Travel BCDs are an essential part of every diver’s gear. Particularly for all those adventurous divers who can’t wait to fly to their next scuba destination.
Travel BCDs are similar to normal BCDs but more lightweight, compact and often foldable. A travel BCD is typically made so that it can fit in your standard carry-on luggage without hassles.
In terms of performance underwater, they do not differ from normal BCDs. Some of the best Travel BCDs have in fact an integrated weight system with fully removable weight pockets and are made of special materials to optimize the size of the air bladder, without giving up on lift capacity nor on buoyancy control.
They can be somewhat more delicate than normal BCDs because of the materials they are built with. Carbon fibre, aluminium and plastics are often used to replace stainless steel.
That said, I think every diver who loves adventures and that is not afraid to embark on a last-minute scuba trip should own a travel BCD as part of her dive gear.
It can also be very helpful to optimize your scuba luggage without creating extra-weight or extra-luggage costs.
These BCDs will not fail your expectations and are definitely capable of holding up to your demand on your next scuba diving holiday.
In my Ultimate List I will cover the following travel BCs:
- Mares Magellan
- Eagle Scout BCD
- HOG Travel Pro
- Scubapro GO
- Scubapro Hydros Pro
- Oceanic Biolite
- Cressi Travelight 2.0
- Beuchat Infinity Light Weight
- Aqualung PRO HD Compact
- TUSA Crestline
- SEAC Smart BCD
Keep reading if you are keen on the details of each single BCD and scroll through the end of the post for comparisons on prices, lift capacity, and dry weight.
Mares Magellan
The Mares Magellan is one of the most widely sold BCD and well tested by many divers. It is a fully foldable BCD weighting only 4.6 Lbs / 2.1 Kg. With such an amazingly low weight, the Mares Magellan is the lightest travel jacket style BCD in the travel category.
Despite being super compact, the lightest BCD from Mares still has an integrated weight system. The Mares Magellan integrated weight pockets vary in size depending on the size of the BCD.
The Mares Magellan is the perfect lightweight BCD for recreational divers who usually pay attention to baggage weight restrictions when going on a scuba fiving trip.
I like to bring along my Mares Magellan either in short scuba holidays or during mixed (scuba and non scuba) holidays, when I need to pay closer attention to my overall luggage weight.
Zeagle Scout BCD
With a dry weight of 6.7 Lbs or 3.0 Kg, the Scout is the lightest scuba diving jacket style BCD from Zeagle.
One of the amazing features of the Scout, just like most of the BCDs produced by Zeagle, is that it is fully customizable, and can be custom fitted to your body thanks to Zeagle’s personal fit system.
The Zeagle Scout is more rugged as compared to most travel BCDs. It features stainless steel d rings, reinforced 1000 denier nylon, two zippered utility pockets and an adjustable sternum strap.
The Scout also features Zeagles’ ripcord one handed integrated weight system.
All in all I would recommed the Zeagle Scout for all those divers that need a travel BCD and don’t want to compromise on quality and ruggedness. The Scout is definitely a durable BCD.
HOG Travel Pro BCD
The HOG Travel Pro BCD is among the lightest travel BCDs, weighting just 6 Lbs or 2.7 Kg (XL version).
When it comes to HOG, you can be sure that each single product is thought for scuba divers by scuba divers. HOG is famous for its essentialism and no-nonsense dive gear.
The HOG Travel Pro BCD has a back inflate harness with a soft pad and soft shoulder straps. The BCD mounts two black coated stainless shoulder d-rings and a molle-like attachment panel on the right shoulder. In addition, you will find a couple of black coated heavy gauge plastic d-rings in the bottom part of the BCD.
I am not a fan of plastic D rings, but in travel BCs they are sometimes unavoidable to minimize the weight.
The HOG Travel Pro also comes with a pull dump inflator/deflator and two quick drop weight pockets.
Scubapro GO
Together with teh Mares Magellan, the Scubapro GO is perhaps the most famous travel BCD on the market. Not only is it one of the best travel BCDs, but it is also one of the lightest with an overall weight of 5.5 Lbs or 2.5 Kg.
It is in fact the second lightest BCD in my ultimate list, and it is fully foldable.
The Scubapro Go has two release integrated weight pockets that ditch easily with low profile buckles.
The five aluminium d-rings and the two large pre-bent d-rings on teh shoulder straps will allow you to easily and comfortably attach your scuba diving equipment such as dsmb, spare mask or diving torch.
