Zena BC

[MinisterDblue]

I bought a Zena BC for women. The kind that zip in the front and it was a try before you buy, which I did. I had a little trouble with my bouyancy in the pool but I bought it anyway, thinking I just needed to get used to it. I took it to the ocean and I still couldn't get my bouyancy right. Of course the ocean is a totally different animal and it was my first time in the ocean as well. It seems that I'm not able to lay flat enough. I'm upright. Curious if anybody else has problems with this type of thing with the Zena BC.

 

[ajduplessis]

Firstly I don’t know the Zena BC range. I do know Zeagle produces them and they have a good name in the market place.

Are weighted correctly? The amount of weights you use in fresh (pool) to salt water will differ. Get the correct weight right and things should improve greatly.

It might also help to move your cylinder up in the BC to get more weight over your torso. Be mindful in not moving it up to far as you head will bump the first stage when looking up.

Lastly, are you relaxed on confident in the water, this might also contribute in buoyancy issues. You did mention it was your first dive in the ocean. Relax and try a couple of these ideas. Hope it helps!

 

[Carlos Danger]

My GF uses the Zena; she loves it. I would say that it is probably one of the better BC products out there that's designed specifically for women, and Zeagle is a good outfit. Having said that, some equipment just doesn't always work for everyone.

If you are new to diving, then it is probably just a matter of getting your weighting setup correctly to balance well with the other things you have on (and perhaps a little practice); this is very common for those just starting out. Most new divers tend to be over weighted. Your ability to control your bouyancy will come in-due-time as you get more dives under your belt, and you will eventually need to carry less weight as your skills improve.

Buoyancy control is as much art as it is science, and the problems you're conveying are probably not due to your BC. However, if your BC has any additional weight compartments on the tank bans, I would remove those holders from the BC entirely. Keep the weight in the front zippered drop-in pockets. As ajduplessis points out, one of the most important other factors is simply learning how to relax and slow down, as well as training yourself to breath properly. All of these things will add up to better trim in the water, and less of the up-n-down's.

The term "less is more" holds true in diving more-so than in most other sporting endeavors. Everything you take with you can have an effect on your buoyancy and thusly the lengh and enjoyment of your adventure. The less you have on, the less weight you'll likely need to carry. Still, if you're uncomfortable with the equipment you have, then you may need to try something else. Unfortunately, diving just is one of those activities that is very equipment dependant, and sometime it takes a while to arrive at a profile that fits your needs.

The basic mark of a good well-rounded diver will always be a combination of sound safety practices backed-up by good bouyancy control skills. Focus on these, and you'll earn the respect of the diving community, and get more enjoyment from the sport.


Hope this help.

 

[DiveMaven]

I'll have to disagree about not using/removing the rear weight pockets. I've been diving a Zena for nearly 6 years and have almost 300 dives on it. I put about 40% of my weight in the rear pockets, and if I'm wearing say 12# total, I'll put 3# in each pocket, all the way around. I agree that if you're dive count is really 0-24, your bouyancy/trim difficulties likely have more to do with your inexperience than anything else.

I do have to ask if you're wearing your Zena low on your body? That will definitely have an effect on your trim. The middle strap on the Zena should be at your waist, so if you're finding that isn't the case, you're going to want to adjust accordingly before you try anything else.

If you haven't read previous posts on how to properly adjust your Zena on your body, let me know and I'll be more than happy to repeat it.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I'll have to disagree about not using/removing the rear weight pockets. I've been diving a Zena for nearly 6 years and have almost 300 dives on it. I put about 40% of my weight in the rear pockets, and if I'm wearing say 12# total, I'll put 3# in each pocket, all the way around..

We tend to be more minimalist tropical-type divers that do a lot of traveling, and have tried several weighting configurations on the Zena and Stiletto models. Both have the same rear weighting system. From our experiences over hundreds of dives, the best trim is obtained by simply keeping all the weight distributed between the two main pockets, and abandoning the rear system altogether. Removing the tank pockets also lowers the overall weight, reduces the bulk and inherent buoyancy of the BC, and generates less drag, as well as eliminating a few potential snag points. Nearly all of our dive partners that own Zeagles and dive under similar conditions have come to the same conclusions. We also found self-ditching of weight from the rear system to be a pain.

I typically carry 8 lbs total (2 x 4 lbs); preferring to deal with just two physical weights, rather than having to split it by four. Still, I will concede that it is largely a case of personal preference. I think you bring up a good point regarding fit though.

Poor fitting equipment also tends to be more common amongst new divers, and can certainly have an effect on trim. One of the nice things about Zeagle's BCs is that they are modular. This creates a wide range of options where differently sized components can be swapped-out for a custom fit, and/or facilitate easy repairs (I added an adjustable saddle strap to mine to provide more stability). In addition to proper adjustment, MinisterDblue may want to just confirm that the BC is correctly sized as well. Personally, I think MinisterDblue is probably just carrying too much weight.

 

[MDJ1016]

All you warm water divers and less then 10 pond of weight! Us "Great Lakers" have double that with steal tanks! Takes a lot to weight down that drysuit and thermos!

On the BC part- my wife is considering diving and is built rather well. Of which many have said the Zena fits very small to larger women well. I talked to the owner of the LDS and she noted the Zena would be a good starting place.

Anyone have comments? I would appreciate them.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Just to clarify; the "8 lbs" reference from my earlier post was for warm water ocean diving. Since we're acclimatized to the sweltering southern US, diving in cold water environments is something we try our best to avoid. I personally don't typically carry any additional weight for fresh water diving down here in Texas.

My GF is of average size, but is very (shall we say) curvy. The unique design of the Zena seems to suit her very well. As previously mentioned, Zeagle's modular design concept allows you to swap-out differently sized components for a custom fit. If she has any trouble with the standard sizes, then your LDS may be able to change something out to better suit her needs. Zeagle also has another women's model called the LaZer; might give that a try too. Zeagle do custom stuff as well:

Custom BCs - BCs - Zeagle Dive Systems

I've always found Zeagle to be a pretty responsive organization. You might consider giving them a call if you have other questions or are still unsure about what to look at.

Hope this helps.

 

[MinisterDblue]

Thanks guys.... your insightfulness has been helpful... my next post will be what brand name to go with on a regulator... I over heard a conversation about Zeagle regulators were not good... (I cleaned it up for the post).... any comments?

 

[ScottZeagle]

I over heard a conversation about Zeagle regulators were not good... (I cleaned it up for the post).... any comments?

 

[ScottZeagle]

Seriously, you will get more feedback if you post this question in the regulator forum!!!