WHY BUY A SCUBAPRO BC?
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Backed by 50 years of technical excellence, because deep down you want the best.
The buoyancy compensator is the backbone of a scuba rig. A well-designed BC holds the tank firmly in place, routes HP and LP hoses, and provides clipping-off points for accessories. It also offers a high-security integrated weight ditch system and roomy cargo pockets. But most importantly, it arms the diver with an efficient system of inflate and exhaust valves for maintaining neutral buoyancy and controlling ascents and descents. And it does all this while maintaining a streamlined profile, solid stability at depth, and relatively comfortable surface flotation. It’s a lot to expect from a single piece of equipment, but SCUBAPRO BCs have proven themselves to be more than equal to the task.
SCUBAPRO has been committed to quality dive gear for over 50 years.
Founded in 1963 by two of scuba diving’s most innovative and entrepreneurial adventurers, Gustav Dalla Valle and Dick Bonin, SCUBAPRO is a pioneer in diving and the premier manufacturer of scuba diving equipment. For over 50 years SCUBAPRO has spearheaded the development of products that have advanced the safety and reliability of today’s scuba equipment, and by doing so has changed the face of diving.
A company built by divers, staffed by divers, and dedicated to divers, SCUBAPRO employs more than 400 people in 17 locations spread over 13 countries and four continents. At least half of all SCUBAPRO employees are divers (in several countries over 80 percent are divers), and over a third are instructors.
SCUBAPRO is famous for cutting-edge engineering.
More than five successful decades of research and product development have proven categorically that SCUBAPRO designers and engineers know what divers want. Whether they’re giant-striding into the waters of the Florida Keys, the coasts of Europe, the reefs of Australia or the islands of Japan’s Izu Peninsula, SCUBAPRO builds gear to meet the needs of divers the world over. Here are just a few SCUBAPRO BC innovations that have led the diving industry over the past 50 years:
1971: The original Buoyancy Compensator is unveiled, replacing the “Mae West” horse collar.
1972: The Quick Disconnect Inflator enables divers to use the air from their first stage regulator to fill their buoyancy compensator.
1974: The Buoyancy Control Pack is introduced, the original back-flotation BC. The rear bladder is encased in a hard pack that secures to the diver with a web harness.
1978: The Stabilizing Jacket is released, revolutionizing the BC market. Providing unequaled stability, it immediately becomes a classic.
1979: The first alternate inflator regulator integrating the BC inflator with a second stage is
born. Called the AIR2, it is currently in its fifth generation and is still widely used today.
1981: The quality stainless steel Super Cinch Tank Band cam action buckle system takes
the industry by storm, providing easy attachment to the tank and a very secure grip.
1986: The Balanced Power Inflator (BPI), the successor to 1972’s power inflator, not only
inflates and purges the BC, it allows the diver to breathe the air contained in the BC in
the event of primary and backup second stage failure.
2011: The X-Tek line is reintroduced to the technical market after a 10-year hiatus. X-TEK components are modular and combine individual harnesses, wings and accessories to configure the ultimate tech system.
2013: Sidemount BC features a new layout by providing a streamlined aircell and a side twin-tank attachment. It’s the perfect set-up for cave and wreck diving.
2014: SCUBAPRO’s entry-level BC, the T-One, just hit the target of 80,000 units sold worldwide.
SCUBAPRO BCs undergo a rigorous factory/design/test process.
Highly technical products require a long and painstaking process of designing, refining and testing before they can be manufactured and used by scuba divers. SCUBAPRO’s commitment to quality is apparent at every stage of the process, and shows with every single detail and material. Design, development, and initial testing are conducted in Italy at SCUBAPRO’s main research and development center. BC tests stress welding and stitching, check long-term inflation/deflation reliability as well as the long-term durability of all materials and hardware.
But SCUBAPRO doesn’t stop there. BCs are also subjected to actual dive testing, often in the hands of commercial divers, exposing BCs to harsh dive conditions and ensuring the maximum in ruggedness. This test diving is performed in different environments, in locations all over the world, subjecting BCs to scenarios ranging from tropical to ice diving. While this open water testing is being conducted, all mechanical components undergo long cycles of stress testing to identify problems that may arise as a result of heavy use. This exhaustive test regimen is part of the internal validation process that’s mandatory for every SCUBAPRO product.
