The Ferrari and Maserati of Diving! A Premium Italian BCD — KNIGHT DIVERS First-Hand Review from the DiveCube Taichung Test Event

2020 has been a year of one disaster after another. Ever since the Editor headed to the Maldives for a dive trip at the end of February (Maldives Deep South — A Close Encounter with Tiger Sharks: Tiger Sharks, Manta Rays, Silky Sharks & Grey Reef Sharks on a Dream Dive Trip), the pandemic has kept us — just like everyone else — from booking any international dive travel. Taiwan's signature annual event, the DRT Show, was also postponed (Born in Taiwan, the Island's Only Professional International Diving & Resort Tourism Expo — DRT SHOW TAIWAN 2019 Attendance Data). That said, Taiwan's pandemic response has been solid, so we can still hop around the island diving to our hearts' content!

This time, the Editor was invited by YHS 裕信管理顧問有限公司 to attend a test event at DiveCube Taichung for what's being called the most lavish premium BCD showcase of 2020 — the KNIGHT DIVERS BCD. The scale of the event was truly impressive, with an enormous spread of gear that's rarely seen domestically. Let's dive into the Editor's first-hand account and take a look at this one-of-a-kind dive gear test event!

Event Schedule

The event on the day was split into two sessions. The first session ran from 18:00 to 19:30, and the second from 21:00 to 22:30. Around 20-plus people attended the first session, making for a lively atmosphere. Unfortunately, a freediving team practice session was scheduled in between, which cut the momentum short — attendees could only stand poolside watching the freedivers perform, which was a bit of a shame. The 21:00 start time for the second session was also quite late, resulting in a smaller turnout, which ended up turning into more of a fan meet-and-greet for underwater filmmaker Director Yuan Xu-Hu!

The person in the orange shirt in the photo above is a legendary figure in the global dive industry (rumour has it that many of the masks and regulators on the market today were designed by him). He has carved out a significant place for himself in the worldwide diving supply chain through his equipment design work, and in recent years has been gradually moving toward building his own brand — which is the context in which YHS 裕信管理顧問有限公司 was born. The event setup was genuinely impressive: several folding tables pushed together, covered end to end with brand-new first stage regulators, second stage regulators, BCDs, masks, and underwater scooters — all available for anyone to assemble and test freely. We heard that after the event, all this gear was immediately sold as display units to partner dive shops. That kind of bold marketing approach is rare in Taiwan! (Ha~)

The Premium BCD — KNIGHT DIVERS

The centrepiece of this showcase was the KNIGHT DIVERS premium BCD, developed through a collaboration between YHS 裕信管理顧問有限公司 and their Italian partners. Before attending this event, the Editor had worn quite a few back-mount BCDs and honestly found most of them to feel more or less the same. Perhaps the Editor just isn't naturally sensitive to these things — for instance, even when testing an MK25 regulator against a standard training regulator in the ocean, it's hard to clearly distinguish the difference. Recreational diving is meant to be simple, so why obsess over what those specs actually mean? (That said, after this test, there was a genuine change of heart — more on that in a moment!)

But the KNIGHT DIVERS BCD has one standout quality: it looks absolutely stunning. In the diving world, looking the part matters — and this BCD nails the Editor's number-one BCD selection criterion: it's cool.

The KNIGHT DIVERS BCD features a distinctive triangular wing design. According to the owner, this helps establish a proper trim position underwater. The wing is available in CORDURA® scratch-resistant fabric (up to 1000 denier) or a stain-resistant double-sided TPU coating. The moment the Editor caught sight of the gorgeous sheen of the TPU-coated version on display, it was straight to the owner to ask how much it costs!

The wing comes in a range of buoyancy capacities to suit your needs: 11, 13, 15 kg, and even 19 and 21 kg for technical diving with twin cylinders (the common unit is pounds, so multiply by 2.205 to get the equivalent lift in lbs). Add in the choice of backplate material — stainless steel, aluminium alloy, and more — plus harness systems including a comfortable quick-release harness, a DIR harness, and a rigid DIR harness, and you begin to see why a hands-on test event like this is so valuable: you can actually get in the water and find the lift capacity and harness system that suits you best. For example, before getting in the water, the rather well-rounded Editor assumed a 13 kg wing would be needed — but it turned out 11 kg was more than sufficient for underwater needs (even accounting for situations where the camera rig — arms, lights and all — creates negative buoyancy).

We'll share the underwater footage in a moment, but first it's worth highlighting that all the valves on the KNIGHT DIVERS BCD are made in Italy — including an Italian-made K-type inflator/deflator with a low-profile concealed corrugated hose connector, a high-tech concealed over-pressure valve, and even metal dump valve buttons to reduce the risk of plastic cracking over time. Every element of this piece of kit reflects the Italians' exceptional craftsmanship and uncompromising design philosophy.

In-Water Test Impressions

As mentioned earlier, the Editor has tested a number of back-mount BCDs and generally hasn't been able to spot clear differences between them. But what sets a great back-mount BCD apart — beyond being lightweight and streamlined (compared to a jacket-style BCD) — is its underwater handling. The KNIGHT DIVERS BCD's unique triangular wing design appears to distribute buoyancy more toward the hips when the BCD is partially inflated underwater, helping to lift the hips and effortlessly achieve a trim position. The slim, close-fitting profile also facilitates the quick turns and rapid movements needed for underwater photography. For an underwater photographer, this is a highly recommended back-mount BCD.

Rethinking How We Dive (According to the Owner)

Because of its versatility and adaptability, the back-mount BCD could evolve in all kinds of directions to meet future needs. According to the owner, we may eventually stop seeing backplates altogether — replaced instead by a high-load-bearing soft vest onto which the wing is clipped via buckles, much like a military tactical vest, making it even easier to don and doff. At the event, there was also a glimpse of a product currently in development by another manufacturer: underwater thrusters. Two small propulsion units worn on the thighs provide thrust while leaving both hands completely free. The owners are apparently already exploring how to integrate the battery and controls directly into the BCD itself. Here's hoping the diving world's most inventive minds can bring us this groundbreaking innovation soon — one that could completely transform the way we dive!

After attending this test event, there's just one small regret: the owner said he was exhausted and hasn't yet planned where or when to hold the next one. As mentioned above, a great back-mount BCD should match exactly what you need for your diving activities — in terms of lift capacity, harness system, backplate type, and hardware. We sincerely hope that similar test events will be held in the north, centre, and south of Taiwan in the future, giving divers interested in the KNIGHT DIVERS BCD the chance to try it out in the water for themselves. If you're keen, feel free to reach out to the YHS 裕信管理顧問有限公司 Facebook page and ask the owner whether it's possible to arrange a test of this premium Italian-made BCD!

Further Reading:

• Sony RX100-M6 Underwater Shooting Test & Unboxing — The New King of Underwater Camera Systems

• Diving 21 Metres Below a City: First Experience with DiveCube Taichung and the H2 Underwater Scooter

• 【What Is This Gear?】Entry, Mid-Range & High-End Jacket BCD Buying Guide — Jacket BCD Unboxing

• 【What Is This Gear? #8】Back-Mount BCD Buying Guide — Back Float BCD Unboxing

• Is a Stylish Back-Mount BC Actually Good? Dark Tide Gear Talk Tells All