Weightbelts, why does everyone hate them so much?

[TMHeimer]

After reading 5 pages of responses I'm surprised no one mentioned that it messes with your trim. For me, a weight belt made me too feet heavy. Switching to integrated weight pockets on a BCD partly fixed the bad trim. Switching to a BP/wing with the weight on the tank straps split between the upper and lower bands finally got my trim dialed in. When I was diving cold water in a 7 mm wetsuit I used integrated weight pockets on the waist band of my BP which didn't upset the trim too much.

How much weight did you need with the 7 mil (farmer john?)?

 

[socaljohn]

In So Cal Chamber Day events include tour and briefing by both CG And LA County Sheriff ocean rescue teams who both recommend weight belts, as more easily and likely ditchable. Been considering going back to weight belt...

 

[Kimela]

After reading 5 pages of responses I'm surprised no one mentioned that it messes with your trim.

Just want to add to this another strong recommendation for a crotch strap. Without the crotch strap there's always the possibility my BC will shift while turning sideways and upside down, thereby messing up my trim. But the crotch strap makes everything stay in place, so once my trim is good it stays good. Another reason a belt would present a challenge for me - getting to it with a crotch strap in place would eat up precious time in an emergency. (I guess you could just unzip my BC and yank on the belt - but I still like the pouches better - to each his/her own?)

 

[DBPacific]

Just want to add to this another strong recommendation for a crotch strap. Without the crotch strap there's always the possibility my BC will shift while turning sideways and upside down, thereby messing up my trim. But the crotch strap makes everything stay in place, so once my trim is good it stays good. Another reason a belt would present a challenge for me - getting to it with a crotch strap in place would eat up precious time in an emergency. (I guess you could just unzip my BC and yank on the belt - but I still like the pouches better - to each his/her own?)

A crotch strap with a belt is an art I have yet to master and I have no idea how people do it. I got my BPW with a crotch strap to help with trim and to just keep it in place when I have to turn upside down or sideways or whatever for pictures or tasks. I didn't get integrated weight pockets until after a couple dives with my BPW and a belt and they were a pain to deal with. If you buckle the strap over the weight belt, it hinders your ability to ditch weights or for a rescuer to ditch them in an emergency. If you buckle under, it is then harder to remove the BCD. If you always dive with them then you'd probably figure it out and get good at removing/replacing weights and the BCD, but it's a mess in the beginning.

 

[MichaelMc]

A crotch strap with a belt is an art I have yet to master and I have no idea how people do it.

Getting rid of D-rings and tri-glides on the crotch strap makes it easier to thread under the weight belt, as they no longer get hung up. Removing the BC is easy this way. Rethreading it after you put it back on is still a mild pain.

Without a scooter you do not need the front D and can do without the back one. A sewn in loop at the front eliminates the front tri-glide.

To get rid of the back tri-glide you might pass the strap through its plate slot from outside to inside, burn a hole in the strap up a bit, and pass the STA bolt through the hole. I'm not sure how to do it if you strap the tank to the plate; you may have to sacrifice a bit of extra distance between the plate and tank for the backside of some attachment method. I've not removed my back tri-glide yet, but realized you might with the freedom plates and its lower wedge using the bolt method (but maybe going inside to outside). Or you could cut a few extra slots in the plate to lock the strap with, but you might run out of space before the bolt hole area; and this seems unnecessary if you can affix the strap a bit higher up with the bolt or some loop of line.

There is this R/R drill that DM candidates need to do with demonstration quality so I've thought of this a bit, while believing in weight belts, BP/W, and crotch straps.

 

[Bigbella]

I have personally found the traditional weightbelts to be uncomfortable; and, regardless how I had them arranged -- clips or no clips -- always managed to take a "King Neptune" ingot to the kidneys. I do own a soft shot weightbelt for free diving; but the blocks are now relegated to doorstops or mob informants.

Well before the advent of integrated weights, a number of us were either carrying ballast in whatever pockets were available in the early BCs or strapping them to tanks . . .

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I put the weight belt under the crotch strap. If the need ever arises that I must jettison my weights I simply undo my waistband first then the weightbelt. It’s trained into me, no thinking about it I just do it. If the weightbelt comes loose accidentally for some reason and drops, the crotch strap catches it, no harm no foul. This has never happened yet, but in theory it should work this way. When I come up from my dive and want to board my kayak, I remove my rig and clip it off on a leash I have clipped to the kayak. The rig is fairly light because I split up my weights so the wing will easily float it. I’m in the water maneuvering around with my weightbelt on, which is fantastic because my fins get traction. It’s better than not having one and floating like a piece of foam high and dry. I undo my weightbelt and place it in the kayak up forward. This is the ‘trim’ that I really care about; making sure the back end of my boat isn’t squatting like a girl dog. I can’t even imagine trying to get underneath a loaded rig full of non ditchable including a 120 and trying to push it up into the tank well, holy crap!
This is where my custom 10 lb. Freedom Plate loses. Maybe @lexvil will be getting his wish sooner than he thinks.

 

[Cali_diver]

For tropical I use at most 2-4lbs so it usually just goes in pocket on tank band. For drysuit I use a harness.

I definitely see the benefit to a weight belt for people who have to wear a lot of lead. My dislike for weight belts is purely selfish as it seems to be the most common thing left behind by divers on liveaboards. They usually remember they forgot it right after we all kit up so the trek back to the boat to retrieve it is always hard on my back.

 

[lexvil]

I put the weight belt under the crotch strap. If the need ever arises that I must jettison my weights I simply undo my waistband first then the weightbelt. It’s trained into me, no thinking about it I just do it. If the weightbelt comes loose accidentally for some reason and drops, the crotch strap catches it, no harm no foul. This has never happened yet, but in theory it should work this way. When I come up from my dive and want to board my kayak, I remove my rig and clip it off on a leash I have clipped to the kayak. The rig is fairly light because I split up my weights so the wing will easily float it. I’m in the water maneuvering around with my weightbelt on, which is fantastic because my fins get traction. It’s better than not having one and floating like a piece of foam high and dry. I undo my weightbelt and place it in the kayak up forward. This is the ‘trim’ that I really care about; making sure the back end of my boat isn’t squatting like a girl dog. I can’t even imagine trying to get underneath a loaded rig full of non ditchable including a 120 and trying to push it up into the tank well, holy crap!
This is where my custom 10 lb. Freedom Plate loses. Maybe @lexvil will be getting his wish sooner than he thinks.

Ill toss in some weight belts on the deal.

 

[MichaelMc]

I put the weight belt under the crotch strap. If the need ever arises that I must jettison my weights I simply undo my waistband first then the weightbelt. It’s trained into me, no thinking about it I just do it.

I feel like weight belt under crotch strap sends an inconsistent message in recreational diving. In rescue the rule on reaching the surface is get them buoyant by removing weights/weight belt first, then and only then remove their buoyancy device and gear. I recall doing the reverse caused a death recently. Plus we teach 'ditch their weight belt' not 'remove any impeding strap (that also holds their BC on) and then ditch their weight belt'. Caves and deco obligations add higher consequences of accidental weight loss.