TUSA
Liberator 2 Buoyancy CompensatorIn the TUSA catalog this buoyancy compensator is listed as their "economy" model. I think they have sold themselves short. It is, albeit, their least expensive model, a more "basic" BC, but I found this jacket to be very good at what it does, even if there are fewer bells and whistles than more expensive buoyancy compensators.
The TUSA Liberator BC was recently overhauled to become the Liberator 2, not that the original Liberator was a poor BC. It was actually quite good. As near as I can tell, they just widened the cummerbund for more comfort, made it tougher, and updated the air control along with some other odds and ends.
This is a hard pack BC. While this kind of pack is a bit more "old fashioned," it has always made an excellent support framework for the tank and BC. Although many "soft-pack" BCs are now right up there with their "hard-pack" ancestors (such as the TUSA Imprex Independent Harness System), the hard pack is still an excellent choice for divers needing a lot of solid tank support (such as shore divers). The only disadvantage of a hard-pack is that it is more difficult to pack into a gear bag for travel.
While this BC does have fewer accessories that some of the higher-end BCs, I do not consider this a "stripped-down" BC. For tank support, there is only one main tank band but with a hard pack, this is adequate. A tank positioning strap is included. The carrying handle is built into the hard-pack. In the front, a new ultrawide, fully adjustable cummerbund helps distribute the weight of the tank across the waist and holds the entire unit solidly on the body. I found it very comfortable. A tummy strap and clip keeps the side wings of the air bladder in place. Getting in and out of the Liberator 2 is easy. Twin shoulder clips tighten with a pull and release with the squeeze of a finger and thumb.
The air bladder is constructed of heavy duty 420 denier nylon. While not as thick as some of their top models, this is more than enough toughness for the average sport diver. The air bladder is constructed with baffles so that it expands outwards as inflated rather than inward, constricting the diver. In the model I tested, the extra-large, a whopping 43 pounds of lift is provided with most being right where it is most needed, under the arms around the waist. I was lifted head and shoulders out of the water when it was fully inflated.
And TUSA did not skimp on the airway system. The same airway (inflator, deflator, BC hose) is used on this BC as their most expensive model. It is very sensitive to just a puff of air for compensating. A tug of the hose dumps air, a little or a lot depending on how hard you pull. Or you can also dump or add air manually at the inflator head. The entire assembly can be easily removed for a full rinse of the BC. A rear dump valve is provided for buoyancy control in any position.
There is plenty of room for accessories on this BC. It comes with a swivel hose clip for an octopus regulator or console. And "D" rings are not lacking for hanging off lights and such. A total of four are provided. The pockets on this BC are huge! One is on each side with velcro closure.
I was a happy diver with this BC. It is not over-engineered, yet still has a lot of important accessories. It functions very well and is economically priced. With its simplicity, toughness and economy, I would not be surprised if you found a lot of these BCs in the rental inventory of dives stores. New divers that are on a budget, and perhaps plan on doing some shore diving, may want to give the TUSA Liberator 2 BC serious consideration.
The TUSA Liberator 2 BC is available in sizes XS through XL and in 3 color trim choices. California TUSA dealers are listed in the Dive Store Directory section of this publication or for a dealer near you, call TUSA at (562) 498-3708.
