Top 5 Travel Friendly BCDs

With airline regulations on baggage weight restrictions getting more and more stringent, the need for easy to carry light weight scuba diving equipment becomes the need of the hour.  Perhaps the bulkiest piece of Scuba Diving equipment is your BCD which can sometimes take up half your luggage space as well as half your weight limit. Manufacturers now aware of the demand for a lightweight, compact and easy to carry BCD for air travelers have started offering a number of lightweight streamlined options for the dive traveler.

A good travel BCD should weigh less than 3.5-4 Kg or about 7.7 -8 lbs, and should be easy to fold or pack in a suitcase without being bulky. Here are out top picks for Travel friendly BCDs:

Zeagle Scout BC

The Scout is Zeagle’s lightest and most compact BC, and is ideal for a basic travel system with minimum weight and bulk.  Reasonably lightweight weighing in at 6.7 lbs (2.9kgs) dry. the Scout can be stowed easily inside a suitcase with ease. Features include 4 stainless steel D-rings, two zippered pockets, and integrated rear mount weight system with release feature. The Zeagle Scout is a top pick for anyone looking for a travel friendly BCD.

Seaquest Zuma

Perhaps the most Ideal Travel BCD, the SeaQuest Zuma weighs less than 2 kg (4.4 lbs). This ultra-light, weight-integrated, back inflation BC is perfect for those divers tired of paying excess baggage fees. The manufacturers have really designed this product for travelers, and it can be rolled up or flat packed into any suitcase or duffel bag with ease. The Zuma also features 4 D-rings and a dive knife grommet, padded spine and lumbar support.

Zeagle Stiletto BCD

While the Stiletto may not be their lightest BCD in Zeagles’s product line, it is ideal for the diver who wants a lightweight but rugged system, for both travel and local diving that doesn t compromise on features. The Stiletto weights just 7.4 lbs (3.3 Kgs) but has a 35-lb (16kg) lift capacity owing to its heavy duty low profile retracting bladder. Other features include two zippered utility pockets and  5 Stainless Steel D-ringsallowing you to clip anything you need on to it. Most importantly the Zeagle Stilletto has been raved about by customers for being one of the most comfortable BCD’s and having  great freedom of movement.

The Seaquest Passport BC  is  the lightest in the range of SeaQuest s weighing only. 2.62kg or 5.12 lbs and comes with an integrated storage mesh bag that stays folded into the lower back pad providing lumbar support. Equipped with two side pockets and 4 plastic D-rings the Passport provides just about enough storage. The quick-release integrated weight system holds up to 20 pounds of weight  and the overall dimensions make the Passport easy to store and perfect for travel .

A jacket Style BCD from Cressi that has been designed for air travelers to reduce bulk and weight. The Travelight can be folded up in just a few seconds and fastened with a special retractable strap so that it can be stowed easily in its own carrying bag, which has a shoulder strap.  Weighing just 2.6 kgs (5.7 lbs), the Travelight features two front pockets and two weight pocket in the rear, as well as 4 lightweight alloy d-rings. With the ability to bundle up this BCD into a compact mass, the Cressi Travelight is a perfect travelers BCD that doesn’t compromise on features.