This year’s undisputed favorite among test divers, the Aquaride Elite is well built with virtually no inherent buoyancy.

TUSA’s BCJ-4000 — the Soverin — is made of 500 Denier Cordura nylon and is loaded with features. The Ultimate Stabilizing Harness uses strategically placed rails to hold the tank in place.

The Integra 2 by Scubamax is a full-featured jacket-style BC designed for diving in all conditions. A rugged BC, it’s built from heavy-duty 1100 Denier nylon with a half-dozen stainless-steel D-rings and a stainless mount for attaching a knife.

Traveling divers who like jacket-style BCs are going to love SCUBAPRO’s GO. Although lightweight, this is a full-featured BC with a super-secure integrated weight system, huge cargo pockets with mesh reinforcements and zippered closures, lightweight shoulder strap buckles and large aluminum D-rings.

In this month's Back of the Boat interview, we spoke with longtime scuba-gear designer and Sherwood's Director of Product Development Bill Oliver

SCUBAPRO has designed the surprisingly comfortable Form Tek harness for double-tank configurations, though it can be converted for single-tank use. Sixty pounds of lift and a stainless-steel back plate make this harness an ideal foundation for serious technical diving.

These nine new BCs stretch the limits of features, comfort and performance. Read here how each BC fared in the reviews, along with a detailed explanation of our scuba gear testing process.

A behind-the-scenes look at ScubaLab’s BC testing in the pool and the open ocean

**We’ve got predive and postdive steps to keep your BC in top-notch working condition. If you want to extend the life of your BC for years to come, follow our maintenance tips:**