Back buoyancy - like it or not - has become the most significant trend in BC design of the past decade. Even jacket-style BC designs have continued to move more of their buoyancy to the rear. It's hard to deny the advantages.
Back Buoyancy:
- Tends to place you in the optimum underwater swimming position--horizontal with head slightly higher than feet;
- Floats you higher out of the water when swimming in the best surface position--on your back with your feet lower than your shoulders;
- Produces little or no squeeze when fully inflated, while also accommodating a greater range of size variation for a correct fit;
- Clears the chest area, giving better gear accessibility, a better look for photos, less congestion and more freedom of movement;
- Provides more comfort for many divers.
And sometimes even the disadvantages of back buoyancy can turn out to be pluses: Although back-buoyancy BCs can push you face-forward on the surface, and thus make changing positions on the surface more difficult than with jacket BCs, both of these difficulties can be mitigated with the use of trim weights, less air in the BC and a stronger kick of your fins when changing positions. Also, back-buoyancy BCs often lack good pockets or hose attachment points, but this problem has been largely solved by the use of jacket harnesses that have no flotation within them. This separation of the air cell from the jacket, used to fit the BC to the diver, has made possible jacket harnesses that come in several sizes, plus air cells in different lift capacities, both of which are interchangeable.
Consider the biggest advantage of weight integration--versatility. You can use these BCs with a full load of weights, with a light load, as part of a weight distribution system or with no weights at all. Plus, weight-integrated BCs are now being offered at very near the same price as non-weight-integrated BCs.