I had the opportunity to try the Scubapro GO in my diving trip in Malapascua (Philippines), and can definitely recommend it even for the most demanding divers. In fact it was the go-to choice of my Divemaster.
Scubapro Hydros Pro
If you are looking for an all rounder highly technological BCD that can be transformed in a travel BCD, the Scubapro Hydros Pro is definitely the solution for you.
If you are keen on knowing all the details, you should read my Scubapro Hydros Pro Review and Test.
Given that the Scubapro Hydros Pro was not born as a travel BCD, it will need some quick and easy readaptation to reduce its weight. In fact, in its normal version, the Scubapro Hydros Pro has a relatively high weight of 11 Lbs or 5 Kg.
But it will be sufficient to remove the integrated weight system to transform it into a comfortable and lightweight back inflated travel BCD.
I recommend the Scubapro Hydros Pro for all those divers that are willing to invest in an excellent BCD that can eventually be transformed into a travel BCD.
Oceanic Biolite
The Oceanic Biolite BCD is among the best travel BCDs weighting only 5.5 Lbs or 2.5 Kg. It comes both in a Man and Ladies version and together with the Scubapro Go it is one of the lightest BCDs in my Ultimate List.
The Biolite is substituting the famous Oceanic Jetpack BCD, which was discontinued.
Jult like the Mares Magellan and the Scubapro Go, Oceanic Biolite is a foldable BCD. It has an integrated weight system, meaning that you can choose whether you want to use a weight belt or not.
There is not much difference between the Men and Ladies’ versions. The latter comes in a pink accent, giving it a more feminine look.
The Oceanic Biolite air bladder is made of Oceanic’s Bioflex patented material, making it super flexible and small, without giving up on lift capacity (from 32 to 38 Lbs depending on size).
The Oceanic Biolite is the perfect fit for all traveling divers who don’t want to give up on comfort.
Cressi Travelight 2.0
The Cressi Travelight BCD is a fully fledged jacket style BCD with an integrated weight system and removable weight pockets.
It is fully foldable and actually comes in its own carrying case from Cressi. Although it weighs only 5.5 Lbs (2.5 Kg), Cressi has definitely not given up on comfort and flexibility.
The Cressi Travelight bcd doesn’t come with steel D rings, the BCD however has a set of light alloy D rings which are equally rugged.
The waist strap is fully detached from teh air bladder providing you with enhanced buoyancy control.
I definitely recommend the Cressi Travelight 2.0 for all those scuba divers that are looking for a travel BCD which looks and feels as close as possible to a classic Jacket BCD.
Beuchat Infinity Light Weight
The Infinity Light Weight is the travel version of Beauchat’s famous Infinity BCD. Toghether with the Scubapro Hydros this is one of the most modular BCs on the market.
The infinity lightweight weights 7 Lbs or 3.2 Kg. It comes with 8 D-rings and is made entirely in nylon.
Beauchat did not give up in comfort and practicality, and that’s why the Infinity Light Weight has both an octopus and a pressure gauge holder.
The Infinity lightweight is the perfect classic jacket BCD for all those divers that would like to have a hybrid version between a pure travel BC and a normal BC.
Worth noting that with the Infinity Light Weight BCD, almost every element is adjustable and customizable, even the rigidity of the back pad.
Aqualung PRO HD Compact
Aqualung’s newest travel BCD, the PRO HD Compact, was just released in 2022. The brand made quite an incredible effort to develop a travel BCD that is extremely lightweight (less than 4.75 Lbs/ 2.2 KG), foldable, and highly adjustable.
The Pro HD Compact has both an integrated weight system and optional non ditchable weight pockets that mount on the tank straps.
The innovative tank support system fully eliminates the need for a hard pack, which makes the PRO HD compact fully rollable.
Given all the features, I expect the PRO HD Compact to quickly overtake the Aqualung Zuma in popularity, and can’t wait to give it a try.
If you are interested in learning more on the Aqualung Pro HD Compact, check out my detailed Ultimate Review and Test.
Tusa Crestline
The Tusa Crestline was released in 2020 as a recreational diving travel BC. It is entirely made of 500 Cordura and 420 denier nylon, making it quite rugged even as a day to day use BCD.
The Crestline is nevertheless fully optimized for travel and weighs only 4.9 Lbs or 2.2 Kg (XS version). It features two large loop fastener pockets and four resin D-rings.
