Cressi

Cressi Patrol BCD

A rear-inflation travel BCD built around Cressi's Lock-Aid weight system and a light, semi-rigid backplate for stability without jacket-style bulk.

Travel-friendly

Lighter and more packable than a standard BCD of the same lift capacity, aimed at divers who fly to their diving.

Cressi Patrol BCD
3.9Comparison Score
$499.95
Buy on AmazonBuy on Scuba.com
Released2017
Styleback inflation
Weight-integratedYes
Lift capacity50.6 lbs
Backplatenone
D-rings4
Trim pocketsNo
Material420D nylon air cell
Travel-friendlyYes
Dry weight3200g
Fitunisex
SizesS-XL

"Lift capacity" is the manufacturer-rated buoyancy the wing/bladder can provide at the surface. Match it to your exposure suit, tank, and weighting, not the biggest number available.

Pros
  • Rear-inflation design with a light, semi-rigid backplate gives stable in-water trim; it was named a Scuba Diving magazine ScubaLab Best Buy for back-inflation BCDs
  • Lock-Aid Integrated Weight Pockets release up to 20 lb (9 kg) of weight for a quick ditch
  • Low packed bulk makes it a practical option for traveling divers
Cons
  • Rear trim pockets on the tank band are an optional add-on rather than standard equipment; at least one reviewer added them aftermarket for better trim
  • Only 4 D-rings, fewer than Cressi's dedicated Travelight model
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Community discussion of the Patrol specifically is sparse, but what exists is consistent. Owners describe it as lightweight, travel-friendly, and good value, with responsive inflate/deflate and solid lift for the price; ScubaLab's professional test scored it "very good" for comfort and stability and gave it a Best Buy award. A Scubaboard seller with a lightly-used unit said it "dives really well and everything functions perfectly," though sizing runs large per a couple of posters. A 2023 CPSC/Cressi recall covered the Patrol for a defective inflator-hose fitting that could cause inflation failure; Cressi issued a free replacement hose and no injuries were reported.

Scubaboard: Patrol owner comments on function/sizingScuba Diving Magazine: Cressi Patrol ScubaLab Best BuyCPSC: Cressi Patrol inflator-hose recall

Summarized from public forum discussion (Scubaboard, Reddit, and similar), not a survey we ran ourselves. See the linked threads for the original conversations.

The Patrol is Cressi’s travel-oriented rear-inflation BCD, pairing a light, semi-rigid backplate with an independent harness meant to reduce chest and abdominal compression. It uses Cressi’s Lock-Aid weight system for quick-release integrated weights and a high-lift dorsal air cell for stability. It’s aimed at divers who want a rear-inflation BC’s in-water trim in a lighter, more packable package than a full-size jacket or backplate-and-wing setup.