Child sized equipment?

[MrMrEZG]

I made a promise to my son that if he made honor role all year long, he could get certified. He met those obligations.
He is skinny as a rail and I know that we will never be able to find rental equipment that will fit him. I also know that he will outgrow what we purchase, within a few years. I am not too concerned about that because we have a daughter two years behind him.

My question is, what manufactures make gear for small children and what are your opinions and experiences with child sized gear?

 

[Tug]

I think I saw on Dive Rites site a children's program with their transpac system. I'll post a link if I can find it when I'm not on an airplane.


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[abyss_scuba]

Seaquest wave bc comes in an xxs which should give you a few years of use. Reg mouthpieces can be a problem if the child can not get a good bite and a small 50 cubic foot tank or a 40 cubic foot pony for a tank.

 

[Centrals]

BP/W is more versatile than jacket bc in everything!! You just replace the harness, wing etc etc when they worn out. But some instructors are not familiar with it.

 

[bergersau]

Think about a backplate and smallish single tank wing.

As he grows - let out the webbing. Hit a growth spurt, replace the webbing with a longer piece. He'll never grow out of it.

That's the way I'm planning to go with my son when he's old enough.

 

[Frosty]

I have a bunch of "small" people. One suggestion for you is to go to a backplate and wing.The reason for suggesting this is that because of the way a backplate works its so adjustable it will last him untill he is an adult.Its not snobbery. It seems long term the sensible solution.
I diddn't do this with my kids because having a fair few kids Ive got a fair few years of "pass me down" .My skinniest guys are in Atlantis Icons which are kids XXXS and we have a scubapro classic in XXXS. The icon is the smallest though.
Fins wise my guys use slip on "snorkle" fins. They use same regulators as me but I fitted kids "snorkle" mouthpieces.
For tropical diving wetsuits are pretty easy to come by in 3mm. 5mm and 7mm not so easy.
Don't tell the boy but the easy way to get a thick suit for a boy is to look at womens wetsuits. Mr 14 is in a ladies xs suit.

 

[Ayisha]

He doesn't have to outgrow all of his equipment. I am a petite woman - or you could say child-sized. A backplate and wing will fit him now and can continue to fit him as he grows into any size adult. The shortest bp that I found a couple of years ago was the small Deep Sea Supply bp, with the smalls from other manufacturers about 1 to 1 1/2 inches longer. The weight or girth doesn't matter at all with a bp/w because the harness fits any wearer exactly. I went with the slightly longer small Halcyon Infinity, but any bp & w would work well. A small bp will probably fit your daughter for life.

A standard bp may actually fit your son even now. Perhaps you can have him try one on. How tall is your son?

Wow, we were all typing at the same time!

 

[MrMrEZG]

What about wetsuits and fins?

 

[Frosty]

mrmrezg--how old is this boy. How tall and what shoe size ? -this might be all academic discussion exept for the BC
I have to warn you on the fin front.-Probably teachin gramma to suck eggs. Dont overpower the kid with big grunty fins no matter what he says.

 

[Ayisha]

No one size fits all in wetsuits and fins. Unless your daughter is very straight, she may not be able to wear his wetsuit successfully. The xxs and xs wetsuits will fit rail-thin and shorter people. There are kid size wetsuits. Bare and Neosport are shorter brands than some others.

There are lots of children's fins, but I'm guessing that he may be at least a youth size 3, in which case he can wear adult fins in the smallest size by many manufacturers. He will be able to wear an open heel fin until he grows several sizes.