Here we are for part three of a four part series; today we are going to talk about the Hybrid BC Design. Currently there are only two companies that I can think of offhand that deal with the hybrid BC by name and one that makes what I would call a hybrid. Now the reason that this BC is called a hybrid is that it tries to take the plusses of a jacket style BC and the plusses of a back inflation BC and combine them all into one. The way this BC acts at the surface resembles a jacket style; the way it acts underwater is like a back inflation therefore taking what divers love about both BC’s and putting it together. The three companies that use this type of design for BC’s are Oceanic, Aeris and Mares. Oceanic has used the hybrid design to make a women’s specific BC the Hera, Aeris has created a women’s specific with the Wahine and they have also made a men’s BC the Atmos LX. Mares Dragon BC is not technically qualified as a hybrid BC by the company but the design is very similar to it. One of the only downsides with the Hybrid BC’s especially the men’s BC’s is that they are a little on the heavy side but other than that they offer many great advantages for a diver.

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• BC Design, which one is for you?
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• How to Plan a Scuba Diving Trip
• BC Design, Which one is for you? Part 2
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Ok we are back for part two of our reviews on BC Systems, Today we are gonna talk about the Back Inflation Style BC. Many manufacturers today make back inflation style BC’s, some of them include, Oceanic, Aeris, Hollis Gear, Aqualung, Seaquest, Mares, Sherwood, Genesis and Zeagle. Zeagle actually only makes back inflation style BC’s.

Now onto actually talking about the BC itself, I will say this, the first time that i tried a back inflation BC i thought i was never going to like it, most of this though was due to the unfamiliarity with the BC, after diving it a few times i found that it was in fact a very comfortable BC design and had many features not found on other types of BC’s. So lets start with the plusses, first there is no squeeze when inflating the BC due to the fact that all of the inflation is behind the diver. This means that as the diver is underwater they are completely free in front of them because there is nothing inflating on their stomach. One of the biggest plusses to the back inflation though is the amount of lift that they can provide. Because the lift is all in a seperate bladder and not attached at the front the lift is not limited to the size of the BC. Due to the wide variety of different size bladders that can be used on back inflation BC’s it has become one of the more popular designs for travel BC’s.

So we have gone through all of the plusses of this BC but what about negatives, yes i wish i could say that there were no negatives but yes there are some. The first, due to all of the inflation being behind the diver, when the diver is at the surface this type of BC will tend to tip the diver face first into the water, this can be an uncomfortable feeling for some, it just takes a while to learn how far the BC can be inflated without pushing face first into the water. The only other negative that i found with this type of BC is that it does not have the same type of large pockets that are available on the jackter style BC’s..

OK so we have now covered the Jacket and The Back inflation style, in the next couple of days look for part three to come out which will be a review of the Hybrid style BC. Once again i will leave you with a list of some of my favorite BC’s for this category, check out the Seaquest Black Diamond, Zeagle Ranger, Aeris 5 Oceans and the Mares Pegasus, each one offers many different features and price points sure to meet every divers needs.

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Currently there is a debate about which BC system is the right choice for every diver out there. Currently there are four styles that are most commonly used. These styles are Jacket, Back Inflation, Hybrid and the Backplate and Wing design. In my opinion each system has its pros and its cons. With that said I believe it is up to each diver to choose the system that they feel is proper for them. Today I am going to talk about the jacket style BC, check back each day for a review on each system.

The jacket style BC is one of the most common used BC systems on the market today; many manufacturers tend to have multiple selections of this style with different feature on each BC. Major manufactures include Oceanic, Aeris, Aqualung, Mares, Sherwood, Seaquest, Genesis, Scuba Pro and TUSA. The jacket style BC can come as the very basic BC or it can come fully loaded like the Rolls Royce. Before I get into all of the features I will talk about the things that will stay the same with any Jacket Style BC. First off this BC provides the best surface support out of any of these systems; it provides effortless support to the diver by having the lift evenly spread out between the front and the back. Another great plus to the Jacket Style is that they offer really big pockets that are great for storing any items needed while diving, these pockets will either be zippered or Velcro shut. Some of the features that you can add to this BC are weight integration, stainless steel D-Rings, depth compensating cummerbund, bioflex material, octopus pockets, utility pockets and much more.

Now the Jacket Style is not the perfect BC so here are some of the cons. The first is the squeeze felt when the jacket is fully inflated, this squeeze is felt at the stomach, it is not painful just a little uncomfortable. The second biggest downside is the weight of the system, now divers that usually wear the smaller sizes it is not that big of a deal but when someone needs to wear an X-Large or even a XX-Large the BC usually weighs anywhere from 10-15 lbs just depending on which model they are using, when packing for a trip and every extra pound that can be saved is vital this can be a little bit of a chore for the diver.

OK we are a quarter of the way through this review; remember to check back tomorrow as I will be posting about the back inflation style.

And just to let everyone know some of my favorite Jacket Style BC’s include the Oceanic Probe, The Aqualung PRO QD and the Seaquest Wave. The Probe and the PRO QD are two of the more feature rich BC’s while the Wave is as basic as they come.

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Over the past few months we’ve done many things to enhance your experience with us both local and abroad; ranging from Blogs, Movies, Pictures, Online Forum, PADI eLearning (call for details), Online Store, Twitter, Facebook Group, etc.  We’ve received RAVE reviews from YOU, our loyal customer.

