BC shopping tips?

[njcole123]

[/FONT]I am looking for a personal BC and am doing my open water dives for certification in 3 days!

The only BC I've used is the one for the class at the Dive Center. I've read that a women's BC will fit better than a man's BC.

I am 5'7'', 160lbs and more muscular that most. The classroom BC doesn't fit perfectly, but would a women's make any difference? I'm trying to buy one online and am going by the size charts on the sites.

Any tips?
Thanks!

 

[Parrothead_Diver]

[/FONT]I am looking for a personal BC and am doing my open water dives for certification in 3 days!

The only BC I've used is the one for the class at the Dive Center. I've read that a women's BC will fit better than a man's BC.

I am 5'7'', 160lbs and more muscular that most. The classroom BC doesn't fit perfectly, but would a women's make any difference? I'm trying to buy one online and am going by the size charts on the sites.

Any tips?
Thanks!

It all depends.... A womens BC is usually designed to fit a womans hourglass type shape. If this describes you, then this is the way to go. But if you are not that hippy and/or busty then you may want to look at a standard (mens) BC.

Also, I would HIGHLY suggest that you not buy a BC without trying it on. Of course that means you will probably not be able to go the internet route, but you will be alot happier in the long run. Plus you will save all of that money that you would end up spending on shipping trying to get the right fit.

You may also want to post this question in the Womens Issues forum, where you can get more of a womens point of view and advice.

P.S. I just noticed that you are new to the board, so Welcome. Also, I noticed that you are in Texas. If you are anywhere near Dallas, then I would suggest that you work with the guys at ScubaToys.com they are extremely helpful and usually have the best prices anywhere.

 

[mxracer19]

Go with a backplate/wings setup. I tried one in a pool and thats what Im buying. simply amazing, and you'll never find anything that fits better.

-Matt

 

[ae3753]

I personally would not buy a BC for OW certification. The more dives you have after OW, the more you know what type of diving your interested in and what your BC needs are. If you buy now, you will most likely regret the purchase in the future. You'll see that many people on this board have gone through a good number of BCs. I purchased my first BC soon after OW, and now it sits in the closet as a back-up. It's a great BC, but it doesn't meet my diving needs (though I thought it would at the time).

As for fit, it really is best to try before you buy. And it's even better to take it for a real dive or two. You are taking a very big risk buying a BC that you haven't seen or tried on. That being said, there are some good internet stores (for example, scubatoys) that have good return/exchange policies - guarantee fit, etc.

My buddy dives a TransPac II and it fits her great. She uses the same BC for the tropics and in cold water. She had tried on a few woman's fit BCs, but they still didn't fit as well.

Here's thread that my interest you BC for Tall Woman. Just talks about a lot of the options out there for women in general.

 

[DiveMaven]

nj, you gotta try a Zeagle Zena!! I'm 5'7" tall, a little heavier than you, but with a muscular swimmer's body (larger upper body, narrower hips), and I love my Zena! It's first BC I've worn that doesn't ride up on my shoulders at the surface, due to it's inability to be secured at the waist. It has modular components that you can swap out to make it fit you perfectly, and if you like to dive both warm and cold, you can even own 2 bladders and swap them out depending on how much lift you'll need. It's also a back inflate, which makes bouyancy and trim in the water easier while you're diving.

Yes, I'm a big Zeagle fan! Oh yeah, I used to dive with a Diva....good BC, just not for this girl and her broad shoulders.

 

[paolov]

i suggest you not buy a BC for certification yet. do the purchase after your cert to give you more time to try out the different BC available to your suitability.

 

[ChrisA]

I am 5'7'', 160lbs and more muscular that most. The classroom BC doesn't fit perfectly, but would a women's make any difference? I'm trying to buy one online and am going by the size charts on the sites.
Thanks!

If you careabout fit and comfort shopping on-line is not the best way to go. You really have
to try these on. and you need have your exposure suit on and the tank and weaights in the BC too.

I buy most stuff on-line but BCs are the hardest thing to shop for because they have to just "feel right" and have the D-ring and weight release system that seems right. You really have to look at them.

If you want the save money buy the BC in the shop and get the regulator, dive lights and other stuff on-line but things like masks, fins, gloces, wetsuits nd BCs need to be tried on.

 

[Trisha]

njcole123, welcome!
scubatoys.com is great. We usually drop by when we are in Dallas, just to browse. Check out their Neosport wetsuits -- we have four 2/3 jumpsuits and my husband has a 7 mil john-and-jacket (he uses over 20 lbs, though, so that may need rethinking.)

I have a Dacor Elite - excellent fit, adjusts for different wetsuits, weight integrated, easy to use in and out of the water. But before I bought mine I rented different BCs at several local dive shops. This let me check the gear -- and the attitude -- of the people I would be doing business with in the future.
Things I looked for in a BC:

Does it fit? Can I reach the pockets? Am I comfortable with using the weight system? Does it have enough "lift" for me, my weights, and any gear I'm carrying?
Where are the dump valves? This was a major concern, since I tend to have "floaty feet" and need to release air from a back-hip valve.
What about local service and maintenance? Again, BCs, regulators and computers are the three high-dollar investments and should ideally be with a local dive shop that you trust for annual inspections and repairs. Get those warranties!
How easy is it to rinse, transport, and store?

You will get quite a bit of advise on different brands, but what counts is your experience. Weight pockets or not, jacket or back-inflated, get some time setting up and using different BCs before pulling out the plastic.

 

[Ben_ca]

[/FONT]I am looking for a personal BC and am doing my open water dives for certification in 3 days!

The only BC I've used is the one for the class at the Dive Center. I've read that a women's BC will fit better than a man's BC.

I am 5'7'', 160lbs and more muscular that most. The classroom BC doesn't fit perfectly, but would a women's make any difference? I'm trying to buy one online and am going by the size charts on the sites.

Any tips?
Thanks!

Don't buy just yet... wait till post cert then borrow your friends set up... then dive, dive, dive then figure out what feels right. That being said.. I like the Backplate and wing set up. There's a lot of threads on scubaboard about BP&W's and most of the people who try them end up moving on to this system.

If I was starting out new I wish someone would have told me about DIR and BP&W's right off the bat. It would have saved me a bundle and would have made life easier.

YMMV

 

[tx.lakerats]

since you are in texas (not sure how close to dallas you are) if you get a chance to go up to scuba toys... Larry will be able to hook you up and depending on what you are looking at might let you even try it out in his pool...
Take your time and research but also try different ones on... they all fit very differently.
my 2 cents