LADIES--a BCD Question

[flstarfish44]

I have an Oceanic Hera & Love it! It's cut high over the hips, has lots of cushion on the backplate & all around, which IMHO makes it very comfortable. It is also a hybrid Jacket/ back inflate. I also like how the shoulder harness can be adjusted up or down for a better fit. I tried one on in the store when they first got them in & it was love at first fitting. I can wear it with either my 3mm wet suit or my drysuit with very thick undies (650gm) on. It's a great ladies BC, overall. But, also as TS&M mentioned, the BP/W isn't too bad either.

I second the Oceanic Hera. I did a ton of research before buying, and had that narrowed down as one of the choices. I have worn BP/Ws before but after trying on the hybrid Hera, the choice was clear. It's made extremely well and is soooooooooooo comfortable in and out of the water. It just plain fits well. Love the adjustability of it. Weight pockets are positioned nicely too. I did try on the Zeagles, but they really just didn't fit me as well as the Hera did. It is a matter of personal preference though. Narrow it down to several that has the features you're looking for, then try them on.

 

[montanagal]

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply and give your opinion.

We have dove a couple of times in warm water on vacation, but are pretty much cold water, dry suit divers and have both steel and aluminum tanks. We mostly do shore diving, which means having to a lot of times deal with the waves and chop going in and out.
I am not a tech diver and don't have plans to do tech diving. I enjoy diving to see the critters and plant life and photographing it. I am comfortable with diving down around the deeper depths of 80-100ft.

I have had a jacket style Aqua Lung since hubby and I learned to dive over a 100+ dives ago. At the time we were told it was a good one to get for beginners. One thing I have never liked about it is how short the inflator hose is and it with the octo, are then up higher and more in the way. It also has just one tank strap and I like the idea of getting one with two straps, the padded shoulders would be nice, and some padding on the back would be nice, too. I want one that would have plenty of lift. I do like the idea of maybe getting more of the weight off my belt, getting my trim much better, and one that would not be pushing me face first into the water.
This time around I want to take the time to check out BCs and not just go with what a man recommends.

 

[scubagal28]

I have the Scubapro Ladyhawk and love it.

 

[wylerbear]

I also have a Scubapro Ladyhawk and can highly recommend it. I bought it when I first started diving and while I have gone to the BP/W set up for most of my diving in the PNW I still use the Ladyhawk for pool work and warm water. You say you want one with 2 tank straps and the Ladyhawk only has one but I've never had a problem with it feeling or being loose. The hardware itself is much more secure than a lot of the tank straps you see. The Ladyhawk also has a couple of trim pockets that you can put up to 5lbs each in. I tried several different ones at the time that I bought the Ladyhawk and it fit me best. You should try several on to see what fits your body the best. Fit and comfort, fit and comfort. It makes diving much more enjoyable. Good luck.

 

[Gdog]

Wife has a ladyhawk....takes it warm as well as cold. she loves it.

 

[Dive Junky]

Both Oceanic's Hera and Isla were designed for woman. Cut in the hips for the ladies and adjustable straps so the BC can be contoured for women and their different shapes.

 

[drl]

I love my Ladyhawk too. I dive it in cold water with a drysuit. It may only have one tank band, but that style of band is very secure and does not come loose.

 

[girldiverllc]

Hey...just saw this post. I have the Mares Kaila BCD's (designed by and made for women) in my rental inventory for my gals. If you'd like to try one out...gratis!!

Let me know and I can meet you at a dive site in the area.

 

[TravisD]

My wife has the DUI Delta Wings and loves it. It's not only non-gender-specific, but it's also highly adjustable - one-size-fits-all. Also, it has no inherent buoyancy to add more lead to your belt. I tried it once in the pool, and even without adjusting it to fit me it was pretty secure and comfortable (we tried the underwater gear exchange... I initiated it... She likes to refer to it as being "BC-jacked")

 

[girldiverllc]

I will have the She Dives Kaila BCD's at the Discover Scuba pool at the NW Dive Expo this weekend. If you'd like to check them out...pretty sure we can arrange it.