We’ve been hard at work with adding Manufactures/Products to our Online Store.  Oceanic, SeaLife, Aqua Lung, Henderson and AERIS are just a small handful of Manufactures that we have currently on our site.  We have products that range from Diving Computers, BCD’s, Wetsuits, Underwater Camera’s and much, much more!  We are AUTHORIZED DEALERS for EVERYTHING that we sell online, so you can have the peace of mind that with every product that you buy from us will come with a FULL MANUFACTURES WARRANTY!

Due to the economy, we understand everyone’s pocket book constraints so we’ve decided to do our part to help elevate that problem.  We’re offering FREE GROUND SHIPPING on ALL orders over $50 within the Continental USA!  Dip ‘N Dive also has a 60/120 Satisfaction Guarantee.  You have 60 days from the date of the invoice to return unused merchandise for full refund on your credit card. Then, we give another 60 days (120 days from the date of the invoice) to return for store credit.  We believe that this is one of the most customer friendly return polices in the industry!  We do this because we feel that you will be 100% satisfied and if for some reason you’d like to return anything, you can do so without ANY questions or hassles!

You can call us Toll Free at 1-877-837-3483 if you’d prefer to place your order over the phone as opposed to online.  So check out our Online Store or give us a call today and experience why so many people use Dip ‘N Dive as their preferred SCUBA equipment provider!

Ps: In the coming months we have some surprises in store for all of you, so keep on checking back for details!

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When trying on SCUBA Diving Masks you will notice the different shapes of the nose pockets. The nose pocket protects and cushions your nose, helps to keep your SCUBA mask from fogging during a dive and helps you to maintain equalization. Ensure the size and shape of your nose pocket is comfortable; not too tight and not too large. This will improve not only the comfort of your SCUBA mask, but your ability to purge your mask efficiently.

There are many different styles of SCUBA Diving Mask straps on the market. You may like the factory issue strap on your SCUBA mask or you may want to purchase a separate strap. SCUBA mask straps are available in a single strap or a double strap design. The single strap should wrap around the center of the back of your head. The benefit of the double strap is that you can position the top strap on the upper part of your head and the bottom strap on the lower part of your head to offer extra stability and comfort. Most mask straps are rubber or silicone and fasten with a post-hole belt enclosure. Newer SCUBA Diving Masks offer a slide-lock type enclosure, which allows you to adjust the scuba mask quickly and easily when wearing the mask.

SCUBA Diving Masks are always improving. If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses on a daily basis you can purchase a scuba mask without having to wear your glasses or contact lenses under your mask. Many manufacturers will create custom masks which include your prescription in the front lens.  Contact Dip ‘N Dive for assistance in finding a SCUBA Diving Mask with prescription lens.

A good sign you have chosen the right SCUBA Diving Mask for your face is when the mask stays on your face comfortably without using the straps to hold it in place. You should try this simple test with each mask you try on for the first time:

1. Place the SCUBA Diving Mask over your eyes and mouth ensuring the mask is in the correct position.
2. Take a quick, light breath in through your nose and immediately start to breathe through your mouth as if you are scuba diving. This will create a slight suction between the mask and your face. The SCUBA mask should stay on your face. If you must push the SCUBA mask against your face, or inhale repeatedly to help the mask stay on your face, the mask is not a good fit.
3. Keep the SCUBA mask on your face for approximately one minute. This will help you to determine how tight the seal is and how comfortable the mask is on your face.
4. Exhale gently through your nose to release the seal on your SCUBA mask and remove the mask from your face.

There should be no mark on your face from the mask. If there is a red line around your face from the seal of the mask, the seal was too tight or the mask is not the proper size for your face. Try the test a second time. If you still have a red mark on your face after you remove the SCUBA mask, you need to continue your search for a scuba mask.

Remember, a good SCUBA Diving Mask is one that’s comfortable, doesn’t leak and is easy to use.

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• BC Design, which one is for you?
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SCUBA diving is wonderful sport and is gaining popularity among sports enthusiasts because of the added perk of viewing scenic underwater life.  Careful planning will help ensure that your SCUBA diving trip is as fun as possible.

5 steps to help guide you while planning a Scuba Diving trip:

1. Learn to Scuba Dive. While SCUBA diving can be a recreational activity, it obviously has inherent risks. Take a diving certification class through the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Once you pass their course, you can now safely and legally dive. Dip ‘N Dive offers courses for both NAUI and PADI.  Bear in mind that no diver can be certified if they did not complete the diving class and required dive under a certified instructor’s observation. Going in the open water to learn SCUBA diving on your own and without a professional’s supervision is not allowed and is very dangerous.

2. Pick the dive spot. Most beachside hotels offer SCUBA diving packages. Including it in your reservation can entitle you to discounted rates in certain hotels.

3. Prep your SCUBA diving gear. Some dive shops will want to buy their own SCUBA diving gear for future use while others prefer to just rent them out. Whatever you choose, do get a Buoyancy Compensator, Diving Mask, Fins and a Wetsuit if you plan to go SCUBA diving. Gear rentals may have to be made in advance to make sure that you’ll have the equipment ready when you get there.
4. Set the details of your itinerary. All successful dives follow set itineraries especially if there is more than one dive spot to visit. Include all the necessary details, including expected times of arrival and departures, food arrangements and transportation arrangements.
5. Keep a record of your underwater adventure. The easiest way would be through pictures so don’t forget to bring along a waterproof or Underwater Camera. There’s a big difference between telling your friends and relatives about the dive and actually showing them photos of it, preferably with you beside a colorful fish or coral.

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• How to Choose a SCUBA Diving Mask
• BC Design, which one is for you?
• BC Design, Which one is for you? Part 2
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• BC System, Which One is For You? Part Three.