Best Back inflate BC for women?

[divemistress]

dive-rite, on its website, recommends that its BP/wings be used only with doubles, and that people diving singles use the transpac ii back inflate.

this, of course, is aimed only at dive-rite customers. but sydney diver says (post above) that his wife prefers a back inflate with singles and a BP the rest of the time.

BP fans, your opinions? i dive singles, have no plans to dive doubles, and am ready for a new bc. also, best brands of BPs?

tia,

dm

 

[Diver Kat]

Love my Zena .... can be purchase with the back, vest & shoulders of various sizes to fit your body - which was a major plus being short and big busted. Has a zip up front vest for easy on, easy off - no velcro. Cinches in at the waist hips & shoulders for a good fit, easy to readjust underwater if you feel the need. Double tank straps (I like the doubel security as well!), weight integrated, (I also have the Octo plus integrated into the BC) Limited to one fold-up pocket but has 4 D rings (if I remember correctly.) Extra pockets can be added to the sides, if needed.

 

[FLArmyBrat]

Seeing as how I don't know much about gear yet (ie NO CLUE about BPs and wings), I'm not sure how much I can add. What I can tell you is I love my Zena!

I did have trouble with it early on because I kept hitting my head on the tank. Thought sizing was the issue. But we moved the top tank strap down a little and make sure it is as far down on my hips as possible and its great! I'm short waisted and if I don't have my buddy pull those bottom straps real tight then it does ride up. I love the zipper up the front too. Makes for easy removal among other things.

Laurel- The Frog Queen
:royal:

 

[Wendy]

VaScubaGirl once bubbled...
Thanks for the great info! I have seen the BP/Wings but had heard that they were difficult to use. That sometimes they don't inflate evenly and you roll underwater. Is this an issue? Also, all the ones I have seen use a crotch strap which looks kind of uncomfortable.

What I clip to my BC...everything! I hate not being able to access something but I also don't like it in the way. So I have my Octopus clipped to it along with a pair of sheers, a slate, a sausage, a whistle, a small goody bag, and a light. Eventually I would like to get into pentration dives which means more stuff (like a wreck reel) and I don't know where I am going to put that.

The only people that I think have a problem with 'rolling' is those that are not using the proper sized wing for the diving they are doing. If you are diving a single tank, get a single tank wing from Halcyon or the new Oxtcheq. If you are diving doubles, get a wing made for doubles. I also hear that wings with bungies like some dive rite and OMS wings will trap air and cause you to "roll". But the bungee can be removed. I took it off my trek wing I use for my doubles. Oh, and a crotch strap is not uncomfortable. It keeps the whole thing in place and you don't get that "ride up around your ears" feeling when you are on the surface. I backplate and wing is not hard to use, its effortless, and while underwater you will forget that you are even wearing any sort of BC.

When you get into penetration diving you are going to need to take all that stuff of your BC and have it secured in a pocket. They will become entanglement hazards. It is best to have things secured to you if you do choose to have them hanging from you BC so as to not create excess drag. The more streamlined you are the better you move thru the water, and in turn your air comsumption will get better.

Now a bp/wing has a harness, and that harness has no pockets. You can buy a pocket to put on it, but what most do is sew a pocket to the thigh of your wetsuit.

Divemistress: A backplate is a backplate. No real big difference in them. Some are Al and some are steel. Now the ones made from steel are usually 6 pounds negative, but you can get them a bit heavy from guys like FredT (he is a member hear on SB and makes them). That way you can take some of the weight off your belt.

Like I said before I love my bp/wing and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[Raven C]

VAScubaGirl, a pocket is a good way to go with or without a BP&W because you won't have all the entanglement hazards of stuff hanging off of you. I have a custom pocket that SeaJay designed because the Halcyon pocket, although it is a good size and works for most everyone, was big on me. It took up too much space on my waist. As Wendy mentioned, the crotch strap is not uncomfortable and it prevents the riding up so you don't look or feel like a turtle poking its head out of its shell. If you come diving with us, you are welcome to check out my gear. R

 

[coreyh]

I use the Seaquest Libra and love it. My biggest problem is that I am a smallish woman with a large chest. The benefit of the Libra is that is has a pivot point in front of your shoulders so it goes around the boobs instead of crushing them down underneath straps. It also is very easy to adjust for trim using the tank weight pockets and the from weight pockets. It is the first BC I found that can accommodate the chest but still fit snugly aroung the rest of my body.

 

[coquito]

HI,

Anyone have any experience or comments about the Ladies Diva LX?

 

[MsParamedic]

I got my Diva LX about 2 months ago and I love it!!! I was diving a Zeagle Escape, and just couldn't get the fit I wanted..and I didn't care for the zipper on the zena.

THere is a back inflate bladder and jacket bladders...so it is the best of both worlds. The material is a bit stiff, but Im hopeing that with enough dives it will soften a bit.

 

[Pam_In_Paradise]

for me! I recently got my Dive LX and love it. There is a world of difference between the jacket type BC I was using and this. Great pockets, D Rings. I would suggest you try as many different kinds of BCs and decide what is right for YOU and the type of diving you are planning to do. There is no one right answer and lets fact it - divers do their own thing - that's what makes them a great bunch of people to be around. Good luck!

 

[Pam_In_Paradise]

for me! I recently got my Dive LX and love it. There is a world of difference between the jacket type BC I was using and this. Great pockets, D Rings. I would suggest you try as many different kinds of BCs and decide what is right for YOU and the type of diving you are planning to do. There is no one right answer and lets fact it - divers do their own thing - that's what makes them a great bunch of people to be around. Good luck!