Non curvy woman

[dmaziuk]

You could try oxycheq ultralite, they claim it fits a 5'3" 97lbs.

 

[Chris Miami]

Thanks for the suggestions! The Zeagle seems like a good option.

 

[StefinSB]

My niece is about that dimension and I got her a DSS plate. She is happy.

 

[geoff w]

My wife is similar, but 4" shorter, long torso, shorter legs. She tried several BCs, nothing fit her, she always felt like she was swimming around inside her BC. She has a DiveRite steel backplate with Transplate harness, size medium. She loves it and won't dive with anything else. I picked up a "Lite" DiveRite steel backplate for warm water tropical diving from someone here on Scubaboard, with an extra large Transplate harness (bigger guy, but he couldn't get it adjusted correctly). It took me about half an hour of adjusting so it fit exactly like her medium size harness (no need to cut 2" webbing), and my wife can't tell the difference between the two (extra large has longer shoulder pads). Manufacturer specs are just rough guidelines, but I would bet the Transplate harness will fit you once it's adjusted

For continuous webbing, I was told crossing the straps behind your shoulder works well for smaller people. When I took an advanced wreck class last year, my instructor (big guy) encouraged everyone to set up their harnesses that way, since it keeps the backplate sitting better on your back. I don't know about that, but it's definitely more comfortable and fits better. I haven't tried setting up a Transplate harness with the straps crossed behind the shoulders, but don't see any reason why it wouldn't work and be comfortable. The nice thing about backplates is you can try things and make adjustments to get it to fit you exactly right

Please let us know what you end up with and how it works out

 

[Mekyoung]

My son was your exact same height/weight and he is using a DSS Medium Kydex plate with a basic harness. He is now 5'9" and 140lbs, and it still fits him perfectly after adjusting the webbing. For reference: He dives this setup with a steel faber 95, and no additional weight in saltwater up to a 5mm wetsuit.

 

[stuartv]

So if there is anyone out there who has first hand seen a particular set up work well with an above average height thin woman please share. I'm not saying it does not exist...I believer it does. I would just love any first hand accounts.

Thanks!!

One of my friends is a woman about 3" taller than you and similarly thin. She dives a standard BP/W setup and seems to like it just fine. She uses it with single tank and with doubles (steels and aluminums), wet and dry.

ps. The Freedom Contour plate is even better! I love mine! I mostly dive doubles, but for single tank, the Freedom plate is IT! I sold my DSS SS BP after getting the Freedom plate.

Also, to a comment made be an earlier poster, my Freedom plate is a Large and weighs 5#. No real reason to go with a standard SS plate over a Freedom (other than wanting to also dive doubles).

 

[jghead]

My wife is ~5'7" and 120lbs. Sounds very similar to you. She uses a Dive Rite Transplate (size M), but it did require a lot of adjustment to customize it to a good fit. Now it fits great and she loves it, but we needed to put in an afternoon of work by the pool to get it right.