djanni
Contributor
I don't use a weight belt. I don't need one and I don't like them.
Are Weight Belts Obsolete?
- Thread starter Rick Inman
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
3-Ring Octopus
Contributor
Why am I diving doubles again? So I can take 6lbs off my waist but add 50 to my back? 
lol Fun carrying that over loose rocks/rubble on my way down to the water...or even better...over retaining rocks at the Jetties....
I like my single LP95 plus 12lbs on my waist, 10 in trim, and 6 in the weight pockets of my integrated BC. (Never said I didn't like them, just that I don't like having all my weight in one place.. )
Cheers,
Austin
lol Fun carrying that over loose rocks/rubble on my way down to the water...or even better...over retaining rocks at the Jetties.... I like my single LP95 plus 12lbs on my waist, 10 in trim, and 6 in the weight pockets of my integrated BC.
(Never said I didn't like them, just that I don't like having all my weight in one place.. )Cheers,
Austin
3-Ring Octopus:
I don't think you read the quote in Ricks original post correctly.
If you use a DUI Weight and Trim for instance, you do NOT need a weight belt. And yes, I believe that for dry suit diving, a harness system is much superior to a belt.
Tigerman
Contributor
Completely wrong..3-Ring Octopus:
I do use a weight integrated BCD, dive a BARE CD4 ProDry suit and have no problem being negative with the integrated weights, without being much bulkier than when I dive a wetsuit..
I do however dive wiht a HP117 steel tank, but on the other hand, im still in the progress of dropping weights as well...
fisherdvm
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,577
- Reaction score
- 52
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
I dunno. My integrated BC has 4 slots, and I just started using it. I have 2 dumpable ones upfront, and I am too unfamiliar with the little pulls to dump my BC weights, so I wear a weight belt too, for now. Now I have 3 options to drop weight, and hopefully, I'll find one when I need too.
3 choices are better than one for dropping weight for me, for now. So the weight belt remains.
3 choices are better than one for dropping weight for me, for now. So the weight belt remains.
While inegrated offers the ability to drop "some" weight but not all of it, which is good, and after having dove both many times, I have to say I prefer a good old weight belt. It's nice to be able to break the weight of your rig up esp for shore diving.
disagree
When I dive dry I use a harness because the padding of my suit and garment prevent a belt from getting a secure bite on my hips. That provides a huge safety advantage.
From a safety standpoint you could argue that a harness could be a universal replacement for a weight belt. Obsolete sounds like a cruel fate for such a classic piece of gear.
IMO weight integration is way overused, especially in cold water so that feature does not make weight belts obsolete.
Pete
From a safety standpoint you could argue that a harness could be a universal replacement for a weight belt. Obsolete sounds like a cruel fate for such a classic piece of gear.
IMO weight integration is way overused, especially in cold water so that feature does not make weight belts obsolete.
Pete
fisherdvm
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,577
- Reaction score
- 52
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
Having used weight integrated BC only just one week, I've already noted how cumbersome it is to change tank, put strap on, etc... It might be more my BC's problem, but it is a pain to lift 19 lbs of weight (I had a 7 mm full suit) while changing your tank. Of course, if you are 6 ft 5 and a weight lifter, 19 lbs is nothing. But I am not.
A weight belt to distribute the weight and help you get onto a dive boat by shedding it is nice. I think I might still wear some weight on a belt, just to make my weight integrated BC more manageable. And the ability to dump small bits of weight at 3 locations is better than 1.
A weight belt to distribute the weight and help you get onto a dive boat by shedding it is nice. I think I might still wear some weight on a belt, just to make my weight integrated BC more manageable. And the ability to dump small bits of weight at 3 locations is better than 1.
Yeah, I rarely use one, but I prefer the weighbelt over weight integrated. Because I'm a lazy DM, I prefer that people carry their own weight, rather than hand me a weight integrated BC. I've never used a harness.
Similar threads
