Kit suggestions for skinny girl

[rustferret]

If you do look at BCD's have a look at Oceanic as they do BCD's made to fit females.

rustferret

[ianfirmin]

The thing with the smaller lighter tank is to minimise kitting up stress. I've noticed that ladies especially comment on the weight of all the gear. Of course, it just becomes mass and inertia in the water but the initial heavy load seems to put these very new divers into a negative frame of mind.

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by ianfirmin

The thing with the smaller lighter tank is to minimise kitting up stress. I've noticed that ladies especially comment on the weight of all the gear. Of course, it just becomes mass and inertia in the water but the initial heavy load seems to put these very new divers into a negative frame of mind.

Smaller tank = more lead you cant win. Also a 7 isnt going to last long in the water and rapidly dwindling gas supplys is a bit off putting as well.

Unless she has the RMV of a house sparrow go with the 12.

Dont think peteat = low RMV. As i said ling is 5 foot tall (just) and a size 6 but her RMV is 20LPM to my >15.

ATB

Mark

[ianfirmin]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Smaller tank = more lead you cant win.

Are you sure? I tested a 15 and a 7. Both empty they had the same buoyancy.

I agree with your comments about having plenty of gas though. But, to begin with she's mainly going to be in the pool or doing very shallow dives.

Even with a SAC rate of 30 you can easily get a 30 minute dive at 6m out of a 7. Use a 10 and you can get the same time at 10m.

As they say
ATB
Ian

[MATTBIN]

Beaver do narrow diameter tall 10's, they are about the same lemgthas a Faber 12, certainly longer than the dreadfull Faber 10's. I have a 10's twinset (inverted) they are much nicer than a 15/pony and not as heavy as Faber 12's.
No doubt I will be in Stoney over the winter if you/she want a try.

Matt

[Buoyant Babe]

Each to their own but I love my neo suit and there is only 2k difference in the weighting to my old membrane - the benefit of the warmth outweighs the need for the extra lead in my opinion.

As for a tank, I'm a size 10-12 5'2" girlie and I'm using twin 12s with 4k V weights...and I've shore dived them. Get her used to carting around the kit she is going to need to do the diving she will eventually be doing. Starting off with lighter gear to avoid stress can only mean added stress when you introduce the heavier stuff later on.

[Steve S]

Can't add to the advice above, save for getting her a rubber weightbelt from Decathlon, at the end of the dive it is still where you put it originally.

Safe diving,
Steve

[Buoyant Babe]

Oh and I agree with Mark about the wing and backplate too. I went through about five types of BCD (three of which were made for girlies) before trying a BP and wing and loving it .

The loss of pockets on a conventional BCD can be counteracted by pockets that slip onto the webbing of the harness, and by having pockets fitted to the suit.

My BP and harness are so unbelievably comfortable and stable, and I find walking around with heavy tanks much easier too. With a normal BCD I struggled to step up and down with a single 12L tank, due to dodgy knees. No problem at all with a BP, for some reason.