SCUBAPRO BCs meet and exceed all industry benchmarks and certifications.
All SCUBAPRO BCs have obtained the CE certification issued by a notified body according to European Directive 89/686/EEC. The CE mark denotes compliance with fundamental requirements for health and safety.
Specifically, SCUBAPRO BCs comply with the European Union’s EN 250:2014 for body harnesses that provide a device for fixing the tank to the body. BCs also comply with EN 1809:1997, the European norm for a jacket that provides a buoyancy control device but does not guarantee a heads-up position of the wearer at the surface. Under this same classification BCs undergo additional environmental resistance tests, wearing resistance tests, hydrostatic pressure tests, buoyancy tests, inflator tests, manual deflation device tests, impact tests, automatic pressure relief tests, drainage tests, tensile strength test, and practical performance tests. SCUBAPRO BCs usually are tested up to limits exceeding EN standards by five times, according to the internal proprietary Validation Process, before being launched on the market.
SCUBAPRO BCs are used by militaries and public service agencies the world over.
SCUBAPRO products are used by the militaries of many nations, and therefore have to be able to measure up to stringent standards and rugged use. SCUBAPRO engineers have designed and developed a number of product lines geared specifically to military, police and special forces, along with other public safety organizations throughout the world. Core products can also be customized to meet specific requirements of military and public safety teams. For example, specially configured BCs include the X-Tek Form Tek for the Norwegian Navy, the Master Jacket for the Danish and Dutch Navies and the Spanish Armada, and the X-Force for the French Army and Navy.
SCUBAPRO has years of experience in the military and public safety sector, and fully understands the importance of bidding processes, service requirements, spare part longevity and availability, technical training seminars, purchasing and delivery specifications. A multitude of SCUBAPRO products, including BCs, have been accorded NATO numbers; a complete list of NSN numbers is available.
There’s a SCUBAPRO BC to meet every diving challenge.
From lightweight travel BCs to heavy-duty stabilizer jackets, SCUBAPRO has a BC to meet any diving scenario. SCUBAPRO offers 11 recreational BCs in three categories: five back-flotation models, five front-adjustable models, and one stabilizing jacket, the venerable SCUBAPRO Classic. SCUBAPRO also serves the technical market with its Tek line which includes donut and horseshoe double bladders and a brand new sidemount system for cave and wreck diving. Task-specific BCs such as the Master Jacket and the Scuba Force are also available for professional jobs. (The Master Jacket has the distinction of being the only BC in the world certified both as a buoyancy compensator and as a life jacket.) Whatever a diver’s needs, there is a SCUBAPRO BC ready to serve, from casual recreational and travel diving to cold-water, deep-water and technical diving.
SCUBAPRO BCs are proven performers.
SCUBAPRO BCs not only pass and surpass all industry testing and certifications, for the past twenty years, since the advent of the scuba diving industry’s first independent BC tests, SCUBAPRO BCs have consistently been rated tops for comfort, fit, stability at depth and quality of valve systems, while providing superior buoyancy and ascent control. No other dive gear brand consistently earns the top-rank spots in gear reviews like SCUBAPRO.
SCUBAPRO BCs have a stellar reputation among divers.
Since the first stabilizing BC hit the market over 40 years ago, the SCUBAPRO brand has earned an enviable reputation for performance and reliability. Proof of this can be seen on dive boats, at dive resorts, and in waters the world over. SCUBAPRO BCs are everywhere, being used by virtually everyone, from new divers to seasoned veterans, and that’s no accident.
SCUBAPRO is a brand divers trust and own with pride.
From its inception, SCUBAPRO has been a different kind of dive company. Thanks to its vast network of exceptional dealers you can find SCUBAPRO products and reliable servicing anywhere in the world. SCUBAPRO is all about professionalism, and that’s why its BCs are appreciated and respected by divers, who own and use their SCUBAPRO products with pride.
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