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The New Lightweight Champion. Weighing in at only 6 lbs, the new Islander 2 BC looks to continue its successful run as ring-leader with the introduction of a new color design and streamlined, integrated weight system. This is the ultimate travel BC with a perfect balance of features and benefits that makes diving a pure joy.
The Islander 2 keeps things simple with a clean, straightforward design that focuses on comfort and convenience. If your travel plans call for lightweight luggage, then the Islander 2 BC is definitely for you.
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Islander 2 BCD, Black/Blue:
[...] My wife and I liked the design and quality so much we immediately ordered another one for her. We now use these BCD's for all our diving and are very pleased with them.They are nicely balanced with the weights placed behind the pockets which are large and easily accessable at the front. The backpad is easily removed if like us you find it unnecessary for comfort.
from Queensland, Australia on 3/7/2010
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Islander 2 BCD, Black/Blue:
I purchased this BCD for my girlfriend and it has been great. Everything is positioned perfect for her and she loves the fit.
Service was amazing from the questions I had prior to purchase, to the delivery in Australia within 7 days. Every aspect of this purchase exceeded my expectations.
[7 of 7 customers found this review helpful]
from Tennessee on 11/30/2009
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Islander 2 BCD, Black/Blue:
I bought 2 of these BCDs, one for me and one for my wife. They are extremely functional and as we do a variety of diving, they fit the bill for us. There are plenty of attachment points for anything you need on a dive. Since we dive a variety of conditions weight distribution can be a problem, we have had no problem with the weight capacity. With my size, I'm 6'4" and 275# I need about 26 pounds with a full 7mm wet suit and this BCD handles it easily. I have used 10# solid weights in the quick release pouches and up to 4 in the tank weight pouches with absolutely no problem. I was surprised with the solid weights that there was no discomfort and the weight dumped and reloaded from the quick release pouch with ease. I do prefer soft pouches as a rule. Unlike some rear bladder BCDs I have not experienced any instability. All and all the Islander 2 is and excellent BCD and well worth the investment. We like them so well that they are not just for travel due to the light weight but we use them for all our diving.
[4 of 5 customers found this review helpful]
from Philippines on 8/25/2009
Comments about Oceanic Oceanic Islander 2 BCD, Black/Blue:
This is the perfect BC for warm water and/or dive travel. However, it can only hold 14 pounds of weight total... So if you are wearing a quarter-inch wetsuit from head to toe, this one is not for you. ;) But that is also this BC's greatest strength -- very lightweight, easy to pack and travel with, easy to lug around on your vacation. I live in the tropics so this BC works well for me.
Sizing: The various sizing charts recommended that I order a Large. I ignored that and ordered the one I thought was right just by guessing (XL) and I'm glad I did. It turned out to be exactly right.
Weight: The weight integration is fantastic. This is one of the main things Oceanic improved in the Islander 2 over the original version. The main pockets are over your hips. They have easy zipper tops (to load in weights) and large plastic buckle snaps on the bottom (to ditch weights). The whole thing feels very sturdy and there is no Velcro to wear out over time. There are also two nylon zipper bags that hang on your tank strap for additional weight. Originally I was diving with 2kg in each front pocket but I just switched to 1kg in each of those and 1kg in each zipper bag on the tank strap. This makes a huge difference in the comfort of this BC. It also helps balance you at the surface. Back-inflation BCs can be a pain on the surface but that totally fixed it. Now I need to practice ditching a few times in controlled conditions to find out if I have enough "ditchable" weight to get bouyant (the back weights are not ditchable).
Features: This BC is sort of minimalist. It doesn't have 47 stainless rings on each side. However the movable clips work good and have plenty of strong nylon loops to tie to. There is a snug hose clip on each side (gauge and octopus) that are fairly standard and work fine. I love the jumbo zipper pockets in the front. Good for storing extra weights if you are diving with beginners who might need them, or anything else. The integrated carrying handle (molded into the hard plastic back piece) works fine but it is difficult to find the first time, especially if a tank is attached.
Cons: I was a little disappointed that it didn't come with an attached emergency whistle like the old version, but that's an easy upgrade. And there is less reflective material on it than I would like for night diving. If you dive in both warm and cold water, you'll need two BCs.
Pros: Comfort and easy hauling. Because it's a back inflator with integrated weights it almost feels like you have nothing on.