What are the biggest challenges for female divers compared to men?

[girldiverllc]

I'm pretty seasoned...but give me a month off of teaching...and boy those tanks get heavy again. On a happy note, my dentist said my bone density is FANTASTIC from hauling heavy gear all of the time.

My biggest challenge is the cold. I dive in the Northwest with Lynn and I've got a neoprene drysuit which I love...great hood and warm, wooly socks...but then there's my hands. Child size. So, working with students, I can't function with drygloves...as they are too big and cumbersome above water (for tucking hair in hoods, adjusting mask straps in the water, etc). Each year I try a few gloves and settle on the one pair of neoprene I deem the warmest...but honestly, it's my biggest challenge. Add to that, mild frostbite damage due to years of instructing in the cold water, and my hands are just a miserable part of an otherwise perfect dive day.

As for pink...I used to hate it. When I started GirlDiver, I found more and more pink in my world. Now...I like pink. When done well. Not "baby pink"...but a good Chanel pink is always welcome. Pink is a hard color to work with...and then add to it male designers....it's all a cluster.

Whether women like "pink" or not...I kinda feel like women DO like colors other than royal blue and yellow???? My 3mm wetsuit is trimmed in turquoise...and I love that it's a fun color...and not just blue, pink or yellow. Even the 12 pack of Crayola color crayons offer more options than dive gear. Take a look at the snowboarding arena...lots of color and pattern...you can see "female" even when it's not colored in pink.

And Lynn...you're spot on with doubles and wings are not the norm...and for our sport to grow, it's going to be important for the manufacturers to start gaining area in the overall women's market.

 

[TSandM]

I'm with you, Cindy -- I love color, and wish I could find more of it. I've been tempted to take the skin from my Fusion to a tailor, to see if I can get some COLORFUL Lycra sewn up the same way.

I use a yellow wing and yellow harness webbing for my doubles, and I have yellow hibiscus flowers on my light canister.

Color, yes. Pink because it's "girly", heck NO.

 

[LindaSSF]

I started diving in the mid 1970s when the only wetsuit I could find at my LDS was a man's. It was too long in the arms & legs & flattened my chest. I never had much of a waist line, even when I was skinny, so at least there I didn't gape. There was no option for a girls suit locally & I couldn't imagine ordering one from a catalog at outrageous prices. (SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, you see. I was the first girl to certify at our LDS.) I usually dove without a wetsuit unless we were in truly cold springs in FL.

The steel 72s were heavy for a teenager, but made do as we were only diving singles with a strap harness & horse collar. I can remember sitting on the side of a spring in Florida wondering how I would ever stand up... Slipped the gear, got out & started lugging.

I dropped out of diving in the late 80s when we moved inland to the mountains & got heavily into the horse world. Now that I'm in my 50's and returning to diving, i STILL have wetsuit problems.

Now I've gained weight & have a heavier torso. By the time I get a women's suit to fit in the waist, the top is too large. :-( A man's suit - no room for boobs. I am ready to breakdown & buy a custom wetsuit to have my first ever wetsuit that fits after 35 years! I vote for more variety in wet suit sizing!!!!!!!! I'm fine with black, but Eventing or Boarding colors sure would perk up the world!

I bring a collapsible cart for gear when we travel by road, or make do with lots of trips when we travel by air & have to rent.

I have to say that I HATE the "new" BCDs. I remember them coming out & we all swore people would drown floating face down with the darn things! When forced to use one, I put it on, empty it & try to ignore the drag when in the water. The only plus is integrated weight pockets instead of a weight belt.

I get a kick when guys see me strap on my dive knife from the 70s. When did the recreational divers stop using them? and why!?

Linda

 

[ScubaNoey]

I LOVE :love4: My PINK Dive Gear!! Because of the color and because it's girly - I like that it's obvious I'm a girl while I am SCUBA Diving... Actually all of my gear matches; black, white & pink. I still have top quality gear and the color doesn't matter one way or the other - so stop hating.

 

[graham_s]

I suppose this is a US problem, but last time I bought a wetsuit I had it custom made to exactly my size by the dive shop.
It didn't cost me any extra.
Also all my diving accessories are pink, makes them easy to see.


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[TSandM]

We're not hating on pink -- we're hating on manufacturers who think the only thing necessary to make something a "woman's" item is to color it pink. Some of us also would like colors other than pink, simply because we're not fond of pink . . .

 

[tkdgodess]

I've been thinking about this. Not much. You figure your own way and dive, or you don't (I've taught enough "princess" men and woman lately....) Mind over matter. If we were on a mountaineering message board I'm sure we'd be having the same conversation. We do it, figure our way around our physical limitations because we want to dive. I love pink, goes great with all the black! Exposure suits sizing is messed up - I couldn't be any more stock womans size if I tried. How come I can buy a medium anything at COSTCO (no trying on!) and it fits, yet a drysuit is a struggle to get the right fit on a stock size. Silly!

 

[Bratface]

I don't know why gear manufacturers want to dress us up in pink and sell BC's with embroidery on them. Do we really need this? I want my gear to be functional and fit well. As far as pink, I want to gag when I see gear this color. Sorry to sound biased, but I just can't take a diver seriously when she's decked out in pink.
Reminds me of the bizarre apparel one woman wears when she comes for vacation....it is a lime green leotard thing with a belt. She has 2 rings on each finger and the rest of her gear is pink. Maybe that is where my bias comes from. All she needs is that multicolored afro wig you see on fans at football games.

 

[BabyDuck]

you don't have to take me seriously! that's perfectly fine with me!

 

[CindyMac]

I am one of those that really loves pink; however, I wanted good fit and performance as well. Just got a Zeagle Zena in hot pink. Can't wait to dive with it - I am able to customize the fit in all the right places. Got a good torso length and hitting at the waist is wonderful and the hip sizing is great.

I'm waiting on my Henderson suit, black with pink. I have hot pink fins as well as hot pink on the snorkel. My gear stands out and does not get confused with anyone else's.

I wear pink for my mom - she died of breast cancer 2 years ago. She'd be proud of my accomplishment in SCUBA.

Cindy

I do draw the line at Hello Kitty on anything....

---------- Post Merged at 11:48 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:45 PM ----------

I am one of those that really loves pink; however, I wanted good fit and performance as well. Just got a Zeagle Zena in hot pink. Can't wait to dive with it - I am able to customize the fit in all the right places. Got a good torso length and hitting at the waist is wonderful and the hip sizing is great.

I'm waiting on my Henderson suit, black with pink. I have hot pink fins as well as hot pink on the snorkel. My gear stands out and does not get confused with anyone else's. I just think it's fun to play with color. I'd consider Hello Kitty, too (I was a pediatric nurse, but I refuse anything to do with SpongeBob).

I wear pink for my mom - she died of breast cancer 2 years ago. She'd be proud of my accomplishment in SCUBA.

Cindy