Women's BCs... experiences???

[nerobanchee]

I am trying to do some research on women's BC's and which ones work the best... I found 2 nice articles that break down the pros and cons of a few main BC's. Out of all of the ones they recommend, I found 5 that seemed worthy.

1. The Oceanic "Isla"
2. DUI "Aurora Classic"
3. Scubapro "Ladyhawk"
4. Mares "Ariel"
5. Mares "Kaila" (Ive heard a few bad things, but a lot of good things)

I am going to mainly be doing cold water diving (Northern Calif.) I am built in a generous way... I am 5'10", I would say a large-xlarge in women's bc size, but mediums in men's fit "ok." I have problems with the cummerbund/waist strap being too low, getting in the way of the weightbelt. I think this is because I have to tighten the weightbelt around my hips so it wont slip down. I find myself adjusting my bc as soon as I get in the water so it fits. I feel very awkward in the water with the bc I am using (some kind of Mares bc that I am renting from my school, theres a pic in my profile.) I am not looking forward to my upcoming dives with the dreaded rental bc's... All of the women in the class feel the same way, we are all slowly buying our own.

Please help!!! Thank You!!!

Here are the sites I was mainly looking at for reviews:
http://dive.scubadiving.com/html/200304womensbcs_chart.html
http://www.scubadiving.com/index2.php?option=content&task=view&id=3014&pop=1&page=4

 

[TSandM]

I don't know anything about the BCs you've listed, but as a woman who had problems with fit on the other end of the spectrum (too small), I found a BP/W with continuous harness allowed me to adjust everything to get a perfect fit. I have to admit, though, that I still have to fuss with the waist strap/weight belt issue -- I have only one waist, and both things need to sit on it!

 

[DiveMaven]

I'd really recommend that you add the Zeagle Zena to your list to at least try. It doesn't have a cumberbun design at all and once adjusted properly it never moves. Going to a No-cumberbun design made all the difference in the world to me as with my first BC (SeaQuest Diva) I spent a lot of time adjusting my BC during my dives. Since getting my Zena, I simply adjust it once and never think about it again during my dive. It's also weight integrated with the weight pockets on the sides and on the tank, keeping them from pulling your front down like a lot of weights seem to do.

Like most Zeagle BCs, the Zena is a fully modular BC where you can mix and match the different components to get exactly the fit you need. Good luck on your BC hunt...it's quite an adventure sometimes, but once you find what you like, it makes all the difference in the world in your diving enjoyment.

 

[nerobanchee]

I was thinking about the Zena, but I read in a few places that the dump valve was slow and it was hard to release the weights underwater. Is the zipper style good? It looks like it is hard to adjust.

Has anyone ever been to Pacific Quest Dive Center in Crescent City, CA? If yes, how is the selection?

 

[7milehi]

My 12 y/o daughter is looking at the DiveRite Transpac . The LDS claims it is very adjustable and should grow well with her. Any comments from those that have one ?

 

[ScubaCatgirl]

I have the Oceanic Isla BCD & I absolutely love it!! No more tugging & pulling to get it to feel just right & the weights are just in the right place to be comfortable, not to mention easy to dump, if need be. It also has 2 additional pockets on the backside to place non dumpable weights into if need be.

Hope this helps & let us know what you decide on

 

[kelster]

Weight integrated is definately the way to go. I bought my first one this summer and absolutely love it. Not only do I not have to fuss with it to get the fit just right, but I have no more hip pains.

I found I suffered terribly from my weight belt resting on my hips. I would come home at the end of a dive weekend with bruises. I switched to a soft pack style of weight belt but had the same issues. The weight integrated BC eliminated these issues as well as my issue of my BC riding up on me (above my shoulders) when I inflated it. I would constantly hit my head on my valve when this happened.

I relieved my store of it's last years model so I got a good deal. Sometimes the only difference between last years and this years model is colour. Something to think about as BC's can get quite pricey.

Good luck with your search.

 

[DiveMaven]

I was thinking about the Zena, but I read in a few places that the dump valve was slow and it was hard to release the weights underwater. Is the zipper style good? It looks like it is hard to adjust.

I've never experienced my dump valve being "slow". When I pull, the air comes out right away. I'm not sure why someone would think that pulling one tab to release both your front/side weight pockets would be hard. It's as simple as pulling the ripcord on a parachute...grab the handle, yank, and the weights are released. And just in case someone tries to tell you it's hard to rethread once pulled, the truth is that it only takes 2-5 minutes at the most, and you can easily do it yourself.

The corset design (as I call it) is fabulous! You simply loosen up the straps, put your arms through the holes, pull the front panels around you, and zip up as easy as you'd zip up a coat. Then you pull the straps a little, leaving the final adjustment for when you hit the water. Once you splash in, you simply go horizontal and starting from the bottom, pull your straps tight (takes about 10 seconds).

Once the Zena is snug on your body, it'll never move and you'll never have to adjust it again. Every BC with a cumberbun I've ever tried always rode up on the surface so the shoulders were around my ears. I've never experienced that with the Zena...the baby just doesn't move once you've adjusted it properly.

Like every piece of equipment, there simply isn't one type for everyone. I know plenty of ladies who love their SeaQuest Diva's and I simply couldn't stand it. There are ladies who post on this board who have tried the Zena and moved on to find something they liked better.

Try as many different options as you can and decide what works best for you.

 

[nerobanchee]

Ok, so I think I can cut it down to three now... I am going to call the shops around tomorrow to see who has them, if any, so I can try them on The three are:

1. Scubapro "ladyhawk"
2. Zeagle "zena"
3. Oceanic "isla"

 

[DiveMaven]

If you can't find what you're looking for locally, call ScubaToys, at least for the Oceanic and Zeagle (they aren't ScubaPro dealers). They'll take your measurements, recommend sizing, and for the Zena, put the right components together for you.

Shipping takes only a couple of days and when I got the wrong size, they sent me the smaller BC with a return label for the bigger one! Excellent customer service, and totally willing to build that Zena for you...not all shops are willing to do that. Heck, my local Zeagle shop didn't even know that Zeagles were modular!!!