A buddy check is not just a habit for beginners. For experienced divers, it is a quick, professional routine that helps reduce complacency, especially when diving with a new buddy, using unfamiliar equipment, carrying additional accessories, or completing several dives in one day on a liveaboard.

On a liveaboard in Raja Ampat or Komodo, where you may be doing several dives a day, a buddy check can help the dive operation run more smoothly by identifying avoidable problems before entry. A closed tank valve, loose weight pocket, trapped hose, disconnected inflator, or missing accessory is much easier to fix on the boat than at the surface or underwater.

READ ALSO: How to Be a Good Dive Buddy

Why Buddy Checks Still Matter for Experienced Divers

As an experienced diver, your buddy check is less about reviewing basic skills and more about confirming details that can vary between divers. air donation setup, weight release system, inflator location, accessory placement, and emergency procedures.

You should not treat buddy checks as optional. The more familiar the routine feels, the easier it is to skip small checks that still matter, especially on liveaboard trips, drift dives, night dives, or when diving with someone new.

A good buddy check helps confirm three things before entry:

Your buddy’s gear is working and configured as expected.
You know how to access their critical systems, including weights, releases, and alternate air.
You both understand the dive plan, gas plan, current direction, and separation procedure.

When all three points have been confirmed, you can enter the water with greater confidence.

Why Skipping Buddy Checks Becomes Riskier with Experience

A buddy check is important because small equipment issues are much easier to fix before entering the water.

Even experienced divers can miss simple details when the routine becomes familiar. Between dives, a cylinder valve may be closed, a weight pocket may shift, a hose may become trapped under a strap, or an inflator connection may loosen. These are small issues on the dive deck, but they can create unnecessary stress once you are in the water.

A buddy check also helps you understand your buddy’s equipment because gear configurations can vary considerably. Your buddy may use integrated weights, trim pockets, a long hose setup, an alternate inflator system, or accessories such as an SMB, reef hook, camera, or torch. Before entry, you should know which weights are designed to be ditched, how the release systems work, and what parts of the configuration could affect gas sharing or emergency assistance.

When you know where your buddy’s alternate air source, weights, and releases are, you are better prepared to help if needed.

For more gear-related advice, you can also read our guide to scuba diving equipment tips and maintenance.

A Practical BWRAF Flow for Experienced Divers

BWRAF is often taught early in scuba training, but experienced divers can still use it as a fast structure before entry. The purpose is not simply to recite the acronym, but to confirm the details that matter for your buddy’s equipment configuration and the planned dive.

BWRAF stands for:

Letter	What to Check	Why It Matters
B	BCD / Buoyancy	Helps with floating, descending, ascending, and buoyancy control
W	Weights	Confirms weights are secure and releasable in an emergency
R	Releases	Checks straps, clips, buckles, and the tank band
A	Air	Confirms the tank is open and regulators are working
F	Final Check	Confirms accessories, dive plan, and overall readiness

Buddy checks should not replace proper dive training or the dive briefing. They are a simple habit that helps you and your buddy enter the water prepared.

B: BCD / Buoyancy

Start by checking your buddy’s buoyancy control device. Add enough gas to confirm that it inflates correctly, then operate the relevant deflation controls. Check that the low-pressure inflator is securely connected and look for obvious leaks or unintended inflation.

Also check that the low-pressure inflator hose is connected securely.

As an experienced diver, focus on confirming how your buddy’s system operates rather than reviewing the basic purpose of a BCD. Where the inflator is, which dump valves they use, whether the low-pressure inflator is connected securely, and whether anything is routed differently from what you expect.

W: Weights

Next, check the weight system.

This may include a weight belt, integrated weight pockets, trim weights, or a combination of systems.

Confirm that your buddy’s weights are secure and identify which weights are ditchable, how they are released, and whether any part of the equipment could obstruct the release. This is especially important when your buddy uses integrated pockets, trim weights, a weight belt, or a configuration you are not familiar with. You should understand the relevant release procedure before entering the water rather than trying to identify it during an emergency.

This is especially useful when diving with someone new, because weight systems can differ from one BCD to another.

R: Releases

Check the main releases, straps and attachment points, including the shoulder straps, chest strap, waist strap, tank band, clips and accessory attachments. Before entry, make sure that no hoses or accessories are dangling. Loose equipment can create an entanglement risk, affect streamlining or contact the reef.

The tank band is especially important. If the tank band is loose, the cylinder may shift or slip out of position during the dive.

Also check that hoses and accessories are clipped neatly. Dangling gear can damage coral, get caught, or make the diver less streamlined underwater.

A: Air

The breathing-gas check is one of the most important parts of the pre-dive check.

