Backplate for Petite Women

[realdiver7]

It IS somewhat individual. I helped a local diver trying to figure out what size plate to use. She's absolutely tiny -- I would guess about 5' and 95 pounds -- and I was sure (and so was Tobin) that she'd need a small plate. But it turned out her height is in her torso, and the medium was a better fit. Sometimes you can't be sure until you try it.

I agree it can be individual preference in many cases. One factor is how high (or low) the individual diver likes to wear the BP. Torso length is also important because height can be primarily from the torso, or from the length of the legs.

 

[SassyScubaGal]

Rainer, I'm about the same size (5'4 and 119) and I use the Dive Rite alum bp with the Venture wing (30 lb lift). I love the way my set-up fits. I also use the single webbing harness.

Totally agree! I am 5'2", 103 lbs & the DRite alum bp is perfect. (I actually use the travel wing with it & the DRite XS harness.) First bp/wing was an OMS (32 wing)... Hated it. Would never recommend this for a petite woman... Wing was so HUGE on me--If you were standing behind me, you couldn't even see my body. In the water, it was comedy! Even the fish had to stop & check out the weird, really slow, creature dragging through the water.

OMS harness was an XS-- and fit in the shoulders-- but was way too long in the torso... Waste strap sat on hips instead of actual waist. I thought I was pretty cool in my new BP/wing set up-- That is until I met my DIR techy boyfriend-- Couldn't contain his laughter when he saw the petite little thing in the big red wing. Live & learn...

 

[TSandM]

My friends are STILL laughing at the petite little thing in the big, bright red wing . . . But I LIKE my Deep Outdoors doubles wing!

 

[Jordan]

At Dive Rite, we find that approximately 75% of female divers use our SM Transpac (the backplate is 2 inches shorter than a standard). Long-torsoed women prefer our medium Transpac (uses the standard backplate, but has the SM shoulders).

 

[suthnbelle]

Jordan, just an FYI, I've got a long torso and the Dive Rite alum bp fits me great.

 

[cool_hardware52]

What is often over looked is the effects of single tanks vs doubles on the fit of a back plate.

With doubles the tanks are much closer to the divers back, and typically extend well past the bottom of the back plate. That means that the bottom edge of plate may not even contact the divers back when suing doubles, the tanks hit the diver in the butt.

This is not true with single tanks. The lower edge of the plate will contact the divers back.

The same plate that might seem a good fit in doubles can be uncomfortable with a single tank, particularly if the plate is too long. Combined this with the tendancy for new BP&W divers to leave their harness too loose, and bruises on the top of the pelvis may result.

Too short a plate will result in the waist strap crossing over the lower rib cage.

If on the border line between two sizes I usually opt for the shorter plate. You can "cheat" the plate down a bit by lenghtening the shoulder straps, and you can pull the waist strap down a bit with the crotch strap.

If the plate is too long there's not much you can do to improve the fit.


Tobin

 

[judestudio]

OMS now makes an XXS size IQ Pack, maybe that's worth a look at.

 

[Ellen Chua]

I'm only 4'11" (too small huh than the average woman)
I use the Mach V 30#s with aluminum backplate and SS STA.

 

[SassyScubaGal]

OMS now makes an XXS size IQ Pack, maybe that's worth a look at.

Tried that one too... Shoulders are great. Torso is still too long. Even though it an XXS, the torso length is still the same as all the other IQ Packs (unlike the DiveRite which is about 2 inches shorter in the S & XS versions.)

 

[judestudio]

Any comments on the Poseidon Besea Advanced Harness? That is one handsome looking harness and claims to fit all sizes from XXS to XXL. Too good to be true. Anyone?