BCD for petite women

[LadySilk]

Hi, I am 160 cm (5ft 2in) and 47 kg (104 Ibs) , I mostly dive at aegean sea and mediterenean sea , not so cold.
I am planning to buy Tusa Jasmine BCD. It is comperatively very cost efficient, but has no warranty. I need some advice. Thanks

 

[rsingler]

What can we help you with?
The Jasmine is designed with women's fit in mind. It is well engineered, but as you have indicated you may go on to instructing, it may not be a BCD you stay with. It has only one upper D-ring, and two small rings at the bottom edge (plus two small plastic d-rings above the pocket). Having only one large D-ring may be an issue when carrying the additional gear you may need to teach (SMB, slates, easily detached gauge set).
But to start gaining experience, it may be adequate.

 

[LadySilk]

What can we help you with?
The Jasmine is designed with women's for in mind. It is well engineered, but as you have indicated you may go on to instructing, it may not be a BCD you stay with. It has only one upper D-ring, and two small rings at the bottom edge (plus two small plastic d-rings above the pocket). Having only one large D-ring may be an issue when carrying the additional gear you may need to teach (SMB, slates, easily detached gauge set).
But to start gaining experience, it may be adequate.

Thanks , it is a long way to go to be instructor , so thank you very much, after reading everything about equipment it is really confusing, thanks again

 

[diversteve]

I don't know that model but if you do plan to teach you may need something with enough lift to bring another diver to the surface in an emergency plus normally you'll be carrying a surface marker buoy, often a reel with line for it,a slate, usually a light or two, sometimes extra small weights to give to underweighted customers and other misc. things. A lot of those things you clip off using some sort of metal clips or put in pockets. I personally would not want plastic d-rings as they're more prone to crack with repeated usage. Big pockets are also a good idea.

Your regular gear will see a lot of usage just in the normal course of doing your job. So look for something durable - the higher the denier # the tougher the fabric.My personal bias is the less plastic or gimmicks the better. Even the best mfr's make mistakes also - I personally believe Mares uses too much plastic in their tank suspension systems - there are threads here on it cracking. And Scubapro's brand new Hydros - an expensive modular system - is tearing out at the attachment points under normal use. So do the research, find reviews, ask here about specific models - someone here probably dives every one made.

Maintenance on a BC is often done by the owner - just rinse it inside and out after use. About the only thing that can go wrong besides something tearing is the inflator and they're either easily serviced or simple to replace - most are held on by a couple cable ties. And they're pretty reliable - I have a spare but don't even bring it on trips.

Also if you do work for a shop they will likely want you in gear they sell while interacting with students. Shops make a lot of their revenue outfitting new divers in gear customers see you using.They likely have an employee discount of some sort also - here in the US it's often referred to as a keyman discount. Sometimes it's pretty substantial.

Still if you can get a good deal on the BC it can always be your personal gear. Msny of us have more than one set hanging in the closet - and I don't teach.

 

[LadySilk]

I don't know that model but if you do plan to teach you may need something with enough lift to bring another diver to the surface in an emergency plus normally you'll be carrying a surface marker buoy, often a reel with line for it,a slate, usually a light or two, sometimes extra small weights to give to underweighted customers and other misc. things. A lot of those things you clip off using some sort of metal clips or put in pockets. I personally would not want plastic d-rings as they're more prone to crack with repeated usage. Big pockets are also a good idea.

Your regular gear will see a lot of usage just in the normal course of doing your job. So look for something durable - the higher the denier # the tougher the fabric.My personal bias is the less plastic or gimmicks the better. Even the best mfr's make mistakes also - I personally believe Mares uses too much plastic in their tank suspension systems - there are threads here on it cracking. And Scubapro's brand new Hydros - an expensive modular system - is tearing out at the attachment points under normal use. So do the research, find reviews, ask here about specific models - someone here probably dives every one made.

Maintenance on a BC is often done by the owner - just rinse it inside and out after use. About the only thing that can go wrong besides something tearing is the inflator and they're either easily serviced or simple to replace - most are held on by a couple cable ties. And they're pretty reliable - I have a spare but don't even bring it on trips.

Also if you do work for a shop they will likely want you in gear they sell while interacting with students. Shops make a lot of their revenue outfitting new divers in gear customers see you using.They likely have an employee discount of some sort also - here in the US it's often referred to as a keyman discount. Sometimes it's pretty substantial.

Still if you can get a good deal on the BC it can always be your personal gear. Msny of us have more than one set hanging in the closet - and I don't teach.

Thank you very much, to be a instructor is like a goal to me I am just planning ahead, I want to first experience how to work with a dive centre and have more dives and understand the difficulties.They do not sell dive gear, I asked about it, but they buy with wholesale price mares brand (with tax in my country it is more than the price in US). It will be my first bcd and I need XS or XXS size , mostly rentals do not have that in my country and big sized bcd and gear is really difficult when there are currents as I experienced few times. Thanks for very useful tips, I wanted to buy this one because price was like half of the other brands,it has a nice discount but I will consider other brands, I have dived with aqualung and like it it was rental grade stuff but still I think it was best rental stuff I have dived. If you have recommendations I would be great .

