Aeris Atmos BC: Simple Yet Efficient
By: Frank Borelli, 11 July 2005
I started scuba diving in October of 1987 and, having grown up spending most summers in the ocean, found that I enjoyed it quite a bit. At that point in time, scuba equipment for recreational diving had developed quite a bit - but it's grown a long way since then. Last year I finally talked my wife into getting dive certified and that started me on a journey of re-education about dive gear. One of the things that had noticeably evolved was Buoyancy Compensators, or "BCs".
Real quick, for those who don't know, BCs are a harness that you wear to serve several purposes: 1) they usually hold your air tank centered on your back; 2) they are inflatable / deflatable so you can adjust your buoyancy in the water at every depth you dive, and 3) they give you someplace to carry your dive tools. Most modern day recreational BCs also incorporate a method for carrying weight (to offset our natural buoyancy or tendency to float) and sometimes include a second air source, or "Octopus Regulator".
The Aeris Atmos BC is a pretty basic model of BC but offers a respectable level of comfort along with a few thoughtful design features. The bladder - that holds the air when you inflate the BC - wraps around the diver's waist and lower torso and then also covers the back up both sides of the air tank. However, the bladder does not go up and over the shoulder. On my old BC (I don't even remember what manufacturer it was from back then) the bladder did go up over my shoulders and when fully inflated that could cause issues. On more than one occasion that fully inflated BC was pushing my snorkel up against the side of my head / mask depending on my position.
The shoulder straps are adjustable for length and have a cross-chest strap that helps to hold them in place. That matters - especially when you've fully inflated the BC on the surface and you don't want the discomfort of the shoulder straps pulling up and out against your shoulders / upper arms. The cross-chest strap is also adjustable. In this picture you can see the integrated weight pockets. They are oriented to point almost straight up when the diver is in a vertical position. However, and this is important, when the diver is horizontal - as he/she should be kicking along on a dive - the pockets are pointed slightly downward. A slight angle down helps the diver to ditch the weights if it becomes necessary. Too much of a downward angle, though, means that the weight is constantly trying to fall out of the vest and that would be bad. Those weights keep the diver from popping to the top like a cork. Ascending too quickly can definitely be a bad thing and no one wants to lose their weights unintentionally.
Keeping those weights in place is one reason why Aeris uses two retention methods on their weight pockets:
1) They have a buckle system that snaps the pocket into the BC. That buckle is easily released only if the handle is pulled to remove the weights.
2) The flap that folds over the pocket is covered with Velcro allowing for about 30+ square inches of hook-n-loop also holding the weight pouch in place.
The BC is equipped with a lower-power inflator attachment for power inflation of the vest. A lower-pressure hose from your regulator would quick-attach to this device. There is also a mouthpiece and control / release button so that you can manually orally inflate the BC if necessary. Inside of the oral inflation tube is a steel cable that connects to a dump valve. This allows the diver to vent air out of the BC simply by pulling on the inflator hose. The BC is also set up to accept a dump valve at the right hip - but this is an option and not standard.
To finish out the fit of the BC is the cumberbund and waist buckle. The cumberbund is about six inches wide and covered with Velcro so that you can get a comfortable fit around your middle. Then, over that, is a nylon web waist belt about two inches wide that buckles shut and is adjustable.
If you are using the weight pockets to carry weight, then the BC has no pockets for storage of equipment or anything you've picked up on the dive (a bad habit unless you're on a specifically licensed salvage dive). To allow divers some way of carrying equipment, Aeris provides four D-rings: one on either shoulder strap and one at either hip. I frequently attach my Spyderco Assist folding lockblade to the right side D-ring. By putting a small zip-tie through the lanyard hole of the Assist, I attached it to a retractable lead that is hooked on that D-ring. So, as I dive, the knife hangs just a little, and if I need to I can clip it to the back lower edge of the weight pocket. The Assist is a great dive knife. Its design makes it easy to open - even with thick neoprene gloves on - and the grip is big enough to be easy to handle while wearing those gloves. The tip is completely blunt and rounded so you can't accidentally stab anything (including yourself) and there is an emergency whistle built into the handle. I have an emergency whistle attached to my inflator hose on my BC, but by carrying the Assist, I have a second whistle. Redundancy is good if my life is depending on something.
The other knife I have on my BC is the Hammond ABC Aqua. Distributed by Columbia River Knife & Tool Company (CRKT) the knife is designed specifically for scuba diving. The one I have is shown here as the 2604 with a double edge - one of them partially serrated - and a blunt tip. Since a great many of us tend to use our knives as pry tools (because that's what we have at hand at the moment) the blunt tip saves the knife from being destroyed by improper use. In this picture the belt clip is held onto the kydex sheath by way of four screws. I removed those and the clip. With assistance from a diving buddy of mine I very carefully burned four holes through the front of the right shoulder strap on my BC, appropriately spaced so I could screw the sheath straight onto the shoulder strap. With this setup, the knife hangs handle-down on the right side of my chest. I can easily reach it with either hand; it is not close to any hoses or other gear to get tangled or cause issues; it's easy to draw and sheath without much effort at all.
One word of caution regarding both of these knives: When you finish a dive you're supposed to rinse all your gear with fresh water. The knives need an extra step of maintenance or they will rust. After you have rinsed them, make sure to dry them both off. That includes drying inside the handles of the Assist and inside the sheath of the Hammond. The Hammond has a blued finish that is prone to surface rust if you don't dry it after cleaning it off. My Assist has shown spots of rust in small places where I didn't thoroughly dry it off after rinsing it. Just a thought to keep your knives serviceable.
At any rate, the Aeris Atmos BC is a good performer for not as much money as other BCs out there. It's basic and solid and will serve you well if you plan your use of it and care for it properly.
