Get this Wing … and Learn to Fly
As a diver, my personal BCD is a Dive Rite. My whole setup is made from Dive Rite components—my wing, my backplate, and my harness. I teach in it; I dive it for fun; I love it. It has held up remarkably well, and delivers exactly what I need.
As an instructor, I try to nudge my students into backplate/wing diving. I know it’s not for everybody, but I do know that everybody that has made the switch is more than happy with it.
That’s why I was so excited to receive the Hydro Lite, because not only do I trust the Dive Rite brand, but I also think the Hydro Lite is the perfect BCD for those who want to make the transition from traditional jacket-style diving to BPW diving.
I dived the Hydro Lite with my steel tank and a couple pounds of lead. With 30 pounds of lift I felt comfortable on the surface, and with the 360-degree oval wing I felt trim underwater and was able to maintain great buoyancy.
I’ve traveled before with my personal setup, and it’s always such a pain to lug my stainless steel backplate on airplanes. But the Hydro Lite changes that. At just over six pounds, this BCD is ready to travel right out of the box, and makes those adventures less stressful without compromising any of the BPW benefits you’re used to.
The mountaineering backpack-style harness with lumbar, hip, and shoulder pads made the Hydro lite comfortable both in and out of the water. Standard with four stainless steel D-rings, I had ample choices for gear mounting.
The one thing I didn’t personally like is the location of the integrated weight pockets. I’m used to diving with all of my weight behind me, and at times it felt like it was dragging my hips down. It would be nice if there was an option to have the weight pocket installed more as a “trim” pocket attached to the tank bands, giving the feel of a BPW.
Spec Breakdowns & Features
A soft backplate and wing, delivering 30 pounds of lift, the Hydro Lite is a technical-inspired BCD. Made from the same materials as traditional backplate/wing BCDs, the Hydro Lite is tough and can handle anything you throw at it. But, since it weighs just over six pounds, it can also travel easily.
Along with the soft backplate, the Hydro Lite has padded lumbar, hip, and shoulder straps, making it as comfortable on land as in the water. Adjustment points at the shoulders, waist, and chest make the Hydro Lite able to fit a variety of body shapes and sizes.
Four stainless steel D-rings and integrated weight pockets make the Hydro Lite completely personalized to fit your equipment and weight needs.
Accessories
Dive Rite is known for making gear that meets the needs of technical divers the world over. But you don’t have to be a technical diver to reap the benefits of their gear. They make top-of-the line regulators and BCDs, but they also make reels, masks, and fins.
One of their specialties is lights. A good light can make any dive better, and we recommend always carrying one. If you are in the market for a new light, check out the Dive Rite LX20 light.
Price/Quality Ratio
The Dive Rite Hydro Lite falls into our “mid-range” category, and costs roughly the same as other BCDs, both wing and traditional, jacket-style BCDs. It is worth what you would spend on it. Made with 600-denier polyester outer shell, a 210-denier nylon laminated inner bladder, and radio frequency welded along the seams, the Hydro Lite is tough and will last you years.
Costing a little more than most jacket-style BCDs but still less than a complete backplate/wing setup, the Hydro Lite is in a price sweet spot for those who want to transition to BPW diving but still want to travel light.
Do we recommend the Dive Rite Hydro Lite?
We do recommend the Dive Rite Hydro Lite BCD. A great BCD from a great company at a pretty good price is hard to beat. Offering divers a soft backplate/wing that is honestly lighter and more packable than the majority of traditional jacket style BCDs is hard to pass up.
With four stainless steel D-rings and room for more, divers can securely clip their gear, from reels to SMBs, cameras, and bags without fear of losing them from an unzipped pocket.
With lumbar, hip, and shoulder padding built into a mountaineering backpack-style harness, the Hydro Lite is great both in and out of the water. Adjustable at the shoulders, waist, and chest, the Hydro Lite allows divers of different sizes and shapes to feel the benefits of the BCD.
Specs & Features
| Inflation | Back-inflation wing |
|---|---|
| Weight | 6.2 pounds |
| Lift capacity | 30 pounds |
| Clips/D-rings | Four stainless steel D-rings |
| Adjustment points | Both shoulders, chest, and a quick-release belt buckle |
| Tank attachment | Dual tank straps and tank height adjustment strap |
| Weight capacity | 12 pounds (releasable) |
