Hydrostatic Vest or Buoyancy compensator

Introduction

Care and cleaning

Introduction

Besides acting as a backpack to transport the air tank in, the main function of the hydrostatic vest is helping the diver maintain certain buoyancy either on the surface or trying to achieve neutral buoyancy underwater, by inflating or deflating.

There are different models of vests. The most common is the “jacket” which allows air tanks to be carried on the diver’s back.
There are also front mounted vests or those resembling back packs but these are losing ground in light of the advantages offered by the “jacket”.

A hydrostatic vest is basically made up of:
- A sack for air storage.
- A tube through which the vest is inflated or deflated.
- Deflation valves and security valves to avoid explosion due to overpressure.
- A regulation system.

When buying a hydrostatic vest it is important to keep in mind that when it is inflated it must allow for buoyancy on the surface.
It is convenient for the vest to have a low pressure device which allows it to be filled directly from the tank

Care and cleaning
Besides the usual recommendations for treatment of gear used underwater, with vests it is important to pay special attention to the following pointers:
1. Check, clean and lubricate (using silicone grease) the inflator and other mechanisms in the vest.
2. Keep it in a dry place, slightly inflated so as to avoid folds or the internal walls sticking together.
3. Check that nothing is left in the pockets, as anything that remains in them over a considerable period of time can cause damage.
4. The vest should be rinsed in sweet water on the inside and outside, as well as the inflation valve, ensuring that no water is left inside.