Jacket Cressi Patrol

Having a problem with a BCD during a dive can have disastrous consequences, which is why it is so important that you take into account all of these precautions

• Clean and grease with silicone grease both the inflator and the different mechanisms frequently
• Store it dry, slightly inflated and in the shade
• Make sure you do not leave anything in the pockets, because if any item remains inside for a long period of time it can cause damage to the vest

The BCD or compensator maintains the hydrostatic balance during the dive at any depth, allowing the diver to have a neutral buoyancy under the sea (i.e., that neither rises nor falls); it will also make the dive more comfortable, by facilitating the holding of the tank, while its pockets allow us to store numerous items; although it is not the most important thing when selecting a BCD, it is something that we must take into account (both the number of pockets and their width, so that they are more accessible), since it will affect our comfort when we are underwater (surely we will not like to miss a pocket to keep what we must uncomfortably carry in hand.
You can see that there are numerous models on the market; each one of them has specific characteristics, although all of them have a manual inflation and deflation system (with the mouth), one or more quick emptying valves and a safety valve to prevent explosion due to overinflation.
We can say that the jacket is essentially a bag that receives air and compensates our buoyancy.
Its capacity can vary greatly from one model to another, being established between 14 and 27 liters, varying naturally and proportionally depending on the size.
As for the material used for its manufacture, it is usually nylon of different densities (measured in deniers) ranging from 420 to 1500 deniers.
The most advisable is to opt for a vest that has 840 or 1000 deniers for sport diving.
In addition to the aforementioned pockets, the jacket will have other accessories such as rings, which will also be useful for transporting some elements. Well, we will value in them that they are stainless steel and never plastic (a much more fragile material with which we run the risk of losing what we hang on these rings).
We will also check that the part that will be in contact with our back is padded, so that we do not damage the area.

Lately there has been an increase in the sale of "technical" jackets, so called because they have pockets to incorporate ballast, although we must bear in mind that this implies carrying the jacket thoroughly.

It is also advisable that the vest has a comfortable waistband and buckles that are easy to release. The trachea should have inflation and deflation buttons that are easy to operate with the left hand, and its length should allow the mouthpiece to be at chest level.