Lift Capacity GuideUpdated 2 years ago

The below guide is intended as precisely that, a guide! There is a lot to be said for lift capacities, but the most crucial thing to remember is to weigh yourself in the water correctly.

The lift capacity refers to the amount of weight a fully inflated BCD can keep afloat and is measured as a result of that weight (In Kilos or Pounds) - this is essentially the amount of negative weight the BCD can float.

Different types of diving may have different requirements in terms of the amount of lift you'll need. For recreational applications, you'll likely be diving with a single-cylinder, a few accessories and not much else - So your lift requirements are relatively low!

Whereas if you were undertaking a tech dive with planned decompression and extended stops, you may find yourself carrying one or more extra cylinders and additional safety equipment, so in that case, you would need a lot more lift.

For example;

• Tropical Diving - Thin wetsuits (<|3mm) and single cylinder; 8-12 kilos
• Recreational Diving - Thicker wetsuits (>3mm) / drysuits and single cylinder; 10-20 kilos
• Technical Diving - Variety of exposure suits and often multiple cylinders; 20-40+ Kilos