Re: Women specific equipment

Jacque was daring enough to ask:

>I am new to scuba diving and I was looking into getting some of my won
>equipment. I am a small women and would like to get women specific
>equipment. Does anyone have suggestions?

Jacque, as others have said (in between their attempts at humor... forgive them
for they're men), the primary equipment which are more likely to be
gender-specific are the BC and exposure protection (wet suit). While many
women can wear a unisex-styled BC with no problem, if you are shorter or have
more curves, you may want to try on several varieties of BCs designed for
women. Several good ones have been listed here. Try styles with or without a
chest strap - women vary in their preference, not always based on your body
type. I dive an Oceanic Isla which is french cut (cut higher over the hips)
and has an adjustable shoulder strap attachment so you can move them to where
is comfortable for you. Many women find they prefer weight integration to get
the weight off their hips as well.

Hopefully you can get a good fit in a dive skin or wetsuit right off the rack.
If not, before you investigate full custom, ask your dive shop if anyone in
your area can make alterations at a lower cost.

The only other gender preference item is some women prefer a smaller 2nd stage
on their regulator. If you have a fairly small mouth, first try a custom or
smaller mouthpiece to see if that is more comfortable than a standard sized.
If you're getting significant jaw fatigue, see if you can try out a smaller 2nd
stage as well. This isn't necessary for some women, but if you find yourself
with a sore or tired jaw after your dives, it's worth considering.

And forget pink. Reds don't show up under water anyway. ;)

Amber

> Jacque, as others have said (in between their attempts at humor... forgive
them
> for they're men),

Attempts????? Damn --WE are funny...Pigs, but funny.

>the primary equipment which are more likely to be
> gender-specific are the BC and exposure protection (wet suit). While many
> women can wear a unisex-styled BC with no problem, if you are shorter or
have
> more curves, you may want to try on several varieties of BCs designed for
> women. Several good ones have been listed here. Try styles with or
without a
> chest strap - women vary in their preference, not always based on your
body
> type. I dive an Oceanic Isla which is french cut (cut higher over the
hips)
> and has an adjustable shoulder strap attachment so you can move them to
where
> is comfortable for you. Many women find they prefer weight integration to
get
> the weight off their hips as well.

You make several good pints here about curves and hips and things... More
pictures would probably help us steer her in the right direction.

> Hopefully you can get a good fit in a dive skin or wetsuit right off the
rack.
> If not, before you investigate full custom, ask your dive shop if anyone
in
> your area can make alterations at a lower cost.

Be warned--if the dive shop owner asks you to keep trying on wetsuits--they
are just being lecherous.


> The only other gender preference item is some women prefer a smaller 2nd
stage
> on their regulator. If you have a fairly small mouth, first try a custom
or
> smaller mouthpiece to see if that is more comfortable than a standard
sized.
> If you're getting significant jaw fatigue, see if you can try out a
smaller 2nd
> stage as well. This isn't necessary for some women, but if you find
yourself
> with a sore or tired jaw after your dives, it's worth considering.

Here I would suggest the US Divers/Aqualung Micra- I happen to have two for
sale.....

> And forget pink. Reds don't show up under water anyway. ;)

Never forget Pink.

If you decide to go with a BP/harness you can buy a pink backplate. The
queen of my kingdom has one. There are two sources for different size
plates as well that I am aware of.

and you can buy the harness in any color you want.....
>
> Amber

"Mad left this mess on Tue, 15 Jul 2003 08:30:52 -0700 for The Way to clean up:
>

>
>> Hopefully you can get a good fit in a dive skin or wetsuit right off the
>rack.
>> If not, before you investigate full custom, ask your dive shop if anyone
>in
>> your area can make alterations at a lower cost.
>
>Be warned--if the dive shop owner asks you to keep trying on wetsuits--they
>are just being lecherous.
>

Sh, man. She'll start checking for the web cam...

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

Mad Dog Hog informed us:

>> Jacque, as others have said (in between their attempts at humor... forgive
>them
>> for they're men),
>
>Attempts????? Damn --WE are funny...Pigs, but funny.

Okay, I'll give you that one. Funny pigs are a good thing.

>You make several good pints here about curves and hips and things... More
>pictures would probably help us steer her in the right direction.

