Hollis Solo - Weight belt, harness or pockets?

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GimmeSome

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Location
San Mateo, California
# of dives
100 - 199
I recently bought a Hollis Solo & tried it out for the first time on the weekend using a weight belt. Things I discovered... I hate weight belts but maybe it was just the one I rented that I hated.

I'm pretty small so I worry that I'll not be able to use the Hollis weight pocket system, that I'll not be able to tighten it enough.

I'll be primarily diving cold water & need about 22 pounds of weight.

New to all this, anyone have some advice?

Thanks,
Gen
 
I can't comment on the Hollis weight pockets specifically, but I'd think you'd have to be pretty tiny for them to wrap around enough to actually inhibit tightening the waist belt on your harness. but I can tell you a "slimmer" option is the Zeagle Zip Touch weight pockets:

Zeagle Zip Touch Weight System 519-WS120 with reviews at scuba.com

I can confirm they fit on a Hollis plate (assuming you have one of course). I just tested my wife's pocket on my Hollis plate. they hold the weights vertically so they only stick out about 6" from each aside of the plate. Only rated for 10 lbs per side but so is the Hollis.

One thing you should be concerned with, (if you aren't already aware) is putting that much weight on your BC might be more than your wing can handle. This'll depend on the wing capacity you already have, the tanks you are using, steel or aluminum plate etc... Plus it'll make your BC heavy as hell. I personally prefer most of my lead to be on my body.

What you can also look at, which I also have no experience with, but seem popular here, is a weight harness like the DUI weight and trim harness DUI Weight & Trim System. It's cheaper than the Hollis pockets and doesn't put all that weight on your BC.
 
You could do a few things; You can get a stainless steel backplate (5 pounds), V weight pocket, weighted STA, or try a varity of weight pockets as mentioned above (I use these on my Hollis bp/w), something I find much more compact than the Hollis weight system. As a slim teen, I had the same problem so I got smaller pockets and attached the pockets further back on the waist strap. Getting a separate weight system should be your last resort, in my mind. What type of weight belt are you currently using?
 
If you are properly weighted, the only ditchable weight you should need should be around the same weight as the air in your tanks, or a little more. If you ditch the weight equal to or greater than the amount of air in the tank and still sink on the surface at the beginning of your dive, you are overweighted. If you ditch that amount after you have lost some of the weight of the aiir, then you should not be able to stay down.

Diving in cool water with a Hollis solo and a single tank, I use a steel backplate with two XS weight pouches on the cam bands. I like to use steel tanks when possible. All that weight is not ditchable. I have another XS pouch permantently mounted on the left side waist belt. That weight is ditchable. On the right side, I can either slide a weight on directly or use another XS pouch. That weight is ditchable. I move weights around those locations as I see fit.

If I am diving steel doubles and a steel back plate, I don't need any weight at all. In that case, I make sure I wear a dry suit for redundant buoyancy.

I have never used that system for really cold water and my fluffiest undergarments, so I don't know what I would need.
 
Gen;

You dont state wether your diving AL or Steel. Steel tanks will immediately take weight off your hips while giving you more gas to work with. This one step can shift 5lb to 10lbs to the tank.

Second as said a steel backplate can add another 3lbs compare to AL.
A v-weight can put another 5lbs between you and your wing.

That makes between 13lb to 18lb off of your waist.

Then you can add pockets to you back plate and put you drop weight in there to get you buoyant in the event you need to do an emergency ascent.

Keep in mind that with most of your weight integrated into your backplate and wing you need to make sure the rig will float without you in it or risk loosing it all.

This is the reason i dive with the hollis LX 45lb lift wing for my singles configuration.

My config

Steel LP108 -11
Hollis steel back plate -5
Backplate pockets -6

Henderson 5mil +10


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I love my DUI weight harness. I was able to find a used one on Scuba Board.
 
Thanks everyone! Lots of great suggestions to consider.

CT_Sean: I'm pretty small (5'3"). My wing has 32lbs of lift. I find the weight belt super awkward but maybe if I didn't have my entire weight need on it, it would be more comfortable.

rhuntley: I was using a rental xs scuba weight belt with 20lbs in it. Your suggestions mirror what I was thinking about getting for future dives.

Boulderjohn: Great points about proper weighting & your own configuration. I will probably look to get a similar setup.

Divemaster_Tom: I was diving with an aluminum backplate with aluminum 63 tank. I'm diving again this weekend and will try steel tanks with less weight on the belt. My wing has about 32lbs of lift, I think that should be enough for me and any weights that I decide to put on it.

Sg01: Nice tip. I always keep an eye out for good deals on Scubaboard.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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