The Beuchat Masterlift Voyager BC

The Masterlift Voyager BC from Beuchat is best described as a good all-rounder. It's sturdy enough to be used for Thai diving, easily accommodating a 15-liter steel cylinder with attached pony cylinder. It weights less than 3kg, so it is also light enough to be taken overseas.

The Beuchat Masterlift Voyager BC is a single-bag design manufactured from 210-denier nylon/polyurethane and features a semi-rigid backpack that is nicely padded, especially on the lower back. Two robust tank cam-bands keep the cylinder securely in place and are designed to part when loosened. This makes it easier to get them around a cylinder, rather than having to slide the whole setup over the top of the tank, and allows, for it to be repositioned without removing the regulator.

A feature we particularly like is the Voyage concept. This a type of harness design with integrated expandable ballast compartments attached. This means the BC feels much more secure, can be easily adjusted and, when it's inflated, doesn't tighten up, as so many BCs tend to do.

The accompanying blurb says that the weight-integrated pockets could take a maximum of 2.5kg each, but we could easily cram 4kg into them with a further 4kg spread over the two trim-weight pockets at the back. Placing the integrated weight back into the BC is a doddle – they simply glide in. The quick-release mechanism isn't particularly straightforward, though, as you need to operate an unlocking system first. With practice, you can do it one-handed, but to begin with you'll definitely require both hands.

With the weight in place, the pockets are roomy enough to carry various gizmos, and there are sufficient D-rings to attach torches, reels and other accessories. On the left pocket is a natty bungee affair that can house a small knife, while means you can satisfy those dive leaders who insist that you carry have a snorkel, without it dangling dangerously from your mask throughout the dive.

Out in the open water, I found I enjoyed using the Beuchat Masterlift Voyager BC. On the surface, if gives a reasonable amount of lift – even though the specification only credits 150N of thrust to the large size I was using, I found it more than adequate. One bonus is the rugged carrying handle, which makes it easy to lift the whole set out of the water over the side of a RIB when wearing dry gloves.

The Beuchat Masterlift Voyager BC is perhaps a touch pricey, but you do get plenty of extra goodies thrown in, as well as a trendy mesh bag to carry it in. It is available in sizes ranging from extra-small to extra-large with buoyancies of 80 to 180N.