The air cell on the Hydro D is horseshoe-shaped, which enables the tank to be positioned closer to the body.

The Alpha is a full-featured, all-purpose BC that garnered some admiring nods from test divers for its very compact yet very responsive power inflator in particular, and its overall valve system in general.

The Pro LT is built a little lighter than the Pro QD and offers fewer bells and whistles, but when it comes to performance, this BC is no slouch.

SCUBAPRO’s Geo was the lightest BC in ScubaLab’s 2010 BC round-up.

“An awesome BC,” said one diver, which sums diver sentiment and why the Pro QD captured the Testers’ Choice for a jacket-style BC in the General Purpose category.

Wearing this BC at depth just feels good. It’s comfortable and stable, with good valve control and substantial buoyant lift in all sizes for temperate-water diving.

The EX100 is a lightweight all-purpose BC that offers all the basics plus throws in some nice extras, all for the lowest price of any BC in the General Purpose category.

ScubaLab tells you what to expect from what might be the best year ever for new and improved BCs

Tilos’ back-bouyancy Armada BC is targeted to the traveling diver, but it has enough ballast capacity and buoyant lift for local diving too.