Like Being in a Cocoon
When the Origin Genesis showed up I was pleasantly surprised with how light it was, especially for a BCD that falls under the “budget” category. A lot of budget-friendly equipment is made from less-expensive materials, which tend to be bulkier. So, right off the bat, I thought that this was a budget-friendly BCD that would be useful for travel as well.
Taking it to the water, I ran into a few minor difficulties. First, the carrying handle is extremely low on the BCD. This made carrying the whole setup harder than it should have been. It’s a good thing I’m resourceful and was able to just don the unit and walk myself to the water’s edge.
All the adjustment points worked nicely and I was able to snug the Origin to my body and it felt comfortable. The swivel buckles on the shoulder adjustment straps were a nice touch, pulling the webbing down and away from my ribs. Those swivel buckles also mean that female divers with a body type different from mine would feel comfortable as well.
My biggest issue with the way the Origin fit was in the sheer size of the BCD along the sides, under my ribs. This section of the BCD went from my hips almost all the way to my armpits. For starters, this was simply uncomfortable.
I kept hitting my elbows on the unit. I felt like I had to keep my arms away from my body to prevent this, and I can only imagine what my trim looked like. Also, this made it very difficult to reach back and utilize the pockets.
I was quite pleased with the vast amount of D-rings, even if they are plastic. Being able to clip on my SMB, reel, and a small dive light made accessing the pockets unnecessary. Two of these D-rings are smaller, and in a great location to attach your octopus or SPG.
Aside from the feeling of bulkiness—which I mostly attribute to my personal setup not having anything along the sides rather than the actual construction of the BCD—the Origin maintained good buoyancy and relatively good trim. It was comfortable in the water, on the surface, and while walking to and from the water’s edge.
I think the Origin makes a lot of sense for a new diver looking to save some money without skimping on quality or divers looking to add a backup BCD in their dive locker. This would also be a great BCD for instructors to use with their students. The lift capabilities make it a great choice for students figuring out their weighting, which is usually on the heavier side.
Spec Breakdowns & Features
The Genesis Origin is a traditional jacket-style BCD, meaning the air cell (bladder) wraps around your entire torso. This ensures you will, in an emergency, float face up on the surface. Being a jacket style BCD also means there are adjustment points at the shoulders, waist, and chest. There is also a cumberbund strap that helps keep the Origin snug on your body.
The Origin has a lot of lift capabilities. The large* size delivers 49.5 pounds of lift, which, for its size, is one of the highest capabilities we’ve tested. It can also accommodate a lot of weight. In all sizes, divers can use up to 20 pounds of ditchable weight and an additional 10 pounds of non-ditchable weight in the trim pockets.
Having your hand-held gear close by is important, and the Genesis gives you options with six plastic D-rings, as well as four plastic D-rings attached to the end of the webbing on the adjustment points. Your tank stays attached with a single cam-band and a tank height adjustment strap.
*Lift capacity: XS: 21lbs.; S: 31.4 lbs.; M: 38.2 lbs.; L: 49.5 lbs.; XL: 60.7 lbs.
Accessories
If you’re looking for a mask that is solid and won’t break the bank, check out our review of the Genesis Icon. If you need a mask with prescription lenses, check out the Genesis SL RX.
Price/Quality Ratio
The Genesis Origin won’t break the bank, in fact—it’s great as a budget BCD. But with that low cost comes a few tradeoffs. For starters, all of the D-rings and other gear attachment points are all plastic. It’s thick, high-quality plastic, but it still has the potential to break or snap if hit with enough force.
But the Origin does deliver when it comes to the price/quality ratio. While you won’t get all the bells and whistles, you will get a serviceable piece of equipment that is safe and reliable.
Do we recommend the Genesis Origin?
We do recommend the Genesis Origin BCD, especially for divers looking for a budget-friendly piece of equipment, divers just starting out on their scuba journey, and for those who want a second BCD in their dive locker in case their primary is unusable for some reason.
While not fancy, or including all the upgrades, the Genesis Origin is a very serviceable, safe, traditional jacket-style BCD. Being a budget BCD means you get a good piece of equipment that won’t break the bank. While you’re thinking about BCDs, check out our full rundown of the best BCDs we’ve tested here.
Specs & Features
| Inflation | Jacket-style BCD |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not specified by manufacturer |
| Lift capacity | 49.5 (size large) |
| Clips/D-rings | Six dedicated attachment points (plastic), four other attachment points (plastic) |
| Adjustment points | Shoulders, waist, and chest |
| Tank attachment | Single tank strap with tank-height adjustment strap |
| Weight capacity | 20 pounds, ditchable (all sizes); 10 pounds non-ditchable |
