Side Pinch Buckle on Weight Belt ?

[Hoag]

I would have two issues with the Fastex buckles. First is that I dive cold water wet and my fingers do not necessarily work well when cold, when I need to drop a belt I do not need issues. Second is that there is no way to take up any slack in the belt which may cause it to slip off inadvertently.


Bob

This might be a factor for you, in cold water, but it was not (and would not become) a factor in the case that the OP is asking about. It was in warm water. In fact in Post #8 the OP states that the two people were not even wearing wetsuits.

 

[aquacat8]

Small hands might have had a problem closing the buckle all the way. This could have lead to it opening. Whatever you choose, do not underestimate how many things are wrongly designed for small hands/less strength. Make sure it works for them!

 

[aquacat8]

A Marseilles style freediving belt is better because they can see that the tongue is in the hole, however some are more difficult to release than others.

I think it was a JBL heavy duty free diving belt that I tried in a store and it was too hard to release because of extra thick rubber in the buckle area. The Mako belt looks fine.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

A Marseilles style freediving belt is better because they can see that the tongue is in the hole, however some are more difficult to release than others.

I think it was a JBL heavy duty free diving belt that I tried in a store and it was too hard to release because of extra thick rubber in the buckle area. The Mako belt looks fine.

That is an interesting comment. I have no idea if this issue applies to the JBL Belt or not.

The Marseilles style belt has been around a very long time and it looks very simple.

HOWEVER, if it is not constructed properly, then the pin is not placed under natural, constant tension (when worn). If the pin is NOT properly loaded during construction, then the pin will not POP up or open when the tongue of the belt is pulled.

This "spring action" of the pin is ESSENTIAL in the safe operation of the belt. It is absolutely critical for freedivers to have a one hand release action that is reliable and automatic.

Please be assured that this is something we carefully check on each incoming shipment of our product.

This popping open action is depicted in the MAKO Freedive Belt video I posted above, however it probably should have been emphasized.

While I am on the topic of weightbelts. please be aware that we offer a free replacement offer for belts and MAKO lead which is ditched and un-recoverable in an emergency. Our policy is clearly stated on our website:


MAKO FREE REPLACEMENT/SAFETY POLICY

To our valued customers: MAKO Spearguns recognizes that diving (both freediving and SCUBA) are potentially dangerous activities. We have all heard of tragic accidents where a diver is found on the bottom while still wearing a weight belt. We hope and pray that should any of our customers find themselves in a situation where ditching a belt may be necessary, that there is no delay and the belt is dropped immediately.

In many situations a belt is recoverable, however if your MAKO Spearguns belt and lead weights are ditched (and lost) in a true emergency…. I will replace them at our cost.

The last thing we want is our customers considering the cost of a lost belt in an emergency. The only thing we ask is that the individual shares with us (and our friends and customers) some sort of write-up about how the situation developed and how it was resolved. That way, we can all learn and be reminded to keep safety in the forefront of our minds.

Dive safe,
Dano

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Sorry I forgot about this video. Pretty much on point to the current discussion:

 

[Rred]

Bob, I agree with you on Fastex requiring more finger dexterity and the way that could be an issue. On adjusting it though? Nope. I have a big heavy backpack with a gen-you-whine Fastex waist buckle, and I can hump that up on my shoulders and pull the waist buckle tighter in one easy shot. There are also "fastex-style" buckles that are meant for things like duty belts, which are not adjustable--those are meant to be set and fixed, not at all adjustable while being worn. From three feet away, they all look like. They're not.

For reasons lost in history, my current weight belt is actually about 14" longer than it need to be. And it got drilled into my head a long time ago that you never cut a rope (or belt) unless you have to, because it is much harder to lengthen it again. So, I keep the extra long "tail" tucked into the side of my BC. In the odd event that something flipped by buckle, the belt would still have to drag an extra second or two while all that tail pulled through, and that works just fine for me.

I was also taught to use a "nylon" buckle for my weight belt, and face it opposite to the direction that my BC buckle is in. Plastic because you can cut a notch in the leading edge of it. So, by muscle memory, there's only one buckle with a big notch in it, there's only one buckle that releases "from this side". And there's a long tail making sure that when I take off the belt (like on a boat) I can get a good grip on a good piece of it, before it is free of my hips. Intentionally making it easy--and hard--to ditch the weight belt.

 

[Bob DBF]

Fastex waist buckle, and I can hump that up on my shoulders and pull the waist buckle tighter in one easy shot. There are also "fastex-style" buckles that are meant for things like duty belts, which are not adjustable--those are meant to be set and fixed, not at all adjustable while being worn. From three feet away, they all look like. They're not.

I've seen the Fastex buckles that can be adjusted, however I've seen it is with thinner, more flexible material than a weight belt, and I don't know that the belt material would adjust easily.


Bob

 

[Rred]

Good point on the material. Just because you can jam something in..."Tab A into Slot B" doesn't always hold up so well. I'd bet there's a Fastex catalogue that says things like "Model #35239, fits belt materials from 1.5mm to 3mm. thick."

Frightening thought: Do you think "everyone" wants divers to use BC's with proprietary weight dump pocket systems, because they no longer trust allegedly trained and screened divers, to be able to, you know, fasten a belt? (Says the man who just tried LaceLocks because his *damned new sneaker laces simply refuse to stay tied, and by now, I think I know how to tie shoelaces.)

 

[АлександрД]

Please, have a look here quick release buckle
It is "THE MOST" buckle, I had ever seen.
you can find it somewhere or made it.
And then you can forget about lost weight belts.

 

[ScubaBunga]

I have a quick release like this one: DiveLogs - .
It doesn't seem to be as popular as the normal buckle but has worked for me since '93 and I've never had it come undone or had issues removing it (never had to dump, but after dive or even handing it to boat). It comes off easily with a simple pull forward on the handle. The picture is actually upside down for normal use (right hand release). It's a little harder to adjust (can be done) in the water so usually put it on tight before getting in.