For the Women...

[TheRedHead]

Well, obsessed?, it was my male scuba instructor who sold me the jacket that I truly loathed. :yuck: There are really 3 types in discussion jacket, back-inflate, bp/w. And you're lumping jacket and back-inflate into the jacket category is factually incorrect.

 

[The Kraken]

OK, this thread was started by a woman for recommendations for gear from women.
It is not about the proper nomenclature of a specific type of B/C.

Now I say . . .

Stay on the topic or your posts will be devoured by the Kraken.

. . . so sayeth the Kraken

 

[JodiBB]

JodiBB,

My wife has a Zeagle Stiletto, size small. She's not really into local diving, so you're welcome to try it sometime if you'd like. It's a fairly rugged and lightweight back-inflate style BCD with a nice cushy lumbar pad. It's not a woman specific BCD, but she seems to really like it.

Thanks for the offer...that's very sweet of you, however, my 5'9" body won't fit into a size small....but I'm hearing a lot of good things about Zeagle and saw the Zena (sp?) and it looked like something I might want to consider....

Hmmm....decisions....decisions....

 

[almitywife]

Hi J

i use a zeagle tech bcd and recommend the brand any day. regs are my old sherwoods, love them but if i was to replace them today i would go with the apex or zeagle flathead.

my 12yr niece just got her first zeagle (hot pink no less) and currently uses oceanic regs but only because hubby gets alot of gear.

cheers

 

[Wayward Son]

The really nice thing about Zeagles is that they can be easily customized to fit you. You can get different shoulder straps, for example, that fit your frame better. ScottZeagle is the user name of someone from Zeagle who posts on this site, you can PM him for more info about this. He's been very helpful to people in the past.

It's great that you have the option to actually dive a bunch of different units & compare them in the water.

 

[DM2003]

I dive a ladyhawk BC and Scubapro MK20/S600 (the ultra light) and absolutely love it. I've tried a standard jacket style BC and am no particularly fond of the "squeeze". I've also dove the BP/W set up and for me personally I don't enjoy a weight belt, which is needed for the BP/W. Especially since I am so short waisted, a weight belt is very uncomfortable even with the minimum weight I need. I've also tried the DUI Delta set up which is nice and very adjustable.

There are so many choices out there now for women my suggestion would be to try as many as you possibly could and find something that fits, and works for you.

 

[dherbman]

Wife dives a Diva. It lifts, but does not separate. Not sure what that has to do with diving, but she does look good in it. It's a rear inflate, weight integrated jacket style BC. She likes it a lot, but really has no basis for comparison

 

[Obsessed?]

Well, obsessed?, it was my male scuba instructor who sold me the jacket that I truly loathed. :yuck: There are really 3 types in discussion jacket, back-inflate, bp/w. And you\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'re lumping jacket and back-inflate into the jacket category is factually incorrect.

I see, so now of course that means all male scuba instructors should be scorned...sounds like a familiar story, with a twist...like I said, I was lumping them in as BP/W and non BP/W and anyway, The Kraken is right, this is about the OP, not about \"interpretations\"

So, as I was saying (and stand by) my opinion is OP, that you to try as much equipment as possible and your own personal experience will determine what type of BC is best for you, based on performance and comfort, be that BP/W, Jacket, vest, back inflate, or any of the 9000 different styles, makes and models of BCs that are out there (and whatever anyone calls them). Fit - Fit - Fit !! The BC is a fit item. There is no way around it. This is your most important consideration. It is like your mask. You cannot pick out one that you like and then try to get it to fit. Figure out which ones fit and then choose from among them.

 

[Humu-out-of-Water]

Zeagle Ranger. It was nice to find one to fit my small frame... the womens bc's I tried on seems to accomodate those a little "larger" on top.... *sigh* not me Also, I really didn't like the jacket style... too constricting and integrated weights were a "must" for me.

 

[JodiBB]

I should also mention that I definitely want an integrated weight system...I've dove with the weight belt and with an integrated system...I will never go back to a belt!!!