what type of BCD for a young wanna-be diver

[Glenn08]

Why are you not considering a horse-collar BC ? I still have my Fenzy for snorkeling - if I'm not using scuba I don't need my wing. But not a snorkeling vest like the old Mae West, get a BC with a CO-2 cartridge, an oral inflate, and pressure relief. And teach her to inflate the BC when she wants extra buoyancy at the surface.

 

[RJP]

Only BC that fits kids properly and grows with them is BP&W! Complicated????? We run the PADI Seal Team program at our shop and the kids are all in BP&W's!

Two years ago we did all those DSD's at that local kids summer camp. Forty DSDs a day for a week I think. All in BP/W. No troubles at all..

 

[sujo]

Thank you everyone for your advise. We are going to purchase a child's jacket style for now. If she intends to continue diving (which I hope) I will look into the BP&W, as her experience grows.

 

[tracydr]

May be a little young for BP/W. It takes a lot of finesse to get the buoyancy down, something she may not have yet. Not even sure harnesses are made that small. Can't advise on a BCD that "would grow with her as she grows". Probably won't find clothes that grow with her as she grows either. I'd go with a normal BCD and expect to replace it every few years...

Harness are made as small as you want them to go, which is the beauty.
The one problem would be backplate size. How tall is she? I'm 5'1" and a short backplate from DSS or Halcyon fits me just about right, but I have a very short waist. If she is a longer waisted young girl, the short plate might fit her, even if she's shorter.

 

[beaverdivers]

Thank you everyone for your advise. We are going to purchase a child's jacket style for now. If she intends to continue diving (which I hope) I will look into the BP&W, as her experience grows.

The Scubapro/SubGear Rebel Youth is an adjustable B.C. designed for kids. Check with your local dive shop about trade-in programs. We offer trade-in programs. I believe many shops do. Also, checkout used B.C.'s.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Here is the back plate you need: Ultra Lite Travel Plate *Pink* : OxyCheq - DiveOps, Analyzers and Scuba Diving Equipment

Then add this wing: 18# MACH V Chroma Series *Pink* : OxyCheq - DiveOps, Analyzers and Scuba Diving Equipment

You can probably even find pink webbing. As she grows older and bigger, you (someone) may want to replace the webbing. I use that plate and a similar wing, and I weigh about 220. OK, they did not have it in pink when I bought mine.

I actually sell pink webbing.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mikeycanuk]

What we did initially for our 10 yr old son was a SeaSoft BCD where it's supposed to be adjustable from XXS-XXL. I guess it could but it was heavy, had loose straps all over the place and really like a jack off all trades, did non of them well. And to top it off on his 2nd dive with it it sprung a leak on the back where the webbing went into in. ie nothing we did. So it went back. We got a Zuma XXS as it's the only WI bcd that small. He's a skinny lad so weight belts just slip off. He's still using it and he's 12.5. Puberty is gonna cost me a FORTUNE.

I forgot the SeaSoft BCD also needed weight bags to stop the weights falling out. I just used zipties and it went back before I spent more $$$$$. what a load of ****

 

[Glenn08]

Is this supposed to be decorative ? Or functional ? I am not familiar with a 'child's jacket'. If it doesn't have a CO-2 cartridge or another way to inflate - other then an oral inflate - what purpose does it serve ?