Daniel Brinckmann: With very few exceptions, the service of ‘free dive luggage’ is a thing of the past with airlines. If you’re chasing fish abroad with a professional camera housing plus strobes or lighting, you’ve likely already maxed out your baggage allowance just with gear and basic clothing. But who wants to rely on often-questionable rental gear and give up the comfort of their own equipment?
Manufacturers are increasingly addressing this dilemma, including Scubapro, with the Navigator Lite travel BCD, launched in March. It’s a lightweight wing-style BCD (with an air bladder on the back) that offers an impressive 17.2kg of lift while weighing only 2.5kg (2XS–M) or 2.7kg (M–2XL). It folds compactly into a bundle that fits easily in a large travel bag and is barely noticeable.
I brought the BCD on a press trip to Cape Verde in April and was immediately impressed. If you’re familiar with Scubapro BCDs — I spent years diving in the 1990s with the indestructible HS-Pro stabilizing jacket — you’ll instantly feel at home with the layout of the quick dumps and inflator. Of course, its lift capacity isn’t designed for twin ten-litre tanks plus a stage bottle, but there are other products for those set-ups. The two weight pockets with clips and two soft D-rings each hold 2–3kg of lead, which was enough to compensate for the buoyancy of my 5mm wetsuit in saltwater. Smart detail – the pockets can also be used for accessories when reversed on the waist strap. If you need more than 5–6kg of lead — such as when diving with large aluminum tanks, thick wetsuits, or in the highly salty Red Sea — or if you want the pockets free for accessories, a traditional weight belt is the solution.
For underwater photography, the horizontally stable trim typical of wing jackets is very beneficial — whether you’re sneaking up on a subject or navigating tight or delicate spaces like under overhangs. Best of all? You barely notice the BCD — and if you’re well-trimmed, you forget it’s there entirely. I was initially skeptical about the two near-universal size options (2XS–M and M–2XL), but the adjustable harness system quickly won me over by offering a secure fit. To keep weight down for air travel, Scubapro avoided metal where possible and eliminated unnecessary bulk. The Navigator Lite features a simple waist buckle with no extra Velcro strap but still includes comfort-boosting elements like a sternum strap and carry handle. The padded backplate and shoulder straps should sit comfortably on bare skin in tropical waters. The material (tried-and-tested 420-denier nylon), seams, and overall construction all seem very robust. The tank is held securely with a dual system -a Quick-Cinch strap and an additional 50mm Velcro strap.
The Navigator Lite comes in three standard bladder colours (black, blue, coral), but with an optional replacement air cell (RRP: £45), a Scubapro technician can convert it into white, green, or even navy blue with camouflage pattern. The BCD ships in a mesh bag for drainage, along with a low-pressure hose including inflator coupling and a user manual.
This is a highly recommended, comfortable, and lightweight travel wing BCD without unnecessary extras — ideal (but not exclusively) for holiday divers and photographers in temperate to tropical waters. Given the fair price, it’s also suitable for occasional summer dives in shallow inland lakes. www.scubapro.com
