BC Suggestions for Small Women??

[aquafishie]

Hello. I have been diving for about 5 years - and have finally decided to buy my own equipment. I am 5'7", 120 lbs and am sick of the bruises on my back and hips from the tank and weight belt after diving trips. I do equal amounts of shore diving and boat diving and always in tropical locations. I like recreational open water dives and do not go in caves, etc.. Was wondering if there are any small, skinny women out there (or husbands of them) who have recommendations for a good, comfortable bc. (I have friends who rave about those bra styled BCs, but they much larger than me..)

 

[DiveMaven]

Look at the Zeagle Zena. It's a zip up corset design without a cumberbun, and completely modular in design, with 4 pieces that can be mixed and matched for a custom fit. It's weight integrated, and do not rest on your hips. It also has an optional (neutrally buoyant) lumbar pad you can add if you want a bit more "fill" in the back (like me) or just want extra luxury (like me).

 

[CODMAN]

Also have a look at the Mares line of Women specific BCDs. I think it's the Kaila line. I've read several good reviews from Women having a hard tme finding a BCD to fit them.

And please, if you can, try it on before you buy! Fit is so important! You will be so happy with a well fitted BCD you will forget about all the dives with your old rig.

Good luck!

 

[Dive Rite]

Hello. I have been diving for about 5 years - and have finally decided to buy my own equipment. I am 5'7", 120 lbs and am sick of the bruises on my back and hips from the tank and weight belt after diving trips. I do equal amounts of shore diving and boat diving and always in tropical locations. I like recreational open water dives and do not go in caves, etc.. Was wondering if there are any small, skinny women out there (or husbands of them) who have recommendations for a good, comfortable bc. (I have friends who rave about those bra styled BCs, but they much larger than me..)

Hi Aquafishie,

Check out the TransPac. The XS and S sizes have a smaller backplate than a traditional hardplate which is perfect for smaller women. The TransPac will allow you to fit the BC perfectly to your body shape and size as it is adjustable.

The TransPac was designed to disperse weight across the hips and back, minimizing shoulder strain which will be great for you especially when shore diving. The lumber pad can provide extra protection for your back.

You can match the TransPac with any of our wings, the Travel wing or Venture wing will probably be ideal for the type of diving you do. Our Solution Finder can help you choose the perfect wing for your needs.

Best of luck with your purchase. If you have any more questions we're happy to help.

Best,
Ag
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[bamamedic]

Before my backplate/wing, I had a Scubapro Ladyhawk. I'm a bit on the small side myself (5'3'' and 110 lbs) and a size Small fit me well.

As far as BC's go, it was very comfortable (lots of padding, very adjustable, and it has a traditional velcro cummerbund instead of a "corset" or a "bra" fastener. The quick release weight system is easy to use. I never had any issues of it digging anywhere. However, I did have to use quite a bit of weight to sink all that comfortable padding, and it was pretty expensive for a BC (my LDS charged $725 for the BC with attached AIR2, but I think LeisurePro has the BC alone for $400 or so)

If you aren't interested in a back inflate, I think Scubapro has a new BC out, called "Bella". It's a jacket style women's BC, and it looks cool! I kind of want one for my DM class (since we can only use a jacket style BC)

 

[potato cod]

Hi Aquafishie,

I have very similar measurements at 5'7" and 115-120 lbs. I spent the fall looking for a BC and here's what I found. First, I wanted a women's BC, because men's shoulder harnesses were just too wide for my skinny frame. I tried on a bunch of women's BCs, but the main problem I had was that I needed a small to fit my waist, but then the torso was too short and the sternum strap would be up around my neck and the integrated weights much too high.

Eventually, I found the Zeagle Lazer, and it is great! Like Dive Maven said, Zeagles are modular so you can get a custom fit. I have a small waist on my Lazer and medium straps. The Zena is popular with lots of ladies on SB and I would suggest you try that one too, especially if you are only doing tropical diving. I got the Lazer because it's also a good travel BC for tropical diving, but my LDS thinks it is better for local cold-water dives and will work well with a dry suit if I go that way in the future (the Zena corset can apparently get in the way of the front dry suit valves). I've also found that I love the back inflate and my bouyancy and trim are much better than when I was renting jackets.

Good luck!
P-cod

 

[Spychalski89]

it all depends on the chest size, comes down to the real question.
im 5'3" 100, but have a slightly large chest area, i found mysef very comfortable in a Scubapro XS Bella BC jacket, it contours a woman's figure very well, i recommend it.

 

[rslatkin]

An unpadded backplate and webbing harness with a wing doesn't look comfortable, but it feels great to me, in and out of the water. It lets you minimize the amount of weight you need on a weight belt because you're not trying to sink a lot of padding and also some of your weight needs are taken care of by the backplate. See if you can try one out before you spend any money.

 

[Madvelazquez]

I am 5ft. 100 pounds. After purchasing several BC's. Mares (Kaila Line) is the best fit. Very comfortable and adjustable at the waist and chest area.

 

[ags1013]

Hi Aquafishie
I've had my ScubaPro LadyHawk since 2002. I'm 5'5", 120 and it's extremely comfortable, love the integrated weights and the velcro cumberbund. Since you say you do all tropical diving, I think it's a great choice. I tried on a Zeagle recently and really liked the zipper cumberbund, but don't know how that would work with my drysuit. But the backplate style seems very comfortable. Happy shopping!