 

[diversteve]

Since ypu mentioned sizing issues - a pricier option might be Aqualung's Soul model which is a ladies BC available as small as XXS, They have a sizing guide on their website - another option might be the Pearl which is a jacket style in XS The Lotus only seems to go down to size Small.

Notice the Wave also which is a less expensive unisex model as small as 3XXS but it lacks weight integration so you will always have to use a weighbelt/weights. Wouldn't be for me,,,

BC Size and Lift Chart - Aqua Lung US - Recreational and Professional Scuba Diving Gear

I believe some of the Cressi line is available in small size also but I have no knowledge of the brand. Here in the US it's generally a less expensive option,
Cressi Explore Cressi catalogue Cressi professional scuba diving equipment

It sounds like the problem will be availability in your area so maybe start out with the Tusa since you can acquire it easily and change if you need to later,

Also you might check to see what/if an internet reseller can do into your country including taxes/duty etc. From the US one option might be www.leisurepro.com who does ship worldwide afaik - in Europe possibly diveinn Scubastore will be a better option.

 

[LadySilk]

Since ypu mentioned sizing issues - a pricier option might be Aqualung's Soul model which is a ladies BC available as small as XXS, They have a sizing guide on their website - another option might be the Pearl which is a jacket style in XS The Lotus only seems to go down to size Small.

Notice the Wave also which is a less expensive unisex model as small as 3XXS but it lacks weight integration so you will always have to use a weighbelt/weights. Wouldn't be for me,,,

BC Size and Lift Chart - Aqua Lung US - Recreational and Professional Scuba Diving Gear

It sounds like the problem will be availability in your area so maybe start out with the Tusa since you can acquire it easily and change if you need to later,

Also you might check to see what/if an internet reseller can do into your country including taxes/duty etc. From the US one option might be www.leisurepro.com who does ship worldwide afaik - in Europe possibly diveinn Scubastore will be a better option.

Oh, weight belts.. I need like most 4kg (8.8 pounds), and with belt it surrounds my whole waist, I have dived with them everywhere and it is painful, really imagine lead is surrounding your waist)) Well except it is uncomfortable I had no problems (like backpain etc.).

And I thought I have dived to depth of 42m with rental stuff and really kid's fins because they couldn't find a boot and fins for me ( 35-36 european/5 or 5.5 US) and had no problem except because had no boot my feet were really cold (water temperature 16C/60F )

Actually all brands are available here, the issue is, this particular set is sold by a diving couple, (regulator, tusa rs-812 s, Octopus ss-11, gauge sca-280) and Jasmine Xs BCD) is ordered for someone from abroad and the girl who supposed to buy it was no fit for it.. So they are selling it less than half the price in my country, even cheaper than online... the whole set is at the price of Aqulung's Pearl model in my country, I really liked Pearl and sizing seems right

May be because it is my first gear and I am late to buy my gear unlike most people, I feel like I am making a really big deal out of it because I was going to wait till I have 150 dives or so, I felt , I need to be at some degree before I buy whole set, But I will continue to dive and with price they offer seems like not a bad option to start from)


Thank you really really much, for helping

 

[LadySilk]

Taxing here is hellish, so it is hard for me to buy it online, may be even they do not let it enter the country.

Thanks a lot again for your help & advices

 

[Oz Chris]

My partner is a similar size and ended up buy the Mares Kaila in XXS. Seems much happier now after struggling with a series of ill-fitting hire BCDs.

It has 2 upper and 2 lower steel D rings, and the integrated weight pockets will easily hold the weight you need (there’s also some trim pockets on the back).

They have similar boot/fin challenges and end up with Mares X-Stream fins in small but with a slightly chunky size 36 boot (they have high feet and the x-small foot pocket wouldn’t work with any boot they liked).

 

[LadySilk]

My partner is a similar size and ended up buy the Mares Kaila in XXS. Seems much happier now after struggling with a series of ill-fitting hire BCDs.

It has 2 upper and 2 lower steel D rings, and the integrated weight pockets will easily hold the weight you need (there’s also some trim pockets on the back).

They have similar boot/fin challenges and end up with Mares X-Stream fins in small but with a slightly chunky size 36 boot (they have high feet and the x-small foot pocket wouldn’t work with any boot they liked).

I know it is a challenge, I am going to buy new fins too. I am considering mares avanti quattro and aqualung shot fx, they are nice and not heavy and fits with 36 boots, I have waterproof boots 6.5 mm B2 they are nice sizing have xxs but xs should be fine if like mine (my foot :22.8 cm - 36 european size) , they were at discount and sizing was nice so I bought them, I will buy another one and I found a subgear sizing was good and a scubapro also sizing was nice. I will check mares bcd too, thanks for recommendation.

May I ask which suit your partner choose, I will buy a 5mm so I was considering waterproof w1 and scubapro definition 5mm.

Thanks for help