BCD for Petite Female?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

LaiLaiDiver

Registered
Messages
48
Reaction score
0
Location
Los Angeles, CA
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm considering the Cressi Sub Aquapro in XS - can anyone share experiences with this BCD, or others that are popular with petite women (5'0, 95 lbs.)

Thanks!
 
I had a Cressi Aqua Pro, but I didn't like the weight system. If you plan on diving warm water, you should be fine, but it's a little difficult to release the weights with gloves. They're clips instead of a pull out weight system. Other than that, its a comfortable jacket which was easy to maintain buoyancy and trim with.
 
College student daughter uses a Sea Quest / Aqualung Mailbu BCD. Size XS. It is back inflated. We got a bargain. Shop around, as some stores can't easily sell smaller sizes.
 
I have seen kids use a DiveRite Transpac. Their xs and s sizes work well for shorter people.
 
IMO the best most adjustable BC for a petite woman is a Zeagle Zena.
Zeagle Zena Womens BCD, BCDs-Womens BCDs, Zeagle, Zeagle Zena Womens BCD

The zip design, forms snuggly through the waist, is unaffected by the hips, while keeping the BC in place along the shoulders. Different length shoulder straps can be used to make the BC fit someone taller or shorter. All of the women that I know who have the Zena swear by it.
 
I say this over and over again, but a backplate and wing setup with a continuous harness is the most adjustable BC there is. Deep Sea Supply makes a small backplate which is perfect for someone of very small stature.

I'm not quite as small as you are (5'4" and 120 lbs) but I'm small framed, and I found it difficult to impossible to find a BC that would adjust small enough to keep a tank really stable on my back. I bought a SeaQuest Libra, but it never felt secure. My very first dive with a backplate and wing setup, properly adjusted, was a delight, and I told the owner of the rig I was borrowing to figure out what he wanted for it, because he was not getting it back!
 
My wife really likes the Zeagle Zena.
 
Hey, Lai Lai. Something to consider. What type of tank are you going to use? The steel 80 is a good fit for a shorter diver. Most of these are negatively buoyant, even when empty. Using one means my petite diving daughter requires no lead weight with a “standard” BC in fresh water, and about two pounds of lead in the ocean.

Many back plates are stainless steel, and are the same as using six pounds of lead. With a steel tank and plate, you could be over-weighted. An aluminum tank and back plate would be “less negative”, if that is a correct term.

Big-guy divers switching to steel tanks and the steel plate leave some lead behind. They post that they can “take 8 or 10 pounds off the belt” with that combination. A small lady may not have that much lead to give up.

Have fun with it.
 
Hey, Lai Lai. Something to consider. What type of tank are you going to use? The steel 80 is a good fit for a shorter diver. Most of these are negatively buoyant, even when empty. Using one means my petite diving daughter requires no lead weight with a “standard” BC in fresh water, and about two pounds of lead in the ocean.

Many back plates are stainless steel, and are the same as using six pounds of lead. With a steel tank and plate, you could be over-weighted.

Yes possibly, depending on the exposure suit used. That's why light weight back plates are made, aluminum or kydex. A typical SS plate and harness will be a bout 6 lbs negative, and a typical lightweight plate and harness will be about 2-3 lbs negative.

Small size plates are a bit less, ~5 for a SS plate and harness, and ~2 for lightweight.

With the commonly available buoyant al 80 tank often divers in thin wetsuits, ~3mm need only a SS plate and harness for ballast.

Tobin
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom