What can your LDS do to bring in more women divers?

[uncfnp]

Haven't used a backplate, so asking more in case someone in the industry reads this thread & would consider it...any thoughts on how a backplate 'shaped' for women would differ from whatever's out there now?

Seems like 'sized' wouldn't get gender specific (e.g.: some people start diving at age 10, so 'little people' can be male); is that true, too? Is the issue a lack of petite backplates, or does 'sized' mean something else?

Richard.

From my own search for an aluminum plate, I could only find two options in a small size, both by higher end manufacturers and hence higher cost. The regular size I tried on also felt too broad at the waist but a size corrected for height may compensate for this. I have heard but no personal experience that the placement for the shoulder straps tend to be wide as well and some female users actually have to cross the webbing to accommodate.

But what I would really like to see from the manufacturers, and not especially gender specific, is a single tank plate made to conform to the contours of the back, like the Freedom Plate that Eric Sedletzky use to make. I absolutely love mine and it fits perfectly but its steel. If I could find that plate in aluminum I would buy it on the spot.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Haven't used a backplate, so asking more in case someone in the industry reads this thread & would consider it...any thoughts on how a backplate 'shaped' for women would differ from whatever's out there now?

Seems like 'sized' wouldn't get gender specific (e.g.: some people start diving at age 10, so 'little people' can be male); is that true, too? Is the issue a lack of petite backplates, or does 'sized' mean something else?

Richard.

My thoughts on reading gender specific back plates..
shorter length, maybe thicker to add the weight, hole placement for straps...

FWIW, I have a medium steel DSS backplate and love it. But, had to reconfigure the straps to not cross behind my neck as they pinched me.