Looking for a BP/W for my wife...

[aa]

My wife is unhappy with her back-inflate jacket BC (Aqualung pearl, ladies version with short torso), could not achieve good trim during the last few trips with multiple types of fins, trim weights, and other sorts of adjustments, including recommendations on ScubaBoard. We are convinced at this point that this is not a skills issue, and would like to explore different types of equipment (some of you will probably disagree, but I kindly request that we postpone this discussion for a bit, and explore the equipment path before we conclude that she needs more training). I heard a lot of good things on this board about BP/W being more customizable than other types of BCs, and I would like to encourage her to try. There seems to be a lot of good intel on this board, but I have not come across specific recommendations for women. She is very thin, 5'4'', AOW with 25 dives. Can anyone point me to some good place to start?

One thing to add is that we are both extremely busy, and I am inclined to spend more money if this means less headache for us... possibly buy from an online retailer to avoid multiple time-consuming visits to local scuba shops that I cannot really afford at this point. I noticed that there exist "deluxe" kind of BP/W harnesses with additional padding. Forgetting the extra cost for a second, are they a valid choice for someone who has never used a BP/W before? How can I make this experience as easy and comfortable for my wife as I can? Her passion for scuba diving requires much more nurturing than mine, and the last thing I need is to throw extra discomfort into the mix.

 

[Akimbo]

I guess the first question is how is the geometry of a back-inflate going to be different than a BP/W? Then consider if those differences shift buoyancy in a favorable direction for the trim problems she experienced.

Edit: Being in trim is a physics issue. Figuring out how to achieve a system that is naturally in trim is where a small amount of skill and experience is useful. Can you provide more information on how she is out of trim, all the gear in use, and how weight is distributed?

 

[aa]

Hi Akimbo, thanks for the quick reply. The problem seems to be that the BC and the integrated weights sit very high on the torso, which causes her to go feet-up. We have been counter-balancing this by lowering the tank, putting trims weights on the tank, and we tried heavier fins, but none of this resulted in a very comfortable diving experience for her. She claims she had fewer problems with (male, loosely-fitting) rental BCs in the past. A different type of jacket BC could probably help, but then, perhaps it will introduce additional problems. I think that if we are going to change the type of BC she is wearing now, we may as well go for what the advanced divers on ScubaBoard seem to favor. The customizability aspect appeals to me, I like to think that a BP/W will offer many more ways to customize and compensate, where otherwise a jacket or back-inflate BC would leave us with very few options. But then, I never used a BP/W myself, I may be wrong.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I think you are being overly optimistic about significant benefits in trim. I think I would first experiment (borrow) afew different types of (steel?) tanks and see if that helps. Also I would strap some lead to the bottom of the tank and see if that helps. I can't see how a BP/W is going to change much.

 

[rivers]

Before buying a new BC, I would suggest hiring a good instructor instead for some one to one coaching. I'm not sure where you are located, but the people on this board could point you in the right direction if you let us know.

 

[WhiteSands]

I agree with the rest of the posters that a BP/W isn't going to be of much difference frim a back inflate bc. As for recommendations I will suggest the Halcyon Infinity.

 

[TSandM]

Hmm . . . feet up is not the problem that backplates normally solve for folks.

I understand that you want to discuss equipment, and here's my take on that: at 5'4", I fit a medium Deep Sea Supply plate just fine (the small is too short). If the problem is feet up, you want as much lift as possible high on the body, and as much weight low, so I'd go with a Kydex plate and a horseshoe wing, and use a weight belt or weight harness to move weight down. The DUI Weight & Trim allows significant flexibility in where to plate weights.

All that said -- I seriously doubt the problem is her equipment, unless the BC she is using is so ill-fitting that it's shifting up onto her shoulders while she dives. You don't list a location, so we can't make very good guesses about what she's using for exposure protection, but feet up is something we see frequently in our open water students using very thick wetsuits. Negative fins can help, but we often end up putting some ankle weights on our students to help them be more comfortable.

Another very common problem with newer divers is bending the knees too much. Bringing the feet up to the buttocks will always cause the diver to tilt forward, and if it's combined with a dropped head, it can be a pretty powerful effect. Add a steel tank riding up on the diver's back, and you have a recipe for instability. If you're working with a dry suit, and the diver gets air in the feet and goes at all feet-up, that's a self-perpetuating problem, too.

I am with the other posters. I think the overwhelming likelihood is that there are technique problems which are causing much of this. If you can get in a pool or in open water and shoot some video, we can take a look and see if there are some obvious things to change. The other option would be to work with an instructor who is actually interested in and understands trim issues, who can adjust things real-time.

I love backplates, and your wife may love one, but I don't think it will be a panacea.

 

[Corleone]

consider the following:

1- change the wetsuit if she has her own. let her try one of the rental, different brand. i usually use 1mm and i dive with different dive centers. each is assosiated with spesific brand like scubapro, aqualung, oceanic, aires and so on. since BCD is the only equipment i don't have, i rent them. my trim and the whole dive is excellent. recently i went on a dive trip which i had to buy a 5mm wetsuit as recommended by the company. man, i had to put 12 kg and that suit wouldn't sink!! had to do negative entry in all of my dives and fin untill im 3 m deep. my trim was catastrophic in this trip.

2- dive trips/holidays aren't the best place nor time to fix any thing related to scuba diving. what i would recommend you to do is to load your equipments in the car, rent some tanks and weights if you can and head to the nearest beach or lake. work with her on her weight issue, try neglecting the integrated weight and use a belt for trial prupose.

 

[Imla]

Although, personally, I love my BP/W and would really recommend it for her... at 25 dives, I do believe you would have more return/bang for the buck with paying a good instructor to help her with trim.

Disregarding skills after only 25 dives, thinking you cannot do anymore there would be a mistake in my opinion.

However... If she feels the bc is high on her torso, a BP/W could actually be good for her. The crotchstrap will help her keep it "in place"

THough, I do think there is a lot to say about practise and skills

 

[NAM001]

I use DSS bp's because of the " no need for an adaptor STA" I have the kidex and steel versions. Probably 2 of each actually.