Female divers using BP/W

[mart1]

Hi! I am currently using a SeaQuest Diva LX BC with weight integration for cold water diving. I am considering going to a BP/W as I feel so crowded in the Diva. Also, when I have the weight pouches in, the pockets are useless.

Well, you won't find a better bc for women than this one, so the only way to improve is bp/w.

I mentioned to my LDS that I was considering going to a BP/W. The response I received was "I don't see why you would need that for your type of diving" (only recreational). The next response that I received was "you will be very uncomfortable with a metal plate, (it has no padding)". Then I heard "you will have to learn everything all over again (i.e. bouyancy, etc.)".

Type of diving has nothing to do with it. Bp/w is perfect for any kind of diving except side-mount.
Uncomfortable??? Just try is once and you will be cinvinced otherwise.
Learn to dive all over again? Yes, you will have to adjust a little bit. But all over again???
Fact remains I dive in bp/w all the time, while my girlfriend (also course director) prefers to only use it for doubles. But she does use a wing style jacket for singles.

maarten

 

[Dive-aholic]

My wife dives a bp/w and will never dive a bcd again. She loves the simplicity and streamlining of the bp/w harness. She was always complaining about the bcds we used when we 1st got certified. No complaints since.

 

[TheRedHead]

I dive a BP/W and love the stability and custom fit. I found an immediate improvement in my trim and was able to remove weight where no longer need weight pockets, just a few lbs on a weightbelt. I basically told my LDS (who said the same thing): "If you don't want to sell it to me and make me a happy customer, I will order it online." I actually ended up ordering the plate online, but they eventually saw the light and stopped trying to discourage me. Now, I'm taking tech classes from them.

 

[down4fun]

I too dive a BP/W and love it. I switched about 6 months ago and would never go back. As for comfort, I think it is more comfortable than my BC. And despite what they say, you do not feel the ss backplate thru your wetsuit. I have two wings so Ican use it use it for doubles or a single tank. My diving at this point is all recreational. So don't let them discourage you. If they don't want to sell to you, there are plenty of places that will.

 

[TSandM]

I started out in a Libra and never felt very comfortable in it, and it didn't keep the tank very stable. I switched to a BP/W at about 40 dives. There was no learning curve (except I have the one piece harness, and getting in and out of the rig took a little getting used to). It was immediately comfortable. I have dived in a 3 mm and 5mm wetsuit and a drysuit, and was comfortable in all of them.

I personally LIKE using a weight belt, as it gets some of the weight off my shoulders. The other down side of a BP/W is no pockets -- I solved that by gluing pockets on my drysuit, and using X-shorts over my wetsuit.

I'll never go back.

 

[Jasonmh]

FWIW - 2 of my regular dive buddies are female, they both switched to a BP&W and love it. They both said they wouldn't be going back to their old BCs.

 

[scubapolly]

I tried out several BP/W, and never found one that I thought was comfortable. It wasn't the plate, it was the harness that I found uncomfortable because I could keep the webbing from compressing in places that made my whole arm go numb. I went with a TransPac an love it. If I had to do it over again I might do the Trans Plate instead, but overall I'm happy with it.

Try it and see if you like it.

 

[BabyDuck]

a thought depending on how wide your shoulders are - try it with the straps coming straight down over your shoulders *and* with them crossed behind your neck. since my shoulders aren't as wide as an average guy's, i think crossed is more comfy. uncrossed hit me on the upper arms instead of mid-collarbone like crossed does.

i'll never go back to a bc! i dove a plate strictly rec for almost a year before i started cave stuff. they are great for rec diving.

 

[wreckchick]

What everyone but Polly says... I <heart> my bp/w!

Rachel

 

[Cacia]

go all the way and get the long hose, the possibilities are endless. Drills, drills.