DUI Buoyancy Compensator System

OK, right off the bat, no fanfare, no b.s. The Buoyancy Compensator System (BCS) is the most comfortable BC I've ever worn. It also offers some of the best examples of what a modular BC should be capable of doing. This shouldn't come as a surprise to those who've used gear from DUI (Diving Unlimited International), a company primarily known for drysuits. I love DUI's suit and became quite fond of their weight harness when diving cold water. With the BCS, DUI has incorporated the idea behind the weight harness into a high-tech, functional, modular buoyancy system. Just about any BC, if properly rigged, is relatively comfortable in the water, but relatively is a big word. As divers, we're used to being relatively miserable until we're weightless, right? While we were trying to shoot pictures of this BC, I was tromping around in a 6.5 semi-dry, carrying an old steel 72 and 24 pounds of lead. I wanted to use my harness (the weight system is detachable on the BCS) to carry the lead but figured it was only fair to work out the BC properly - comfort, pain or not. After a half-hour of in the water, move here, no, over there, come closer, turn this way, no, turn the other way, go up there, come down here, etc., that hot little spot in my lower left back was long overdue to start burning. That's when I realized how comfortable this unit is. No burn, my shoulders weren't sore, my legs weren't even bothering me from stomping around across sand, gravel and nor'easter washouts. Technical and design stuff: This is a truly modular BC. Essentially it's a harness with a variety of flotation-bag and weight configurations available. I dived the one-size-fits-all wing style; the jacket style comes in S, M, L and XL. The very thick back pad is fully adjustable. It's attached via two straps and a lot of Velcro; you can position the padding wherever you need it. Hose keepers are on both sides of the shoulder harness, the position of the D-rings is adjustable, and it's easy to add additional ones. The chest strap has three mounting positions; you can actually put the thing where it will do the most good and won't interfere with drysuit inflator valves. The waist strap - and in this case, the weight belt unit - also has a variety of custom positions. You can mount your weight forward by adding clip-in extensions, leave them to the rear, or remove the entire unit, put on a clean belt and wear your weight harness. Because of the multitude of adjustments on the shoulder harness, you can put the weight belt where it does the least damage to your back - hence my lack of pain during the photo shoot. The pockets will hold 40 pounds of lead. The threading design of the quick-release is a bit easier to re-thread than previous versions. There is also a bungee cord unit that runs along the inside of each shoulder strap and terminates at a small stainless clip ring. This can hold a spare light or somesuch. As it comes from the factory, it's too stretchy, but all you have to do is knot it to take up stretch and it will hold almost everything you'd need at this position. All the buckles (plastic clasp/snap-ins) save the chest buckle are large (shoulder quick-release, weight-system clips, waist buckle) and easily handled with gloves on. The shoulder straps don't feel as padded to the touch as they do when you're using them, probably because the weight distribution of the entire design works so well. This is a mountaineer's backpack-quality design. The wing-style BCS comes with an inflator, and you can mount it on either side; ditto with the lower bag dumps. The wing bag lift is 58 pounds (the jacket style's is 30, 35, 43 or 50, depending on the size), and double bagging is no problem. Nothing fancy on the inflator. It's a minimalist unit, and that's not a knock. There's an elastic trim line top and bottom for profiling the bag. Tank harness is a twin strap with the usual cam. How does it dive? Great. No shift, and the wing with the weights positioned rearward sits you almost vertical in the water. I like my tank mounted high, and double-strap BCs allow this. It was surprisingly easy to throw on with the weights in place. Retail price on the BCS is competitive with other tech BCs,and you're actually getting a legitimate technical and completely modular BC with full-size customization and adjustability. The complete wing-style system comes in at around $696, and the jacket style goes between $586 and $716. If you want a tech, cold-water or drysuit BC, I can't say I've come across a better designed and manufactured one than this. DUI Buoyancy Compensator System PRICE: $586-$716, depending on configuration. FEATURES: Jacket or wing styles; removable or integral quick-release weight system; full-size adjustability on wing version; S, M, L, XL in jacket style; custom dump/inflator positioning; twin tank straps. MORE INFORMATION: For more information about all DUI dry suits and other products, click on the DUI home page below.

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	I love them all!

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