Help with bc's

I am a new scuba diver and am looking to buy a new BC. The guy at the shop is trying to get me to buy a men's but I think that I should buy a women's. Does it make a big difference? I should state that I am a woman. I tried on a women's BC at a different store and it just felt more comfortable. Is it worth it to buy a women's cut BC?

The 2 most important things with bcs are fit and lift. I would say try some on that have enough lift for the type of diving you are going to so and see what fits better. I know my wife loves her scubapro Bella which is a women's cut bc.

Agreed, fit, fit and fit. beware of sales people trying to sell "the rack" because that's what is in the store that day.

Now the other side of the equation is features. As a new diver this can be daunting unless you have done lots of homework. Here is an old post about my first BC. It may let you glean a few things to consider.

Pete

Try on until you can get one that fits you; men's, women's, children's, Martian, et al.

I laugh at the "women's cut" advertisement. Which women's cut is that? The one for the lissom bodied? Athletic bodied? Buxom? Olive Oyl? Long torso? Short torso?

syfyfan:

I am a new scuba diver and am looking to buy a new BC. The guy at the shop is trying to get me to buy a men's but I think that I should buy a women's. Does it make a big difference? I should state that I am a woman. I tried on a women's BC at a different store and it just felt more comfortable. Is it worth it to buy a women's cut BC?

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Hi syfyfan,

First off congrats on becoming a new diver. It's good that you are asking for information and if you could answer some of these questions it would help narrow your choices.

1. What's your budget
2. What's your built like cus different woman's bcds will fit some types of body shapes better then others
3. Cold vs warm water diving or wetsuit vs dry?
4. Specific features you might want to have? Integrated weights, pockets or anything in particular?

Anyway, 2 of the best companies that produce built to measure bcds are Zeagle and Diverite.
They have a great measurement charts:
TransPac, TransPlate,TravelPac, and VoyagerPac Sizing - Dive Gear Express
Zena - Recreational BCs - BCs - Zeagle Dive Systems

Fitting is very important.

adding on to ^ - Zeagle also sells the Lazer - a woman's Stiletto and the Ranger W - a heavier duty, higher lift womans BC.

I have a friend who is busty. When she started diving, she bought a man's BC used. Later she bought a woman's - Mares Kaila? - said once it fits her better around the "girls"

Bottom line, the salesclerk is not diving the gear, you are. So be sure you like how it fits, feels and looks on you. Rememer function over form and you need to be happy. Normal dive position is horizontal not verticle and it needs to fit you well.

Do make an effort to try the blackplate and wing before you buy. The modular design and comfort are worth it. Cost is about the same for a BCD, but IMHO will serve you better and longer. Deep Sea Supply (DSS) Backplate and wing (BW) are great. Open in front with just webing over the shoulders and around the waist so it works well for any bodytype or gender. Blackplates come in tall, short, medium and the wing is selected based on the weight you wear and the number of tanks you plan to wear. The tank is anchored to a metal plate that is about as wide as your back giving you a stable platform for the tank (BCDs often have a narrow piece of plastic with the tank balancing on top and the cloth trying to hold it stable, or at best a small triangular shaped piece of plastic).

I'd also recommend taking a serious look at the Zeagle Express Tech if you are anything but a stock size. Along with the BPW these BC's allow you to custom fit the BC to you and not into some mfg's idea of what sixe you should use, what features you should have, and what works best for your style of diving.