New... question about womens bc's

[drydiver]

I started with a Sherwood Luna and agree with Heddie's comment, if that applies to you. I got to try it out with a rental before hand and recommend the same if possible before investing in anything. I tried out a friend's BP/W and never looked back.

Donna

 

[alibi 2]

Get a female BC...the fit is far better than a mans..I have dove in both...I have the back inflation Seaquest Libra and the Scuba Pro's Ladyhawk..both are excellent BC and I would Highly recommend either of these BC's..

 

[tamirph]

Don't limit yourself to a female BCD...we shopped the LDS when we bought our BCD's. My husband and I both own Seaquest Balance BCD's. I originally had bought a Libra (same style but a woman's bcd) but when we went to pick up our gear, I tried it on and decided to go with the Balance. The Libra small fit me except I couldn't tighten the waist belt any more so I went with the Balance medium and had the same torso fit and room to tighten the waist belt.

I love the back inflate...and the integrated weights.

 

[miss_scuba]

Visit as many LDS as possible and try on as many different BCs as you can before you decide.

I agree. we all have our favorite BCs, but the only reason you should choose any of our suggestion is because you like it.

I work in a dive shop and see so often that something I like and use does not always fit others, and something that does not fit me fits them perfect.

I suggest that you not only try them in the store but rent a few different ones until you find the best for you.

as for the back plate... ask yourself how much will you travel by air, because those are quite a bit heavier than other back inflation or regular BCs.

 

[Jimmer]

as for the back plate... ask yourself how much will you travel by air, because those are quite a bit heavier than other back inflation or regular BCs.

The BC I first owned was heavier than my SS backplate and wing, and WAYYYYYY heavier than my aluminum backplate and wing. I've yet to see a decent BC that was any lighter than an AL backplate and a small travel wing.

 

[miss_scuba]

The BC I first owned was heavier than my SS backplate and wing, and WAYYYYYY heavier than my aluminum backplate and wing. I've yet to see a decent BC that was any lighter than an AL backplate and a small travel wing.

I stand corrected than. Good to know. The ones I saw on local dive boats were steel and heavy.

 

[DESIGNERDIVER]

I stand corrected than. Good to know. The ones I saw on local dive boats were steel and heavy.

my fiance dives with a bp/and wing, but the plate is soft not stee:l or aluminum and is great for travel. one of the reasons he bought it (also for tech diving). i will definitly try a bunch of "rentals" before i invest. dont want to buy one then 1 year later go for $500-$1000 more on another!

 

[knotical]

As you have seen, there are as many opinions as there are BCDs. Your plan to try as many as you can is wise. fwiw, my wife loves her Diva.

 

[Astona]

I have to tell you that I love my Zeagle Zena.
It fits like a glove and also can be purchased in different sizes. and than if you loose weight (like I have) or grain, you can upgrade or down grade prices. I have a Large and I am need to get medium shoulder section. I like that it fits good and that it has 3 peices so I can adjust it as needed

 

[devinesigns]

I wear a Sherwood Solaris women's BC.

I'm 5'3", 134 lbs, with narrow shoulders and a small chest (sounds hot, huh??). I bring this up because rental gear never fit properly, since the chest straps didn't fasten tightly enough (so the BC would shift around my shoulders). The other problem with rental gear is it typically requires you to wear a weight belt (verus weight-integrated). Since my torso is so short, my BC covered my entire weight belt, which is not the safest situation if I needed to quickly remove weights.

My husband bought me the Solaris as a wedding gift since we went to the GBR on our honeymoon. What a godsend! It fit securely since it's designed for a woman's body, and weight-integrated so no need for an uncomfortable weight belt. Also, it has this great neck roll along the top, which sounds odd, but it's more comfortable than a traditional jacket. It back inflates which has helped my bouyancy (I've only logged 25 dives so far), and is more comfortable because I can still access my front pockets, even when inflated.

You should go to a dive shop and try different styles on before choosing. Women's bodies vary so much that you have to make sure to get a personal fit.