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Cressi Start Pro
-Integrated weight pockets include quick-release and safety buckles. -Three exhaust valves (two upper, one lower) allow venting at any orientation. -Stow lights and other tools with two cargo pockets and accessory rings . -Rugged 500 and 1000 Deniers Cordura construction stands up to abrasion. Cressi puts the extras where it counts, with integrated weight pockets and a lower exhaust valve, to make this BC highly functional for budget-minded buyers. MSRP $299; cressi.comThe perfect BC should fit your body, your budget — and your style of diving. Above are a dozen models that offer smart options for travelers who want to save weight, women in search of ultimate comfort, cost-conscious consumers looking for maximize their investment and flat-out gear heads who want only the best.
Editor’s Pick
Aqua Lung’s Axiom i3 wins our praise for a tsunami’s worth of technology that delivers outstanding diver comfort and in-water performance. See more on our Editor's Pick in the Related Articles below.
Here are four design trends to consider when you decide it’s time to upgrade your ride.
Harnessing Comfort
New backplate and harness designs are boosting tank stability and optimizing positioning for easier maneuvering topside and improved in-water comfort. See this in the Aqua Lung Axiom i3.
Modular Magic
Some brands are translating the flexible, modular design of tec BCs into recreational jacket models with features like removable weight systems, add-on cargo pockets and more. See this in the Mares Hybrid Pro Tec.
Bigger and Better
By repositioning air chambers and adding more capacity to strategic spots such as the lumbar area, some new BCs offer boosted lift capacity without significantly increasing bladder size. See this in the Cressi S300.
Smart Construction
Advancing material technology is giving BC designers new ways to increase durability, functionality and performance to shed weight, resist wear and dry more quickly. See this is the SCUBAPRO Go.
