Bob3
Contributor
Hmmmm.... I used to be referred to as "whale" and "walrus" sometimes.
ut:
New Heavy Diver Needs Help
- Thread starter kmorris283
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Hmmmm.... I used to be referred to as "whale" and "walrus" sometimes.
ut:
Fishkiller
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now they say it out of hearing distanceOriginally posted by Bob3
Hmmmm.... I used to be referred to as "whale" and "walrus" sometimes.
martinjc
Contributor
Yeah, Bob, but in a good way.....<S>
Welshman
senior member
Dear K Morris
as for the BC try as many as possible on both in the water and out to get a clear idea of the type of BC you want, whether jacket, back inflator or wing/harness. Above all it needs to fit properly and I wouldn't believe anyone who said that a BC which cuts you on the back of the neck will be Ok when you're in the water. If it doesn't fit comfortably on dry land it surely won't fit underwater.
as for the BC try as many as possible on both in the water and out to get a clear idea of the type of BC you want, whether jacket, back inflator or wing/harness. Above all it needs to fit properly and I wouldn't believe anyone who said that a BC which cuts you on the back of the neck will be Ok when you're in the water. If it doesn't fit comfortably on dry land it surely won't fit underwater.
OP
kmorris283
Registered
Thanks, I totally agree with you about the fit. I have decided not to go back to the store that tried to sell me something that did not fit correctly just because thats all he had. I am going to another store that is farther away but is supposed to have alot of gear in stock to see if they can help me.
Welshman
senior member
Dear K Morris
I'm sure you'll find what you want. Best of luck
Regards
I'm sure you'll find what you want. Best of luck
Regards
art.chick
Contributor
Kmorris -
at 5'8" & 210 lb, I was once subtly bullied into buying expensive equipment that just was not right for me. Then the whole kit & caboodle got stolen out of the back of my car & I had to start over....with much less money! I lucked into finding the Henderson Hyperstretch suit just as it came out. See what sizes your local shop can get; they are flying off the racks because they stretch like no custom suit ever could (I know; I had one; cost me more than my wedding dress). ;-0 Immediately, I felt like a better diver!
About the BC - I had a Zeagle ranger for the same reasons already mentioned. As an integrated, it was just too damn heavy with 32 lb of lead in the pockets, so I experimented with dividing the weight & distributing it around my body (make sure your buddy knows where all the ditchable weight is). The darn thing also traps air which made me sail up once I reached my 15 foot safety stop. The weights are also a pain to rethread when you dump them (but, for God's sake, DUMP if you need to; just practice it a lot because it's tricky). Now I have a larger size of the Aqualung Wave BC, a bone-simple jacket-style that cost less than 1/2 the price of the Ranger new. It is a men's model. Now I wear only 23 lb of lead! (If you try on a jacket style, put it on over clothes to simulate your thick wetsuit & inflate it, as the fully-inflated jackets will squeeze your liver out if you buy them too tight!)
Losing my "Fat Girl" gear was a tragic financial loss, but all my new stuff is better for me. I see plenty of us chunky gals all over the beaches of SoCal & our money is just as green as those thin girls' so I don't know why those girly pink things are still only made in Small, Smaller, & X-Small (unless the companies are afraid we will make them look bad)...sorry, my resentment is showing! Diving per se won't make a person skinny, but having great times with great friends makes life better at any size. If you faithfully kick your laps, your insides will glow with health & I hope I see you towing some skinny chick to safety someday!
at 5'8" & 210 lb, I was once subtly bullied into buying expensive equipment that just was not right for me. Then the whole kit & caboodle got stolen out of the back of my car & I had to start over....with much less money! I lucked into finding the Henderson Hyperstretch suit just as it came out. See what sizes your local shop can get; they are flying off the racks because they stretch like no custom suit ever could (I know; I had one; cost me more than my wedding dress). ;-0 Immediately, I felt like a better diver!
About the BC - I had a Zeagle ranger for the same reasons already mentioned. As an integrated, it was just too damn heavy with 32 lb of lead in the pockets, so I experimented with dividing the weight & distributing it around my body (make sure your buddy knows where all the ditchable weight is). The darn thing also traps air which made me sail up once I reached my 15 foot safety stop. The weights are also a pain to rethread when you dump them (but, for God's sake, DUMP if you need to; just practice it a lot because it's tricky). Now I have a larger size of the Aqualung Wave BC, a bone-simple jacket-style that cost less than 1/2 the price of the Ranger new. It is a men's model. Now I wear only 23 lb of lead! (If you try on a jacket style, put it on over clothes to simulate your thick wetsuit & inflate it, as the fully-inflated jackets will squeeze your liver out if you buy them too tight!)
Losing my "Fat Girl" gear was a tragic financial loss, but all my new stuff is better for me. I see plenty of us chunky gals all over the beaches of SoCal & our money is just as green as those thin girls' so I don't know why those girly pink things are still only made in Small, Smaller, & X-Small (unless the companies are afraid we will make them look bad)...sorry, my resentment is showing! Diving per se won't make a person skinny, but having great times with great friends makes life better at any size. If you faithfully kick your laps, your insides will glow with health & I hope I see you towing some skinny chick to safety someday!
QLittlestar
Registered
I love all of your info on large size divers. I am yet to get certified. I am taking an intensive weekend course because I am going to Cuba in June. It's nice to know I am not alone. I hope to see y'all on the water.
Chiara as a new diver of full-figured proportions, what convinced me I could dive was I met a friends dive buddy who was 4'11 and 80lbs soaking wet from NYC. I was 4'11" at 8 years old, at 5'10",I am big and yes a little more meat on my bones than I'd like, but I am very, very strong. I grew up on the beach (FL) and I am very comfortable in the water and STILL hold my lifeguard cerification (WSI). The question you have to ask yourself is: If you were in trouble in the ocean...who would you trust to drag you out? Never judge a book by its cover.
Q
Chiara as a new diver of full-figured proportions, what convinced me I could dive was I met a friends dive buddy who was 4'11 and 80lbs soaking wet from NYC. I was 4'11" at 8 years old, at 5'10",I am big and yes a little more meat on my bones than I'd like, but I am very, very strong. I grew up on the beach (FL) and I am very comfortable in the water and STILL hold my lifeguard cerification (WSI). The question you have to ask yourself is: If you were in trouble in the ocean...who would you trust to drag you out? Never judge a book by its cover.
Q
QLittlestar
Registered
Oh Yeah I forgot to ask. I am very busty which of the bcs mentioned would be best for the big, the tall and the large breasted?
Thanks
Q
Thanks
Q
astrl
Contributor
I feel your pain, QlittleStar! I have the same "problem". We need a busty gal to design a dive equipment line for all of us!!
I just tried on several BC's today looking for my future equipment and I was rather taken with the Zeagle Escape. I am going to try it out on a dive later this month or next month.
Just by observing the posts from different topics, I see many references to newbies and experienced divers. What do most people consider is the general deciding factor between a newbie and an experienced diver? I know that there can't possibly be an exact number to this, but I am interested in opinions.
astrl
I just tried on several BC's today looking for my future equipment and I was rather taken with the Zeagle Escape. I am going to try it out on a dive later this month or next month.
Just by observing the posts from different topics, I see many references to newbies and experienced divers. What do most people consider is the general deciding factor between a newbie and an experienced diver? I know that there can't possibly be an exact number to this, but I am interested in opinions.
astrl
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