If you missed the popular Scubapro Lighthawk BCD for traveling divers released in 2015 and now unfortunately discontinued, the 2025 launch of the new Scubapro Navigator Lite BCD will be welcome news.
After a decade, Scubapro has developed an innovative wing-type BCD that is lightweight, durable, and folds down compactly, allowing you to fit it anywhere for travel or storage.
While Scubapro brands the Navigator Pro as a BCD “for traveling recreational divers”, the term recreational relates more to the type of dives one will undertake during travel than the diver’s experience level or regular diving.
If you own a twinset and stages for technical diving but plan to vacation in warmer waters, the Navigator Lite could be just as reliable a companion as it is for anyone diving only recreationally.
Scubapro Navigator Lite for Ideal Trim
It is compact, lightweight, streamlined, and clutter-free on the front, back, and sides, meeting most requirements of divers who value serious underwater trim and wish to dive with less effort.
What stands out with this new wing, which Scubapro consistently defines as “a back-inflation BCD,” is... You guessed it—it is a wing (!) and rock-solid like any other product by this world-leading manufacturer.
The straightforward yet durable design of the Scubapro Navigator Lite will appeal to divers across the board, even though it does not feature a continuous loop harness. Instead, it has Scubapro’s reliable shoulder clips for easy donning, doffing, and on-the-fly adjustment, which most recreational divers will favour.
It also lacks a carbon fibre, aluminium, or stainless steel backplate. The lightweight design is evident throughout the entire structure, from the primarily plastic hardware and buckle to the complete wing system built around an Airnet® soft backpack. This backpack serves as a frame for travel or storage when the wing air cell is folded and secured.
Navigator Lite: Lightweight Travel Wing
Scubapro has clearly designed the product with an emphasis on simplicity and functionality—enough to support most recreational dives during your holiday, while also being attractive to those who do not frequently dive in challenging and demanding conditions in home waters.
The Navigator Lite air cell is constructed from durable 420D nylon with high-frequency welds, providing excellent lift capacity despite its compact size.
The system comes in two sizes, one covering the range from 2XS to Medium and the other Medium to 2XL.
This new-concept BCD also incorporates a user-friendly Quick Cinch tank buckle system and a 50mm hook-and-loop tank strap, ensuring robust tank stabilisation in all diving conditions.
The detachable waist pockets on both the left and right sides have been thoughtfully designed. If you dive with a weight belt or opt not to carry weights in them, you can wear them upside down as a utility pocket or vice versa.
Add to all of that the ergonomic shoulder pads, waist cummerbund, shoulder and back pull dumps, and Scubapro’s high-quality Balanced Power Inflator (BPI), and you get comfort, trim, and functionality wherever you’re going, all while carrying less weight in your baggage.
While the Navigator Lite isn’t future proof for activities like twinset diving, as most carbon, aluminium, and steel backplate single tank systems are, it remains affordable and the base units are available in three colour choices: Blue, Black, and Coral (which is more akin to faded pink).
The Navigator Lite in Colour
A nice twist to this specific product is something Scubapro has never offered in any of its BCDs before: Replaceable air cell covers! Whatever base colour you start with, for a pretty attractive price you can change that colour to any of the 5 alternatives at any point in the future.
The Navigator Lite is available as a unit in Coral, Blue, or Black, with replaceable air cell covers set to be released in Spring 2025 in Black, Blue, Coral, Navy Blue Camo, Army Green, and White.
Navigator Lite Key Features
- Wing: Back inflation BCD allowing superior underwater trim
- Travel Friendly: Lightweight and foldable for easy packing and storage
- Backpack: Padded Airnet® soft backpack
- Durable: Durable 420D nylon air cells with high-frequency welding
- Modular Design: Allows easy replacement of components in case of damage or wear
- Air Cell Covers: Will soon be available in 6 different dealer-changeable colours for customisation
- Pockets: Detachable pockets can open facing up for accessories or down for ballast
- Tank Attachment: Quick cinch buckle for optimal tank retention in all conditions
- 2 Sizes: Ergonomic shoulder pads and cummerbunds come in two expandable sizes, 2XS/M and M/2XL, with a bit of overlapping to ensure a snug fit.
Conclusion
Our verdict is that, for its simplicity, weight, compactness, functionality, and affordability, the Scubapro Navigator Lite may be even more popular than the previous Lighthawk for traveling divers.
At its reasonably affordable price point, it can be an attractive travel alternative for divers at any level. Alternatively, a primary BCD suitable for those who only dive on holidays or in warm waters, or a standard single tank wing for divers who do not seek out challenging conditions.
It is primarily a travel wing of Scubapro quality, manufactured in Italy. However, you can use it for recreational diving in UK conditions, just as hundreds of divers did with the previous generation Lighthawk.
Pack it up, toss it in a bag, and explore the depths of warmer waters clutter free with ideal trim only a wing will offer. Go anywhere in the world with the Scubapro Navigator Pro.
