A single stuck inflator button at 80 feet or a dump valve that won't release can turn an expensive dive trip into a dangerous situation—and these failures are almost always preventable. In this episode, veteran diver Ray Hollister draws on four decades of experience and over 2,000 dives on a single BCD to share the exact maintenance protocols that keep buoyancy compensators reliable for years. Whether you're diving a back-inflate wing or a traditional jacket-style BC, you'll learn the specific tasks, intervals, and techniques that prevent corrosion, bladder degradation, and mechanical failures before they happen.

• A quick spray-down isn't enough—submerge your BCD for 3 to 5 minutes after every dive day, paying special attention to the inflator mechanism, dump valves, and metal fittings where salt crystallizes fastest.

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