BCD recommendation for younger kids?

[Rhone Man]

Sorry if this has been asked before - wasn't able to find anything searching.

My son is about to start his OW course. He is tall for his age (10), but whippet thin. I am looking to get him a BCD that will fit him rather than having him rattle around in rented gear.

My own research has led me to two options.

• Firstly, I could go BP/W - the DSS small backplate is pretty flexible in sizing. And it would be nice to get him his 'last BCD' first. The downside seems to me to be cost (sorry Tobin!) - they run about $460. It'd be disappointing to make that investment for him to then not like diving, or worse, for him to feel like he has to perservere just because of the cost of his gear.
• The other option I found was the Zeagle Ranger Jr. It is about half the cost ($220), and the smallest fitting should (if I measured him right) be snug. It is a conventional BCD, but it looks much less cumbersome than traditional jacket styles (any experiences?). Presumably his instructors would also be more comfortable having him in familiar gear (not too many BP/Ws in this part of the world - other than mine!).

I'd welcome any input from others who have gone through this, or who might have thoughts to contribute.

 

[parzdiver]

A good friend had a 10 year old daughter diving with the Halcyon small plate, so there are people that do it. I think the backplate option is great. If he hit a growth spurt, you can reuse the wing (the most expensive part) and just replace the plate and harness. As for cost, DSS gear seems to hold its value for resale. So, if he decides to not dive you can probable get a good percentage back.

 

[Codiak]

With a 12week on in the house I've been thinking about this for a few months and will go with a BP/W when the time comes. Either I'll get a custom one or try the smaller Halcyon's or travel/Ultra Lite 's from OxyCheq. As for the wing, I'll likely just do a hand-me-down and get myself a new one.