I thought that's why you installed the web cams and other assorted viewing
devices in the LDS changing rooms?

Amber

> I thought that's why you installed the web cams and other assorted viewing
> devices in the LDS changing rooms?

Shhhhhhhh.

No names of shops.


People will overun the place....BTW--When you coming back in to try on that
shorty?




AirHog

AirHog commented:

>Shhhhhhhh.
>
>No names of shops.
>
>People will overun the place....BTW--When you coming back in to try on that
>shorty?

You mean you missed it? I was in last week. But I think they mentioned
something about another fitting. Sheesh, how many fittings does it take to get
an off-the-rack shorty to fit right? I think we're up to 9 or 10 now... At
least they always schedule the fittings right before the shop meeting so
there's lots of help in the store to measure and evaluate the fit ::: blink
:::

Amber

> You mean you missed it? I was in last week. But I think they mentioned
> something about another fitting. Sheesh, how many fittings does it take
to get
> an off-the-rack shorty to fit right? I think we're up to 9 or 10 now...
At
> least they always schedule the fittings right before the shop meeting so
> there's lots of help in the store to measure and evaluate the fit :::
blink


At least 12. Of course, even then depending on lighting and shading--Our
job is to make you as comfortable as possible when wet.....

burbunny@aol.com left this mess on 15 Jul 2003 20:54:59 GMT for The Way to clean
up:
>
>AirHog commented:
>
>>Shhhhhhhh.
>>
>>No names of shops.
>>
>>People will overun the place....BTW--When you coming back in to try on that
>>shorty?
>
>You mean you missed it? I was in last week. But I think they mentioned
>something about another fitting. Sheesh, how many fittings does it take to get
>an off-the-rack shorty to fit right? I think we're up to 9 or 10 now... At
>least they always schedule the fittings right before the shop meeting so
>there's lots of help in the store to measure and evaluate the fit ::: blink
>:::

Yer, like, blonde, too, right? <toss of hair>

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

Good post Amber, I would also add a blirp on tanks. I dive steels which I
find are easier to lug around and they fit my body better. Try 'em before ya
buy 'em.

--
Kristyna
I'm not a bow bitch d*mn it, I'm a hood ornament
"Amber" <burbunny@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030715022937.27427.00000292@mb-m19.aol.com...
> Jacque was daring enough to ask:
>
> >I am new to scuba diving and I was looking into getting some of my won
> >equipment. I am a small women and would like to get women specific
> >equipment. Does anyone have suggestions?
>
> Jacque, as others have said (in between their attempts at humor... forgive
them
> for they're men), the primary equipment which are more likely to be
> gender-specific are the BC and exposure protection (wet suit). While many
> women can wear a unisex-styled BC with no problem, if you are shorter or
have
> more curves, you may want to try on several varieties of BCs designed for
> women. Several good ones have been listed here. Try styles with or
without a
> chest strap - women vary in their preference, not always based on your
body
> type. I dive an Oceanic Isla which is french cut (cut higher over the
hips)
> and has an adjustable shoulder strap attachment so you can move them to
where
> is comfortable for you. Many women find they prefer weight integration to
get
> the weight off their hips as well.
>
> Hopefully you can get a good fit in a dive skin or wetsuit right off the
rack.
> If not, before you investigate full custom, ask your dive shop if anyone
in
> your area can make alterations at a lower cost.
>
> The only other gender preference item is some women prefer a smaller 2nd
stage
> on their regulator. If you have a fairly small mouth, first try a custom
or
> smaller mouthpiece to see if that is more comfortable than a standard
sized.
> If you're getting significant jaw fatigue, see if you can try out a
smaller 2nd
> stage as well. This isn't necessary for some women, but if you find
yourself
> with a sore or tired jaw after your dives, it's worth considering.
>
> And forget pink. Reds don't show up under water anyway. ;)
>
> Amber

"Kristyna" <kristyna@spam-me-not.ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:LKDRa.10911$Vx2.4857234@newssvr28.news.prodig y.com...
> Good post Amber, I would also add a blirp on tanks. I dive steels which I
> find are easier to lug around and they fit my body better. Try 'em before
ya
> buy 'em.


Are you saying you need help with your fit too?

Pleae call during regualr business hours for your appointment.


MDH