Any advice on diving as a shorter 13 year old?

[BaileyF]

Hello peoples, I've been interested in scuba for years and I've finally decided that I'll dive into it. Currently I'm planning on learning at a well reviewed place near me and I'm already set up to go and see what gear works for me later this week. The only concern I have is myself, I'm 13 but I'm 4 foot 4.5 inches and I weigh 63 pounds primarily because of genetics and some delay. I do think they might have gear that'd work for me but I don't think they offer courses for under 12 years old so I don't know if they'd offer smaller gear for use. I am able to buy gear myself though if that's possible. My main questions would be what wetsuits should I be looking at (or drysuits I guess), what BCDs would be good and would I need a crotch strap because I read somewhere that I might I'm pretty sure, and how easily would I be able to manage the tank? Another concern would be that I get bad migraines really easily from jaw pressure or anything around my jaw, I might sound like an idiot but I've heard of those full face masks and I don't know if they would be an option.

I probably made myself look like a needy fool throughout this post but I'd be extremely grateful for any help. Thanks.

 

[Cj3141]

I don't know much about gear for divers like yourself but I do know that diving is a technical sport. As a young diver, be very careful you understand the results some choices underwater may result in. I am not saying don't dive. I am saying be careful to learn and understand what you are taught because a mistake in this sport doesn't mean you sit on the bench the rest of the game, it may mean sitting in a wheel chair the rest of your life. Other than that, welcome to the sport and hope you find diving as enjoyable as many here do.

To address the gear issue, I would look for a wetsuit, drysuits are costly and for class, a wetsuit should work just fine.

 

[aviator8]

No questions are dumb questions, these are all relevant concerns. My daughter is 11 and is very close to your size and learned to dive this year so I can share some experiences here.

I do think they might have gear that'd work for me but I don't think they offer courses for under 12 years old so I don't know if they'd offer smaller gear for use.

Finding the right size gear at your size is a bit harder, but can be done.

My main questions would be what wetsuits should I be looking at (or drysuits I guess),

What exposure protection you get will be dictated by where you will dive. I can't answer dry vs wet or wetsuit thickness without knowing the dive conditions. However, what is most important is to get a good fit. We have struggled to get a good fit for my daughter as she is taller and thinner for her size. She grows so fast that custom wetsuits are not an option. I would say just go to a good dive center that stocks many exposure suits and try on as many as you can.

what BCDs would be good and would I need a crotch strap because I read somewhere that I might I'm pretty sure,

Because of your small stature a backplate and wing is probably the most versatile for you. You can grow into it over time. You can buy a short plate from some manufacturers, then for tropical diving get a 18-25ish lb wing. You can adjust everything as you grow, This is where we ended up with my daughter.

how easily would I be able to manage the tank?

The tank is going to be heavy for you. a standard aluminum 80 may just be too much for you. I would recommend you train in one of the following size tanks which will be more manageable in terms of size and weight and, should not significantly reduce dive time as your first dive aren't that long and you being small will have lower air consumption. Aluminum 63 or 50, or a high pressure steel 80 which is probably harder to find in a training program.

Another concern would be that I get bad migraines really easily from jaw pressure or anything around my jaw

My daughter gets migraines as well. Hers are not induced by clenching stress, but I will offer two peices of advice. First when you start diving you will most likely bite harder on your mouthpeice than you realize causing jaw fatigue. Most people do. If you can, use a mouthpeice like this. It is possible to feel like you are still holding the mouthpiece securely without the biting pressure.
Aqua Lung Comfo-Bite Mouthpiece Black
Second, If you feel a migraine coming on, before a dive, just sit it out. Its a pain but its not worth trying to push through it with a migraine. If you start feeling it coming on while diving, call the dive and come on up.


Good luck, and have fun with it.

 

[Cap335]

First welcome to ScubaBoard and scuba. It would be easier to give good advice if we had your location. Given your size you will probably need a thicker suit than your classmates. Hopefully you will have access to small tanks, if they don't have a BC that fits ask if they have a backplate.

 

[lowwall]

Talk to the people you'll be taking the course from. They will have rental gear, but unless they can assure you that they have everything, you should go there before the class begins to find out if they have gear that will fit. Do it as soon as possible so you (or they) have time to get everything required. The biggest concern is a BCD since you don't want to buy one at this point unless you really have to. The shop may be able to borrow one from a supplier or another shop or even one of their regular customers if they don't have one that fits. If not, come back and let us know and we'll help you find something.

As to wetsuits, you can get kids wetsuits from leisurepro.com or amazon. If you have to buy, get whatever type the store rents to its students for the open water class. This is most likely a 3mm (that's the thickness of the neoprene) full-suit, which means arms and legs are fully covered. Some places keep the pool water warm enough that they rent out shorty wetsuits, which have short sleeves and pant legs. Drysuits are for cold water diving, it would be very unusual to use them in an open water class. They are also very expensive and have to fit you right, so you'd be buying a new one at least once a year. My avatar photo is of my son in a sailing drysuit. I bought this for him for the fall sailing season on Lake Michigan. He had outgrown it by the spring season, so he played soccer instead

The only other gear you'll need for the open water class is a mask, snorkel and fins. The shop should have something that fits, though you may have to buy the mask.

 

[Belzelbub]

It will all depend on your shop and what they have available. I got both my daughters certified when they were 10. They were pretty much about your size. The shop did have some kids BCs available, but I didn't use theirs. I purchased my older daughter a Zeagle BC with size S shoulder and waist sections. That actually fit better than the kids BC they had, but I can understand if that might not be an option for you.

Regulators come in one size, so shouldn't be an issue there, but you might need to get a new mouthpiece and trim it if the mouthpiece is too big.

Shop provided a smaller tank for them to use. I think it was an AL63. It was still a bit heavy for them on land, but was really only an issue navigating the stairs at Devil's Den.

The wetsuits the shop had were a bit on the large size, but they were able to keep warm by wearing two, and folding the long arms and legs.

 

[greeniguana]

I got my Junior OW cert in 1986. I was about the same size as you. Even small BCs were too big, there were no "XS" that I recall. BP/W setups were not really out much back then, It was either jackets or collar. The BP/W setup is the best thing ever for small people.

I rented wetsuits until I was in College. It just would have cost me and my parents too much money to buy wetsuits every year. I just asked for the smallest rental wetsuit they had wherever I went. Most of them time I was good, a few times I was freezing. A few times I ended up in women's wetsuits! That or don't dive so oh well. I just powered through it. And stuck mostly to warm season diving.

If you buy wetsuits/drysuits, you will probably have a tough time selling them if you outgrow them. Not a huge market for small dive gear.

 

[Valyngar]

If you have migraine then breathing oxygen or high% nitrox above and underwater helps.

 

[lowwall]

If you have migraine then breathing oxygen or high% nitrox above and underwater helps.

And cut back on the red wine and cigarettes

 

[formernuke]

Just to emphasize what others have said. Wetsuits are all about proper fit so the one that fits is right. Drysuits are great but the least expensive one I know of runs around 1500 if you dont need custom plus undergarments very expensive to replace once you start your growth spurts.

I'm a fan of backplate wing in general so I would recommend one of those, leave extra room when you trim the harness to grow into and when you get taller you just need to replace the plate instead of the entire bc.

This is a fantastic and fun sport I'm glad to see our youth getting away from the video games and getting into it (fantastic for you). However it is also dangerous and we like our divers alive. See if you can find some very experienced mentors to go with you and learn from.