Heavy exposure protection and a steel 100? No, an 18 pound wing will not at all be enough for that. I'd look at 30 - 35 pounds.
BP/Wing for small female 5'0"
- Thread starter RDRINK25
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I use a 30 lb with my drysuit and I'm using an HP 80 steel tank. I love the nice,short tank because it fits my short stature so well. Halcyon steel plate and weighted STA.
I tried a 17 lb wing but it wasn't quite enough. It floated everything but I really felt like it was on the edge, no room for error. I was worried that a fully flooded drysuit, plus any other problem could cause an issue. Or, if I were to wear a thicker undergarment and needed more weight. It just didn't give me any wiggle room.
I tried a 17 lb wing but it wasn't quite enough. It floated everything but I really felt like it was on the edge, no room for error. I was worried that a fully flooded drysuit, plus any other problem could cause an issue. Or, if I were to wear a thicker undergarment and needed more weight. It just didn't give me any wiggle room.
OP
RDRINK25
Contributor
Pyro_
Contributor
If I remember correctly. The oxy Mach V is one of the recommended wings for this plate
I think more specifics are appropriate. A lot of ladies get cold very easily. What water temperature does she require a 7mm suit in and is it one or two-piece?
One comment that comes to mind is a good off-the-rack fit for a woman is hard to come by. Compounding the problem with an especially petite size and thick material results in a lot of pumping water. Thicker is far less important to a wetsuit’s effectiveness than a good fit — in particular a suit that limits water circulation and keeps the film of water thin. A 7mm suit that fits badly can be much less effective than a great-fitting 3mm. That affects everything else.
There’s no delicate way to ask this, is she more like 90 or 150 Lbs? That makes a huge difference in suit displacement. I recommend optimizing her wetsuit first, her cylinder second, and her BC third.
An overly thick and inefficient wetsuit will have a greater negative effect on her ability to enjoy being underwater than everything else combined. I am probably wrong, but I am guessing a custom suit would make her happier than any other piece of gear.
The next thing is to put her in a cylinder size appropriate for her gas usage and ability to pack it. Lead is much more hydrodynamic and easier to trim than an unnecessarily large cylinder.
Note that Dr. Tracy is using a 30 Lb wing with a drysuit, not a wetsuit.
One comment that comes to mind is a good off-the-rack fit for a woman is hard to come by. Compounding the problem with an especially petite size and thick material results in a lot of pumping water. Thicker is far less important to a wetsuit’s effectiveness than a good fit — in particular a suit that limits water circulation and keeps the film of water thin. A 7mm suit that fits badly can be much less effective than a great-fitting 3mm. That affects everything else.
There’s no delicate way to ask this, is she more like 90 or 150 Lbs? That makes a huge difference in suit displacement. I recommend optimizing her wetsuit first, her cylinder second, and her BC third.
An overly thick and inefficient wetsuit will have a greater negative effect on her ability to enjoy being underwater than everything else combined. I am probably wrong, but I am guessing a custom suit would make her happier than any other piece of gear.
The next thing is to put her in a cylinder size appropriate for her gas usage and ability to pack it. Lead is much more hydrodynamic and easier to trim than an unnecessarily large cylinder.
Note that Dr. Tracy is using a 30 Lb wing with a drysuit, not a wetsuit.
halocline
Contributor
Have a look at caveadventurers.com, they have good deals on the oxycheq 30lb wing and harness kits. Just get the standard webbing harness. With a 7mm suit, she'll probably like the 30lb wing and it's still very streamlined. Whether it's a HP100 or AL80 with extra lead doesn't really affect the lift need; its the wetsuit compression. I use my 18lb wing with a HP100 frequently, but with a thinner wetsuit.
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Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
If she's wearing a 7 mil I'd go with an Oxy 30# Mach V. It's not that much bigger than an 18 size wise. I think they have pink ones too. You can get pink webbing also but probably not as a kit. You'll have to piece it together.
An E7 HP80 3442 would be ideal for her. They call those a "peanut" tank, or I've also heard them called a "bowling ball", since they are short.
I've set up quite a few petite gals around my area with small Freedom Plates and they are happy as can be.
Just ask Peter C. I don't think anybody is smaller than his little French GF.
An E7 HP80 3442 would be ideal for her. They call those a "peanut" tank, or I've also heard them called a "bowling ball", since they are short.
I've set up quite a few petite gals around my area with small Freedom Plates and they are happy as can be.
Just ask Peter C. I don't think anybody is smaller than his little French GF.
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