“Another” Recall for Aqua Lung’s SureLock Weight Pockets

We saw a March 21 press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) that Aqua Lung was recalling 110,000 of its BCs with SureLock II weight pocket handles because the company received 236 reports of handles detaching from the pockets. Those are major numbers. Last November, we reported that Aqua Lung was doing a voluntary recall of the same weight pocket handles in all its BCDs sold since 2009. Are these two related?

Tom Phillipp, product manager at Aqua Lung, tells us that the CSPC is six months late with its recall release. "We instigated it last September, and contacted them, requesting to be eligible for its Fast Track program, to get the press release issues quickly. But we couldn't wait so we recalled the recall."

Regarding those 236 reports, Philipp says Aqua Lung has software that lets it know when products are returned but it doesn't report the reason why. "It could have been BC discoloration or some other incident, but we started believing the handles exhibited signs of stress." Aqua Lung sent a heads-up to its dealers, and when more handles started coming back, it issued its own recall. Six months later, the CSPC finally issued the "fast track" press release. That's government efficiency for you. "But the good thing is that the CSPC press release casts a wider ne so we can reach the rest of SureLock owners," says Philipp.

So if you have an Aqua Lung BC with rubber-handled weight pockets that you bought between September 2008 and September 2012, take a look at the weight pockets; "SureLock" is molded onto the back. BC models in the recall are Axiom, Axiom i3, Balance, Black Diamond, Dimension, Libra, Lotus, Pearl, Pearl i3, Pro LT, Pro QD, Pro QDi3 and Zuma. Take the two weight pockets to an authorized Aqua Lung dealer for a free inspection and free replacement.