Apeks Exotec-S BCD

Apeks Exotec-S BCD

The Exotec-S is the streamlined half of Apeks' hybrid pair. Same BioReact articulating waist, same idea of backplate performance without a bare webbing harness, in a slimmer package for divers who do not need the larger pockets of the standard Exotec.

Hybrid is the right word for it. The backplate pivots at your waist and the bladder inflates behind you, which is wing behaviour. The integrated weights, adjustable harness and ready-to-dive setup are jacket BCD behaviour. You get the trim without the project.

It sits in our BCD range rather than with the wings, because in use it behaves as a complete BCD rather than a system you build around.

• BioReact articulating waist system, backplate pivots at the waist
• Streamlined profile to reduce drag
• Customisable across all sizes: backplate height, waist and shoulder straps
• GripTek fabric to reduce BCD movement on the surface and underwater
• Integrated weight system
• Multiple attachment points and pockets
• Available in a range of sizes and colours

Why divers choose the Exotec-S

Streamlined enough to notice

Drag is cumulative. A slimmer profile means less water to push and better air consumption across a dive, and the difference compounds over a week of diving. The S trades pocket volume for exactly that.

The articulating waist, in a smaller package

The BioReact system is the reason to buy either Exotec. The backplate follows your body instead of resisting it, which makes the rig noticeably more comfortable when you are kitting up, sitting on a boat, or climbing a ladder in full kit.

It fits properly across every size

Backplate height, waist and shoulders all adjust independently on every size, so fit is set to your torso rather than approximated. A well-fitted BCD does not ride up, and a BCD that does not ride up is one you stop thinking about.

Serviced by our own technicians

Inflator mechanisms and dump valves wear. Like every BCD we sell, the Exotec-S can be serviced in-house at our UK dive centre rather than going away to a distributor for weeks.

Features that matter underwater

GripTek outer fabric

Designed to stop the BCD sliding on your exposure suit. Most relevant at the surface, where a rig that creeps upward is uncomfortable and makes you work harder to stay upright while you wait for the boat.

Integrated weight system

Weights carried in the BCD rather than on a belt, which spreads load across the harness and removes the belt-slipping problem. Practise the ditch in a pool so that the release is muscle memory rather than a decision.

Adjustable backplate height

The backplate position sets where the articulation happens. Matched to your torso, the pivot lands at your waist. Set wrong, it pivots somewhere unhelpful and the main feature stops working.

Multiple attachment points

Enough D-rings and clip points to run a torch, SMB, spool and cutting tool without improvising. Position them before the dive, not during it.

Who the Exotec-S is for

• Divers who want backplate trim in a ready-to-dive BCD
• Anyone who found a rigid backplate uncomfortable on the surface
• Divers who travel and want a streamlined, lower-bulk rig
• People upgrading from a jacket BCD who still want integrated weights
• Divers who carry a moderate amount of kit rather than a lot

Who it may not be for: divers carrying a lot of accessories, who will prefer the larger pockets on the standard Exotec, and technical divers, who should go straight to a plate and wing.

Specifications

Buying the Exotec-S

If the standard Exotec appeals but you do not need the pocket volume, this is the one to buy. Same comfort advantage, less bulk, slightly better in the water.

The only decision that really matters is fit. Backplate height and strap adjustment set where the articulation happens, and that is the feature you are paying for.