By: Frank Borelli, 11 July 2005
I started scuba diving in October of 1987 and, having grown up spending most summers in the ocean, found that I enjoyed it quite a bit. At that point in time, scuba equipment for recreational diving had developed quite a bit - but it's grown a long way since then. Last year I finally talked my wife into getting dive certified and that started me on a journey of re-education about dive gear. One of the things that had noticeably evolved was Buoyancy Compensators, or "BCs".
Real quick, for those who don't know, BCs are a harness that you wear to serve several purposes: 1) they usually hold your air tank centered on your back; 2) they are inflatable / deflatable so you can adjust your buoyancy in the water at every depth you dive, and 3) they give you someplace to carry your dive tools. Most modern day recreational BCs also incorporate a method for carrying weight (to offset our natural buoyancy or tendency to float) and sometimes include a second air source, or "Octopus Regulator".
The Aeris Atmos BC is a pretty basic model of BC but offers a respectable level of comfort along with a few thoughtful design features. The bladder - that holds the air when you inflate the BC - wraps around the diver's waist and lower torso and then also covers the back up both sides of the air tank. However, the bladder does not go up and over the shoulder. On my old BC (I don't even remember what manufacturer it was from back then) the bladder did go up over my shoulders and when fully inflated that could cause issues. On more than one occasion that fully inflated BC was pushing my snorkel up against the side of my head / mask depending on my position.
The shoulder straps are adjustable for length and have a cross-chest strap that helps to hold them in place. That matters - especially when you've fully inflated the BC on the surface and you don't want the discomfort of the shoulder straps pulling up and out against your shoulders / upper arms. The cross-chest strap is also adjustable. In this picture you can see the integrated weight pockets. They are oriented to point almost straight up when the diver is in a vertical position. However, and this is important, when the diver is horizontal - as he/she should be kicking along on a dive - the pockets are pointed slightly downward. A slight angle down helps the diver to ditch the weights if it becomes necessary. Too much of a downward angle, though, means that the weight is constantly trying to fall out of the vest and that would be bad. Those weights keep the diver from popping to the top like a cork. Ascending too quickly can definitely be a bad thing and no one wants to lose their weights unintentionally.
Keeping those weights in place is one reason why Aeris uses two retention methods on their weight pockets:
1) They have a buckle system that snaps the pocket into the BC. That buckle is easily released only if the handle is pulled to remove the weights.
2) The flap that folds over the pocket is covered with Velcro allowing for about 30+ square inches of hook-n-loop also holding the weight pouch in place.
The BC is equipped with a lower-power inflator attachment for power inflation of the vest. A lower-pressure hose from your regulator would quick-attach to this device. There is also a mouthpiece and control / release button so that you can manually orally inflate the BC if necessary. Inside of the oral inflation tube is a steel cable that connects to a dump valve. This allows the diver to vent air out of the BC simply by pulling on the inflator hose. The BC is also set up to accept a dump valve at the right hip - but this is an option and not standard.
To finish out the fit of the BC is the cumberbund and waist buckle. The cumberbund is about six inches wide and covered with Velcro so that you can get a comfortable fit around your middle. Then, over that, is a nylon web waist belt about two inches wide that buckles shut and is adjustable.
If you are using the weight pockets to carry weight, then the BC has no pockets for storage of equipment or anything you've picked up on the dive (a bad habit unless you're on a specifically licensed salvage dive). To allow divers some way of carrying equipment, Aeris provides four D-rings: one on either shoulder strap and one at either hip. I frequently attach my Spyderco Assist folding lockblade to the right side D-ring. By putting a small zip-tie through the lanyard hole of the Assist, I attached it to a retractable lead that is hooked on that D-ring. So, as I dive, the knife hangs just a little, and if I need to I can clip it to the back lower edge of the weight pocket. The Assist is a great dive knife. Its design makes it easy to open - even with thick neoprene gloves on - and the grip is big enough to be easy to handle while wearing those gloves. The tip is completely blunt and rounded so you can't accidentally stab anything (including yourself) and there is an emergency whistle built into the handle. I have an emergency whistle attached to my inflator hose on my BC, but by carrying the Assist, I have a second whistle. Redundancy is good if my life is depending on something.
The other knife I have on my BC is the Hammond ABC Aqua. Distributed by Columbia River Knife & Tool Company (CRKT) the knife is designed specifically for scuba diving. The one I have is shown here as the 2604 with a double edge - one of them partially serrated - and a blunt tip. Since a great many of us tend to use our knives as pry tools (because that's what we have at hand at the moment) the blunt tip saves the knife from being destroyed by improper use. In this picture the belt clip is held onto the kydex sheath by way of four screws. I removed those and the clip. With assistance from a diving buddy of mine I very carefully burned four holes through the front of the right shoulder strap on my BC, appropriately spaced so I could screw the sheath straight onto the shoulder strap. With this setup, the knife hangs handle-down on the right side of my chest. I can easily reach it with either hand; it is not close to any hoses or other gear to get tangled or cause issues; it's easy to draw and sheath without much effort at all.
One word of caution regarding both of these knives: When you finish a dive you're supposed to rinse all your gear with fresh water. The knives need an extra step of maintenance or they will rust. After you have rinsed them, make sure to dry them both off. That includes drying inside the handles of the Assist and inside the sheath of the Hammond. The Hammond has a blued finish that is prone to surface rust if you don't dry it after cleaning it off. My Assist has shown spots of rust in small places where I didn't thoroughly dry it off after rinsing it. Just a thought to keep your knives serviceable.
At any rate, the Aeris Atmos BC is a good performer for not as much money as other BCs out there. It's basic and solid and will serve you well if you plan your use of it and care for it properly.