Sherwood Tortuga BCD

The Sherwood Tortuga BCD is marketed as a comfortable utility buoyancy control device that offers many convenient features.

But how does it stand up?

At a Glance Features of the Sherwood Tortuga BCD

Simple to use inflator (for both oral and power inflation).
3-D air cell which comprises controlled expansion to ensure maximum lift and minimum squeeze.
Adjustable shoulder area so that you can get in and out of the Tortuga easily.
2 x well placed and easily usable zip-pockets.
Self adjusting waist strap.
A vent valve on the right shoulder side.
4 x stainless stell D-rings.
Heavyweight 1000 Denier (urethane coated nylon) build.
Built for QuickClip™ and AKONA BC Pro Kit.

The Sherwood Tortuga: Built for Comfort?

The Sherwood Tortuga is a very comfortable BCD that’s for sure.

The inbuilt soft neck pad around the Tortuga BCD’s shoulders really adds another dimension of comfort over and above other BCDs in its class. The backpack itself is almost sumptuous and padded for maximum comfort.

The way in which the Tortuga is put together gives the wearer a good deal of mobility in that it does not restrict movement as some other BCDs tend to do. There are dump valves on the main inflation hose, on the opposite (right) shoulder area and another on the lower part of the 3-D air cell. The D-rings (there are 4 of them) are made of stainless steel and 2 zipped cargo pockets for your convenience, located in such a way that you’ll be able to find them easily when you are underwater.

Buoyancy and the Tortuga BCD

The word “tortuga” is a Spanish word meaning “turtle”. You can see why Sherwood has named this particular model so. The Tortuga is a back-inflated model that swells up like a turtle’s shell.

Due to its wraparound design and self adjusting harness the Tortuga BCD never gives you a squeezing sensation. As you descend underwater, the width of the bcd allows more space than most for wetsuit squeeze, which again creates a sensation of comfort that most other BCDs do not provide.

As stated, most of the lift provided by the Tortuga BCD comes from the 3-D air cell, most of the surface area of it being in the back area. However, the air pockets wrap around the sides to give you further bouyancy in all the right places.

The design of the backplate and harness of the Tortuga BCD also works very nicely, with emphasis being placed on how it handles weight. Sherwood has included its CQR2 system into the Tortuga, which means that the harness and backplate support all the weight placed on the BCD by tanks and other accessories. The Tortuga’s CQR2 system also includes 2 releasable weight pockets at the front of the BCD, giving the wearer very easy access to them.

Summary Review of the Sherwood Tortuga BCD

The Sherwood Tortuga BCD provides the wearer with good lift and stability but does not restrict movement. It is a comfortable BCD that is easily adjustable and easy to fine tune to your requirements. It fits easily over 7ml suits and is good for warm or cold water use. The rear weight pocket is a little small but this is a relatively minor complaint.

All in all, the Tortuga is a great buoyant little package!

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