Ankle weights with wetsuits????

[EastEndDiver]

Do what works for YOU. Don't worry about those who say that it isn't the "correct" way. What makes you feel comfortable in the water is what matters.

 

[DuckyDiver]

It's telling that "you AND your instructor" both "needed" ankle weights.

Further, it's interesting that you say you were "weighted properly" and then added 3lbs. Did you REMOVE 3 pounds from your BC? Based on the observations made in my previous post I'm gonna bet you didn't. In which case you are now three pounds overweighted.

Did you first try sliding your tank down a bit in your BCD? This will often help trim you out a bit. Give it a try. You may also suggest the same thing to your instructor, he might find it useful advice. (Did your instructor suggest this before adding weight to you? If not, you may want to find a new instructor.)

RJP
Thank you for the advice. On the position ot the tank.. it was with the tank valve right below my neck, I don't know if it were any lower it might be hitting my legs, But I will give it a try next time. I am going to try and weight and balence myself little better, mabe even lose the ankel weights. As for losing the instructor, I'll keep him for now, he's been a good instuctor so far.

 

[Tigerman]

Ive been diving with a 7mm semidry suit, a DUI CF200 and I use a BARE CD4 ProDry now. Never used ankle weights. However Ive done dives with people that used ankle weights when diving dry. The interesting part was that once the ankle weights had lost the strap or something and found that "hey, I dont need those afterall"..

 

[JBRES1]

My daughter uses ankle weights when diving a 7 mm suit, but not when diving a 3 or no wet suit . She all of 120 lbs, and the combo of the 7 mm suit , her fins and booties she starts to go fins up . We added 1-1/2 lbs to each ankle and pulled 2 #'s out of the bc and she balances off quite nicely.
You may say that the ankle weights are a crutch, but I say if it works and you are happy with it who cares what others think.
Jim Breslin

 

[Buoyant1]

Do what works for YOU. Don't worry about those who say that it isn't the "correct" way. What makes you feel comfortable in the water is what matters.

Exactly! If it works for you then go for it!

Personally, I always seem a bit bottom heavy and think I need to stick some weight closer to my head (although I was using a steel 120 this summer, and I just bought a steel 119 which is a shorter tank, so I need to check out my trim with that)

If it keep you trim great, if not no biggie! I know a few people that use ankle weights for their own reasons.

 

[terrasmak]

Did you first try sliding your tank down a bit in your BCD? This will often help trim you out a bit. Give it a try. You may also suggest the same thing to your instructor, he might find it useful advice. (Did your instructor suggest this before adding weight to you? If not, you may want to find a new instructor.)

I thought about that when i first saw the people with ankle weights. It was funny and i wish i got to see this guy in the water , his tank Alum 80 was mounted almost a foot to low in his BCD, his shoulder straps were loose to the point his tank bottom was below his butt midway to the knees. All i could think was vertical trim, and this guy was an instructer.

 

[Charlie99]

Thank you for the advice. On the position ot the tank.. it was with the tank valve right below my neck, I don't know if it were any lower it might be hitting my legs, But I will give it a try next time.

If you move it down too far, then you won't be able to reach your valve.

 

[CrackedConch]

One thing you should check before wearing ankle weights is whether your high-top booties are filling up with air. Especially if you wear your booties tucked inside the legs of your wetsuit.

If you descend head-first vertically or look at something with your head down/feet up at even a slight angle, your bubbles can enter your wetsuit at the neck and float up into your booties.

Call me crazy, but I've seen it.

I'm generally of the opinion like some others here that ankle weights are like training wheels on a bicycle... You should generally work to overcome the need for them.

The more someone dives and gets buoyancy practice using breath control and not the power inflator, the less weight they will usually need.

 

[coachrenz]

I'm generally of the opinion like some others here that ankle weights are like training wheels on a bicycle... You should generally work to overcome the need for them.

Could you explain this a bit more?

I dive with a person who has over 10,000 dives, is a leader in the dive industry, is an oft interviewed/cited source on dive related issues, is a contributing author of dive training curricula, is an instructor trainer, has a 3 digit instructor number and he dives with ankle weights.

Maybe I should tell him to take off his training wheels?


Tim

 

[Felon_Monk]

I wear a body glove exo 7mm suit. Ive dove with and with out ankle weights.. without the weights im skydiving the whole time.. i wear my tank purty damn low.. i removed weight out of my BCD when i would wear the ankle weights. Im not sure what else to do to get my feet to go down.. so, i wear the weights.. i say do what works for you.. Wearing ankle weights can be debated with having a long hose on your second stage and a rubber hose tieing your alternate around your neck.. different strokes..