BP/W - comfortable for women?!

[Scuba_Kim]

I am a new dive instructor in Okinawa, Japan looking to possibly get into tech diving. I would like to buy a Zeagle BP/W because I think the company is very innovative, you have great customer service, and you seem to have all the components I'm looking for, primarily:
1.) Wide selection of backplate/wings
2.) Attachable weight pockets (either ziptouch or ripcord) - Wearing a weight belt is simply not an option for me. I have an extreme dislike for them!
3.) Lots of easily attachable accessories


To give you some background on the varying degrees to which I'd like to use my new BP/W, here are my current figures:
- Female, 5 ft 8 inches, 135 lbs
- Summer Diving (80 F and higher): Skin Suit, 9 lbs of weight
- Cool Water (70-80F): 3mm, 12 lbs of weight
- Cold Water (50-70F): 7mm, 20 lbs of weight


My questions are the following:
1.) Will your standard backplate be a good size for me? I know some companies make several different sizes so I was wondering if your "on size fits all" backplate would be ok. I have measured it out from the specs on your website and I think it'll work but I wanted to hear your thoughts on the whole matter and if you had any feedback from females on this.
2.) Which harness is the most comfortable? Have you gotten any feedback specifically from females about the shoulder straps being too wide or the waist band digging into their hips for either the standard harness or the deluxe harness?
3.) How wide are the shoulder straps for both the standard and deluxe harness? I couldn't find it anywhere online. I'd like to measure it out so I can have a good idea of whether or not it'll be comfortable for me.
4.) Right now I am currently diving with only a single tank. Is the Single Cylinder mounting kit something I must specify to my LDS when ordering? Is this also the case for everything else listed as "Partial list of available options" on the website?
5.) Does the "All Elastic Bladder" fit onto your BPs?
6.) If I wanted to attach some gear bags to the Zeagle BP, do I buy the All purpose Mount (grommets) or the Zip Mount Adapters? Or do both perform the same function?
7.) If I buy a SS backplate with either the standard or deluxe harness and then realize later on I'd like to get the Express Tec Backplate (to use for traveling), will the standard/delux harness work in conjunction with the Express Tec Backplate?

Thanks so much for your help!


Kim Spears

 

[Scared Silly]

My wife uses a BP/W with a std. plate for doubles and singles. Her only complaint so far has been that when wearing a thin skin/wetsuit that the plate digs in to her back a bit. She is 4" shorter than you so it might be a problem. She uses a std one piece harness with a sternum strap that we added as she found the harness to be a bit wide (does not matter which harness you use as the width is set by the back plate). With her singles she just uses the std. straps and it works fine. The All-Elastic Bladder works okay. But I will be honest Zeagle wings without a center panel are a PITA on backplates (i.e. are attached with nuts and bolts). They work but a pain. Get a bladder with a center panel like their 30lbs dounut wing. Much easier to remove. And you do want to remove the because it you drop the plate with the wing attached you can damage the bladder.

 

[a22shady]

my G/F uses the Halcyon BP/W and after trying on atleast 15 different BC's mostly womens she tried this on just cause one of the sales girls there said she dove it and was more comfortable than jackets. So she tried it out and loved it just wished we would have tried it out 1st before shopping and looking all around.

 

[Scuba_Kim]

my G/F uses the Halcyon BP/W and after trying on atleast 15 different BC's mostly womens she tried this on just cause one of the sales girls there said she dove it and was more comfortable than jackets. So she tried it out and loved it just wished we would have tried it out 1st before shopping and looking all around.

Thanks for the advise. Just some other questions:
1.) Is your girlfriend around the same build as me? 5ft 8 inches, 135 lbs
2.) What kind of conditions are you diving in? Cold water or warm water?
3.) Did she put any shoulder padding on the straps or a backpad on the plate to make it more comfy?

Thanks!

 

[Scuba_Kim]

My wife uses a BP/W with a std. plate for doubles and singles. Her only complaint so far has been that when wearing a thin skin/wetsuit that the plate digs in to her back a bit. She is 4" shorter than you so it might be a problem. She uses a std one piece harness with a sternum strap that we added as she found the harness to be a bit wide (does not matter which harness you use as the width is set by the back plate). With her singles she just uses the std. straps and it works fine. The All-Elastic Bladder works okay. But I will be honest Zeagle wings without a center panel are a PITA on backplates (i.e. are attached with nuts and bolts). They work but a pain. Get a bladder with a center panel like their 30lbs dounut wing. Much easier to remove. And you do want to remove the because it you drop the plate with the wing attached you can damage the bladder.

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely take the 30 lbs bladder into consideration. Your wife found that that size bladder was big enough for diving in cold water?