let's talk BC's

[scubabunny]

There is a method behind their madness. NO ONE (with any taste) would consider stealing a pink drysuit, now would they??? Most of our masks and snorkels in our rental department are pink...and the Marine OW classes look sooooo cute in them! Proves they are secure in their manhood!hehe

 

[Danie]

Has anyone found a BC that is adjustable enough to take account of all suits?

I'm quickly coming to the decision to go the backplate route as I dive the two extremes.

In the UK I wear a dry suit and holidays are always somewhere hot so I use a shorty.

 

[ScubaLadee]

I have been diving with a Seaquest Libra BC (designed for women) for the past year. I love it. I work with alot of open water classes and do alot of recreational diving in Texas (LOL) and in Mexico. It took me awhile to get used to the back inflation vs. the traditional vest but once I did, I found it to be more comfortable and streamlined. Hope this info is helpful.

 

[SubMariner]

Danie, a good BC is also ADJUSTABLE in both the shoulders and the cumberbund or chest area. It's this flexibility that allows you to use it with a variety of exposure protection.

I talked about the Dacor I had: I wore it with a 1/4" neoprene drysuit, a 1/8" full length wetsuit, a 3mm shorty, a lycra dive skin, and later my trilam drysuit. It was able to adjust to all these suits.

So far I've only used the Aeris with my trilam drysuit, but it looks like it will adjust properly as well.

Again, no one can tell you unequivocably that Brand A will do the job for you in all circumstances. It really IS a personal trial & error process.

~SubMariner~

 

[hitomi316]

try the Zena made by Zeagle. All the parts to the bc are interchangeable according to your body. It haa an east zipper front so it fits snug but not restricting,ans it has a lifetime warranty! oh and one more thing.. no velcro to snag your suit! www.zeagle.com:approve:

 

[strfsh]

I used the standard rental gear it fit alright. The BC was a medium and the wetsuit was a womans 12. It really squeezed my chest flat though, but I guess since I'm a 36DDD it's bound to do that. I'm not sure what clothes size I wear. I have 14 shorts, but they are VERY big on me. They almost fall off now. I think I may be a 10.....It's harder to kind tops to fit, but the medium BC was perfect.

 

[mndolphin]

I thought I'd get my 2 cents in since I also wear an 18 and have DDD boobs.
I am still trying bcs but the seaquest eva was comfie (jacket style) I am also trying the seaquest balance, the knighthawk by scubapro (the ladyhawk only comes to L) I have my LDS ordring in more bcs to try, I'll let you know.

As for a wetsuit,have you thought of a semi- custom
the LDS i go to has one that is 250 and up depending on options, but comes in a wide range of fit. they take quite a few measurements.
In rental gear I have to go mens

 

[CuriousMe]

Starfish once bubbled...
When I inquired from a couple of dealers, they said that Diva didn't make an XL! So I guess I'll have to hunt that info down.

As for exposure suits, I have a man's XL Lycra that is baggie in the knees. For a bottom, I have a Farmer JOHN, not Jane, as I am "boyish" for my size (16) and smaller in the hips then the top. I don't have a jacket, but I am trying to find one pre-made. I will probably have to special order, as the company that sold me the John use to make jackets but they seem to have disappeared from stock this year when I was ready to purchase one.

In class they had 2 "larger size" womens john and shorties, and I had to get to the suit room ASAP to get a women's cut rather then have to use a man's cut which did compress, when renting.

Hi Starfish,

I have a Diva LX in a large...I wear either a size 24 - 26 in clothing. Once the cumberbun was adjusted (they have three settings where the cumberbun attaches to the backplate) it fit beautifully. The one thing diving's taught me is to not get hung up on what size it's labled...it's seems that sizes are assigned to things randomly!

Good Luck!

 

[LadyOscar]

I am rather new to diving. However, I have had the good fortune to have become affiliated with a great dive shop locally. They recommended the Genesis Athena. It's not great for storage, if you're into gathering things, but it fits wonderfully. Also, I'm quite small (read: would gladly take some boob off your bods) but have still had problems with men's bcs crushing me. I'm quite comfortable in it and was able to drop some extra lead!

 

[deignor]

I am a size 18 and wear a M/L in the Diva LX. Check out their sizing chart. It has these adjustable things in the side panel so you can let it out when you have a thicker wetsuit on and bring it in with a lighter wetsuit. I have used it in cold and warm water with 3 mm up to 6.5 mm Farmer Jane. The LX also has quite a good amount of lift.
I absolutely love it - it fits so well and is so comfortable. No chest compression at all!
Diana