BC AQUALUNG PEARL i3

I like it because it's almost as good as I can get for my figure, unless I design it myself! Not only is having my boobs squashed into an unnatural sausage shape inside the neoprene painful, but it's unflattering. My Bare wetsuit clings to my shape, is easy to get in and out of, and I feel comfortable in it.
I've had the same sort of problems with BCs that are obviously designed for women with the figures of marathon runners. So often manufacturers appear to think that adding a bit of pink material to the design is enough to make it female-friendly. There's a lot more to it than that. Many of us women have bodies of an entirely different shape to men.
Years ago I had a SeaQuest Diva, which I loved, but it has long gone to that place where all worn-out diving kit ends up.
So when I got the chance to use the latest BC designed for women, I jumped at it. It's called the Pearl, and the version I tried had the i3 hose-less control. The direct feed from the regulator plugs straight into it.

COMFORT
The Pearl has the same Lycra bodice or "sports bra" arrangement as the former Diva. This means it fitted comfortably across my chest, gripping evenly all over, with no tendency to ride up. It has no need of the sternum strap that is so often a cause of discomfort.
Once the cummerbund is pulled closed under the bust-line and the waist-strap securely clipped, this BC really became a part of me. A soft collar prevents it from rubbing on the neck.
I put 4kg in each side of the nice integrated-weight system. There's a conventional zipped pocket on the right side, a place to cable-tie a knife holster on the other, a small zipped pocket on the cummerbund, and a clever drop-down zipped pocket on the other side that unrolls the moment you need it.
There are also places inside the BC on each side to stow an octopus rig, but I was using
a long hose so didn't use this feature.

EFFICACY
Because this BC is such a snug fit, it was completely efficient. At first, I was a bit worried about the i3 control for adding or dumping air because it felt unfamiliar, but I got the hang of it on first use. It really felt as if the air I injected as I went deeper was evenly distributed throughout the buoyancy chamber because I always felt so well-balanced, although I know that it will always rise to the highest point. I could also hear it injecting, which gave me a nice feeling.
The feeling of over distribution was the same when it came to releasing air.
Besides the main integrated-weight system there are trim-weight pockets.
I had no need of them, even though I was using an aluminium tank, because the system was so well-integrated with a BC that was itself well-integrated with me. There was none of that floaty feeling towards the end of the dive.

CONTROL OF ASCENT
I hadn't dived for a couple of years, so I felt a bit out of practice on the first dive. I wasn't familiar with the i3 lever, so I dumped air to leave the surface by using the conventional pull-cord and toggle at the right-side shoulder.
Later in the dive, I felt secure in the knowledge that if I had a runaway ascent I could resort to pulling on this to get things under control, but as it was this scenario never arose. The i3 lever gave me perfect control, and I could dump the smallest amount of air if I needed to. There are two points at which the air is jettisoned, so it works at whatever angle you are.

SURFACE SUPPORT
At the surface with the Pearl i3 fully inflated, I didn't ride as high in the water as I might have done with other BCs, but it proved adequate.
I always felt well-supported, and I didn't get a BC round my neck like a neck-support.
If I accidentally found myself at the surface with an empty tank, I could easily use the oral-inflation tube, which has a control valve at the open end. The manufacturer has covered every eventuality.

EASE OF REMOVAL
With no corrugated hose to get in the way, and only a single waist-strap to unclip, it was simple to get out of the Pearl i3. The buckles on the upper part of the harness unclip easily too, if need be, and the direct-feed hose is well out of the way.
Using the i3 system, it was great to discover that no water had made its way inside the buoyancy cell, which really speeded up packing to go home.

COMPARABLE BCS TO CONSIDER:
Mares Kaila MRS AT, £399

SPECS
STYLE Conventional BC with added back-flotation and bodice.
DRY WEIGHT 4kg
INTEGRATED WEIGHTS Yes, with trim-weights.
D-RINGS Four stainless-steel
MAX LIFT IN SIZE M 15kg
SIZES XS, S, M, ML, L
CONTACT www.aqualung.com
DIVER GUIDE