Peters or Manly dive centre, or pair your BCD with a regulator and a dive computer. Just learnt to dive? The Open Water course is the place to try different styles first.