BCD largeness

[quak3r]

Ladies and gents,
I realize this is super noob of a question but I can't really find a thread on it. I usually wear a size medium BCD . my father, due to health complications gave me his BCD . never seen water but it's an xl same brand.Can I get away with using it.?All the straps have been pulled to max and it feels comfortable and snug. Any thoughts?

 

[scubastingray]

Sure, why not? If it feels snug to you go for it. Some BCDS have a lot of play-room from a size perspective.

 

[TSandM]

All you can do is try it. If it isn't snug enough, the tank will be unstable and it will make for an uncomfortable dive.

 

[quak3r]

All you can do is try it. If it isn't snug enough, the tank will be unstable and it will make for an uncomfortable dive.

So it's not so much of a safety issue as it is a comfort issue then?

 

[scubastingray]

A poor fit could make it harder to recover from an error/ compound an existing error, but sizes on jacket style bcds are very generous. I've worn bcds from size m to XLs. Try it out and see if you like it.

 

[TSandM]

Gear that doesn't fit makes diving more difficult. For a veteran, an ill-fitting BC is an annoyance. For a novice, it can be a major contributor to diver stress in someone whose stress level is high to begin with.

I have seen new divers who were phlegmatic to a high degree. I have seen novices who are one straw away from a bolt to the surface. Whether an ill-fitting BC is a safety issue or not depends on the diver to which it is attached.

 

[Ting Tong]

I have found that once I have reached my planned depth sometimes I have to readjust my BC straps so it is snug again. If your fathers XL BC is snug on the surface with no adjustment left, possibly at depth it may be not as snug as you would like.