ANOTHER BP/W thread!--Weight belts?

[Akimbo]

I think it is fair to say it is a PIA to put your weight belt on after tanks/crotch strap, especially on doubles. It is also fair to say that belt on top has advantages from the standpoint of ditching weight in an emergency.

It varies by body-type but I don’t need a crotch strap unless the pack is configured for a bail-out bottle for commercial diving and code requires it. I use a Freedom Pack with a dead-man/rescue ring. It does not work for all people or packs, but I would test it since ditching the crotch strap is the simplest solution.

It depends on what you expect your crotch strap to do. If all you want is to keep the tanks from riding up while in the water you can use a trick inspired by Mediterranean Freedivers. Replace the crotch strap with a short piece of webbing or line with a plastic ball in the end — hanging about mid-butt level. Put on your tanks and reach back and shove the plastic ball under the belt.

If you want to be able to be pulled aboard unconscious you need a crotch strap that is far more secure. In that case, the cam buckle on the belly band is questionable. Double-D-rings would be a better choice over a cam buckle because there is no risk of accidental release.

As mentioned, the DUI weight harness works well especially when you need a lot of weight.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

This certainly wouldn't apply to everyone, but I just thought I would flesh out my prior reply a bit.

1) I was removing the weight belt at the surface after every dive (and handing it to the DM on the boat), so that's why I was attuned it getting "hung up" on either side of the crotch strap when I had it underneath in the back (one weight on each side, so one or the other would catch). Of course this was not insurmountable, as one could always feed it through, or undo the waist-strap and crotch strap of the bp/w; however it does make "over" seem more attractive.

2) I probably could have had all my weight on the rig for this particular trip, but for balance I like having the weight a bit lower down on my hips, and then for other configurations I might not want to have to have a wing that would float *all* the weight if I were to remove it (the BC) at the surface.

I'm going to try the over in back/under in front. I think that might work really well. Less likely to come off accidentally, yet very easily ditchable. I'm also going to be adding my own weight belt to my dive kit. I'll then have a good buckle and can avoid the mile-long-flapping-strap-end that I want to edit out of all my trip photos :confused6:

 

[craracer]

If it hasn't been suggested, and I don't know how much extra weight you need, you might consider putting something like the XS pockets on the cam belt. You could probably mount 4 of the pockets.

Dumping weight would probably take more time than using a belt, but then again, you don't have the hassles of the belt.

 

[TSandM]

Blue Sparkle, if your only issue is handing the weight belt up to the boat, why not just release the harness before doing so? That's what I do when we dive off our boat (gear off in the water).

 

[Brandon]

Nod, same here... hard to find a non-purpose built boat with a ladder capable of holding 300+ pounds of wet diver + gear. Easiest to inflate wing, remove rig, and clip to the side, then climb aboard.

I also don't remove my weight belt before climbing on the boat, no need with how I have my weighting set up. Makes life real easy for getting back in the boat.

-B

 

[noreastDIVER84]

On my BP/W setup I added trim pockets to the cam straps. I keep most of my weight in the pockets, but I keep about 6 pounds in my drysuit pockets which is just enough to make me buoyant should I need to ditch my weight. That way if I ever need to ditch weight, I would only have to recover or replace the small amount.