how much weight do I need?

[Tug]

Like the other have said, it is odd, but not unheard of to have to buy a belt and weight prior to a class. Possibly see if you can rent a belt from another shop for the class if possible. If not, Craigslist and eBay are good sources of cheap weight.


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[Jjparker]

I am 6' and weigh 250, I used 16lbs in salt water without a wetsuit. In a pool less. Since you have to purchase some before class I would start around there. I am a beginner, so I am probably carrying too much weight, but I figured you would like someone to give a number...

 

[elan]

This formula is not accurate. It does not take into account how much you already spent at the LDS and the jerk factor of the training shop owner. And those factors influence the answer to the OP question a lot !

It's simple... just use this quick calculation:

N = ( R* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc) x L

N = Your ideal ballast weight in lead

N* = Your waistline in inches
fp = The atomic weight of lead
ne = The salinity of the water you dive in
fl = Your Body Mass Index
fi = Your lung volume, in litres
fc = The square root of the purchase cost of your wetsuit.
L = How deep you want to sink


Or try this link: Scuba Weighting | 4of9 | Scuba Buoyancy Masterclass

 

[Bryant Law]

Thanks so much for all the answers. I am doing the training in VA Beach. I am retired Navy and have a friend that I am going to borrow the belt and weight from. I just wanted to know how much to ask for.

 

[chrpai]

He should be able to help you guestimate your needs. Otherwise get:

2x2
2x3
2x4
2x5

That's 4 - 28lbs.

 

[ToddMLewis]

Yea. Keep a variety of weights with you. I am pretty close to your size and usually dive 14 pounds in a 3mm in salt. Bet that is different for everyone. Kinda surprised this day and age your lds isn't using weight integrated BCDs for an ow course.

 

[supergaijin]

Your body in itself is pretty much neutral- often it is just your lung volume making you float, however some people are sinkers, some are floaters and this really depends on muscle/fat ratio. Fat floats.

Scuba equipment is bulky adding to volume. Increased volume requires an increase in weight to sink it. 4-5lb is usually sufficient to sink the scuba equipment, however if you use a steel tank, then that should be already negatively buoyant- no extra weight required.

The biggest x-factor is wetsuit size and thickness. Assuming you use a newish size XL, 3mm suit, I would suggest another 4-5lb for the suit.

Add to this the 'normal' stress of beginning diving where you have not yet learned to breathe 'properly'. An increased breathing rate means keeping more air in your lungs- this also increases the amount of weight 'needed' to descend.

Given your body description, with a common AL 80 tank and a 3mm shorty, I would guestimate at 10-14lb to start. Borrow the lead, rather than buy it to start as required weight changes often quite radically during the course, starting with your first 'hesitant' breaths on scuba to the more relaxed breathing pattern after a few more dives.

If you in fact do have to buy it, make sure there is a refund for weights not needed after the course. Lead doesn't degrade from a few hours underwater and so has full re-sale capability.

 

[Frosty]

Thanks so much for all the answers. I am doing the training in VA Beach. I am retired Navy and have a friend that I am going to borrow the belt and weight from. I just wanted to know how much to ask for.

Given theres really limited information to go on regarding wet suit thickness etc I'd err on the side of caution given you are borrowing the belt.
Sorry Im in a metric country so my conversion might be a bit off
Start out with 10kg/22lb in lead with you in total. 8kg/17lb on the belt and 2kg/4 lb in your gear bag or preferably sitting poolside. Then you can drop or add weight to the belt to suit.
To give you an idea Im 1.77m/5 foot 9 and weigh 80kg/176lb -with a 3mm steamer I dive with4kg/ 8.8lb My wife is 80kg 5 foot two and uses 8kg or 17.6lb

 

[eelnoraa]

Your weight and size have little to do with your weight requirement. The exposure suit you are wearing dictate the lead requirement. So you don't even know the ball park number until you know what suit you will wear. So you may want to ask your shop what wetsuit/drysuit you will be using in your OW class.

And I am with everyone here. The norms is dive shops provide everything except mask, snorkel, gloves, boots, fins. If this isn't the case, then you should at least be able to ask your instructor for a ball park number. If this is the case, why not just use the shops weight. You can use the weight your friend give you later once your finish the class.