Female divers using BP/W

[riff-raff]

Thanks everyone! I am going to try my dive buddies out sometime this summer. If I like it, which I expect that I will, my hopes are to have a system by this fall or next spring, savings pennies as I speak.

Of course, then comes the big questions, which system, etc., etc., but I think there are lots of posts out there on SB to check out.

 

[TSandM]

BTW, I ended up crossing my straps, too. For those of us with narrow shoulders, it helps a lot.

 

[Peter Guy]

TSandM -- would you be willing to go back to your Libra in order to let someone else try your BP/W? Enquiring Minds Need to Know!

 

[H2Andy]

Peter Guy, are you the guy or the horse in the pic?

i mean.. that's confusing, man

 

[countryboy]

Finally convince my wife to switch.. She loves the BP/W.

Jury is still out on the long hose, although she is getting better with it..

 

[TheRedHead]

TSandM -- would you be willing to go back to your Libra in order to let someone else try your BP/W? Enquiring Minds Need to Know!

Wow, we were wondering how long you would hold out...

 

[Jordan]

A lot of women are too short for the BP (it was designed for a 6 foot man, after all). A lot of bigger women can make a standard BP work just fine, but if you're on the shorter side, you may run into trouble with your trim (head down). Dive Rite offers the solution to this problem -- The short backplate of the XS/SM Transpac has made A LOT of women happy. Try it and you'll understand. There are some companies out there that produce a short BP, but I understand they can be hard to get your pretty little hands on.

 

[Ishie]

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.

I love my TransPac as well, though I'd probably consider a TransPlate too. I went with the TransPac because it was more inexpensive, and extremely comfortable, but I imagine you could trick out the Transplate to be the exact same way.

Only complaint with the Transpac is the lack of pockets. I have a short torso, thus having a weightbelt interferes with any BCD or BP/W, so the integrated weight pockets on my Transpac are the only ones I have. I've figured out a way to strap a fanny pack under it to hold lenses though, so that works pretty well.

Adjusting my buoyancy with the rear inflate system (Transpac is sort of a BP/wing, sort of not because the 'plate' is hard plastic) took me 1.5 dives. The girl who worked at my dive shop dove the Halcyon BP/wing and adores it and I know many other women that dive a real BP/wing, love it, and have no difficulties with it. Try them (I'd also recommend trying the Transpac), and if you like them, dive with them. The exclusively reason I started with the Transpac and was looking at the BP/wings was because normal BCDs were really squeezing me when inflated, and now I can have mine full to the point of bursting and not feel a thing.

 

[TSandM]

TSandM -- would you be willing to go back to your Libra in order to let someone else try your BP/W?

For you, sweetheart, anything . . . for anybody else, I'd ask Bob if I could borrow one of his

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

For you, sweetheart, anything . . . for anybody else, I'd ask Bob if I could borrow one of his

Peter has a standing invitation to use one of my BP/W rigs anytime he wants (thought he knew that) ... heck, he's even got his choice of wings ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)