Mini B Dive Kit On Test

Mini-B C-Pro

In use: This all-in-one system, developed specifically for boat owners by commercial diver Rob Hart, is the only one we tried with any buoyancy control.

It has a 5lt cylinder, which gave us about 30 minutes beneath the boat. The system is built in to a large backpack and features a depth-gauge, regulator and BCD-inflator, and weight pockets – although Mini-B recommend that you only put 40-50% of your weights in these so you can jettison your separate belt if necessary. At first we tried all the weights in the pockets, but these made the system somewhat unstable. With half of them on a weight belt, as recommended, it became much more usable.

Our testers found it comfortable to use, and the buoyancy made working underwater, ascending, and life back on the surface, much easier. Having the buoyancy means that dives where you are more than a couple of metres underwater, for instance to clear a fouled anchor, become more viable. On the surface, the fully-inflated bladder kept us afloat, albeit with a slight tendency to turn us onto our front, but it did mean you could easily scrub the waterline without having to kick hard to stay afloat.

www.mini-b.com