I am not a fan of resin as it makes the rings somewhat more delicate than the usual stainless steel d rings, but for such a low dry weight it is natural that Tusa had to optimize the materials.
The Crestline features Tusa’s Ultimate Stabilizing Harness, which helps maintain the air cylinder tight and closer to the body for increased trim control.
The Inflator hose is compatible with TUSA’s DUO AIR2 BCD integrated second stage.
I generally do not recommend BCD integrated second stages, particularly in travel BCDs where the air bladder is usually relatively small.
SEAC Smart BCD
The Seac Smart BCD is a traditional jacket BCD, featuring a reinforced air bladder and a quick release weight system.
This BCD is perfect both for beginner divers and for assiduous adventurers that would like to have a high performing travel BC.
To optimize the weight SEAC had minimized all hard parts of the BCD, for example the weight pockets have a velcro openings instead of zippers.
The SEAC Smart BCD is a simple, no-nonsense BC with one of the most competitive prices in its category.
Travel BCDs Comparisons
If your choice is purely price driven, then we have a clear winner. The TUSA Crestline is the perfect solution both for beginner and more experienced divers that are looking for a second BCD for their trips.
If however you are looking for a travel BC for everyday use, I would suggest considering the Aqualung PRO HD Compact or the Zeagle Scout. True, they are slightly more pricey than the TUSA Crestline, but they are also more rugged and fit for everyday use.
If instead, price is not one of the main concerns, I would definitely go with the Mares Magellan. This is the travel BCD I own and use and that has never failed me.
It is rugged enough also for everyday use, although I would suggest to buy it as a second BCD. Particularly given that it is optimized for traveling and that it doesn’t feature stainless steel d-rings to carry heavy accessories.
In case you are looking for an everyday BCD that can be converted to a travel BCD, I would definitely go for the Scubapro Hydros Pro or the Beuchat Infinity Light Weight.
THey are both super modular and feature great adaptability to most type of diving (except for technical diving).
Travel BCD FAQs
1. What is the optimal weight for a travel BCD?
First things first. A travel BCD should be fit for its purpose, which is to be easily carried along with you whenever you go on a diving adventure.
It should not impact too much on the overall size and weight of your luggage.
This is why the optimal weight of a travel BCD should be between 4.4Lbs (2Kg) and 6.6Lbs (3Kg). A travel BCD in such weight range can be easily stored in your carry-on luggage giving you the possibility to bring onboard other pieces of equipment and clothing.
The reduced weight of a travel BCD inevitably comes at the expense of materials, storage space (e.g. reduced number of pockets), and design.
When it comes to materials, there are several aspects you need to look at to make sure that your travel BCD will be at least as durable and rugged as a non-travel BCD.
2. What are the best materials for a travel BCD?
When looking at materials of a travel BCD, you should pay particular attention to D-rings, straps, and fabric.
D-rings are particularly important because they are the first part of a BCD where producers will cut weight.
In normal BCDs, D-rings are usually made of marine-grade stainless steel which is quite a heavy and rugged material.
In order to cut weight, brands have two main options: cut the number of available D-rings or substitute the stainless steel for other materials. I prefer the second option at it still allows to carry with you an adequate amount of accessories.
In terms of materials I prefer carbon fiber to aluminium and aluminium over plastic.
In fact, carbon fiber is lighter than aluminium and offers 2 to 5 times more rigidity for the same weight.
Plastic in D-rings should be excluded as they are simply too fragile.
Travel BCDs straps do not differ much from normal BCDs strap. However you may find that some travel BCDs do not have a waist cummerbund. This is quite a smart option to remove weight without impacting on the overall comfort of the BCD.
The same reasoning applies to fabric. Travel BCDs are mostly made of Ballistic Nylon, Cordura, or Polyurethane fabrics (or a mix of them), just like normal BCDs.
Even if ballistic nylon is heavier and more rugged than Cordura and Cordura typically has greater abrasion resistance, all those materials are quite rugged and durable for travel BCDs.
3. What is the right price for a Travel BCD?
Price should not necessarily be the most important factor when choosing a travel BCD
As a matter of fact materials such as carbon fiber can be substantially more expensive than stainless steel, affecting the overall price of travel BCDs.
If you scroll up to the comparison tables you can see that there are good options ranging from $ 300 to over $1,100. They are all super good quality BCDs, your choice should therefore be driven by the intended use of the BCD rather than by the price.