Confirm the tank valve is fully open, then have your buddy breathe from the primary regulator while you watch the SPG. The SPG needle should remain steady while the diver breathes. If it falls or noticeably fluctuates with each breath, stop and correct the problem before entering the water. Confirm the starting pressure and the gas limits agreed during the briefing. You should also identify which regulator your buddy will donate and how it is deployed, particularly when the equipment configuration is unfamiliar.

Confirm which regulator your buddy will donate and how it is deployed. Depending on the configuration, your buddy may donate the alternate second stage or the primary regulator. Make sure the relevant regulators function correctly and can be deployed without obstruction.

This step is important because your buddy’s donated gas source may be needed during a gas-sharing emergency, so you should understand the agreed donation procedure before entry.

F: Final Check

The final check is a quick look over the whole setup.

Use the final check to confirm that essential equipment is present, functioning and secured. You and your buddy should also confirm that you understood the briefing, including the entry and exit procedures, route, current strategy, depth and gas limits, ascent instructions and lost-buddy procedure.

The final check is not complicated. It is simply the last confirmation that both divers are ready.

When Should You Do a Buddy Check?

You should do a buddy check before every dive.

This applies not only to the first dive of the day, dives with rental equipment or dives with a new buddy, but to every dive.

Gear can shift between dives. Cylinder valves may be closed between dives while cylinders are changed or equipment is handled. Weight pockets can loosen. Accessories can be moved. Divers can also become tired after multiple dives in one day.

On a liveaboard in Raja Ampat or Komodo, where you may do several dives a day, buddy checks are especially useful. The dive routine can become familiar, but that is exactly why a quick check is worth doing every time.

Common Buddy Check Mistakes to Avoid

One common mistake is treating the buddy check as a routine to recite rather than a genuine equipment and team check. Experienced divers may say “all good” too quickly because they assume the setup is familiar. But a buddy check only works if divers actually look, test, and confirm.

Another mistake is only checking your own equipment. A self-check is useful, but it does not replace a buddy check. You also need to understand your buddy’s setup.

Another common mistake is failing to test the breathing-gas supply properly. Looking at the tank valve is not enough. With the cylinder valve fully open, the diver should take several breaths while the buddy watches the SPG for any drop or fluctuation.

Another common mistake is skipping the final readiness check. Your dive buddy may have functioning equipment but still be unclear about the dive plan, current strategy, entry method or agreed signals. A quick conversation before entering the water can prevent confusion later.

For more on this, read our guide to buddy communication underwater.

Buddy Checks on Liveaboard Diving Trips

On a liveaboard, systematic buddy checks can help you and the dive team identify equipment or communication issues before entry. This can make entries and descents more efficient, especially On a liveaboard, systematic buddy checks can help you and the dive team identify equipment or communication issues before entry. This can make entries and descents more efficient, especially during multiple-dive days, when diving with a new buddy, or when using unfamiliar equipment. During multiple-dive days, when diving with a new buddy, or when using unfamiliar equipment.

Before entering the water, confirm that essential accessories are secured and that you and your buddy understand the dive briefing, including the entry method, current strategy, ascent procedure, and lost-buddy protocol.

For liveaboard diving, make the buddy check part of your pre-entry rhythm: listen to the briefing, confirm the dive plan, gear up, check critical systems with your buddy, secure accessories, then enter when the team is ready.

Simple, practical, and effective.

A Quick Buddy Check Flow for Experienced Divers

Here is an easy buddy check script you can use before a dive:

“Inflation and deflation controls working, with no obvious leaks? ”
“Which weights are ditchable, how are they released, and are the remaining weights secure? ”
“Cylinder valve fully open? Take several breaths while I watch the SPG.”
“Which regulator will you donate, and how is it deployed?”
“Computer, SMB, torch, camera and other required equipment present and secured?”
“Do we both understand the briefing, gas limits, current strategy, ascent instructions and lost-buddy procedure?”

With a familiar recreational setup, the check can usually be completed efficiently. Take additional time whenever the equipment, conditions or your buddy’s configuration are unfamiliar.

Final Thoughts

A buddy check is not a sign that you are inexperienced. It is a sign that you take the dive seriously. For experienced divers, especially on liveaboard trips with multiple dives, changing conditions, and unfamiliar buddies, a short pre-entry check is one of the simplest ways to prevent avoidable problems.

Use BWRAF as your guide:

BCD. Weights. Releases. Air. Final check.

A systematic buddy check is a simple and practical part of preparing for every dive.

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Author: Lagaligo

Buddy Checks for Divers: A Simple Habit That Prevents Big Problems