Bolt snaps, flash lights, knives, reels, spring heels, etc. and weighting

[speedmeister]

I have been wondering if you guys take any lead off ( and how much) when using these items: (if you can please assign a negative value to each item)

Flash lights (not can lights, but typical C cell hand lights)

Stainless Cam buckles

Bolt snaps

Reels

Knife, shears, misc.

Jet Fins with Spring heels

The reason I ask is that as I have progressively become a better and more streamlined diver, I have incorporated all of these things in my setup and I have at the same time dropped quite a bit of lead. I am still fine tuning my weighting and was wondering if anybody had any ideas of how negatively buoyant these items are?

If you don't consider these items in your calculations let me know too.

 

[aquaregia]

I don't include anything in my weighting that I might drop or hand off. This leaves me about 2lbs negative due to my insane knife.

 

[tbone1004]

Generally I don't factor hose into my weight. Reels especially because they come off on a regular basis. Knife for a similar reason, also neither are generally enough weight to matter much.
Bolt snaps are no because there aren't enough to factor.
Jets with springs can be, but I don't use jets anymore so I don't remember how much they weigh. I've never factored them into my weighting either.
Cam bands can be factored in, and I usually factor a pound for both of them.
Flash lights other than cans I don't factor, but I do factor my can in.

This all being said, diving doubles or sidemount with HP120's and a drysuit I don't need any weight... This is with or without my can, with or without my Slipstreams with spring straps, same with any reels or whatever. If you want to get a good buoyancy factor of your rig, you can take one of the digital luggage scales, tie a piece of cave line to your gear and weigh it. Put it in the water with 500psi in the tanks or whatever you need for your P-stop and that'll get you the accurate buoyancy. You can take your exposure protection and do something similar. I'll take a long hose and breathe normally off of it, get down to 5 feet or a bit more and start adding lead till you are neutral.

You can do the same thing with your gear on if you want to find out for a weight belt, but if you want the positive of you and your suit vs. the negative of the equipment it takes a LOT more work though...

 

[TSandM]

I came to the conclusion long ago that one or two pounds too negative was not only not a problem, it was actually useful. So I don't pay attention to anything that doesn't at least equal a three pound weight. Even in the aggregate, the things you mention don't perturb my weighting enough to change anything.

 

[ptyx]

Not really.

I don't see the point for items which are permanent parts of your dive gear or that you won't consider diving without, such as cam buckles, knife or fins.

Remains the 'optional' items or stuff you could loose during the dive such as bolt snaps, backup lights and reels - but that doesn't amount to much. And being a pound or two negative never hurts.

 

[speedmeister]

The way I'm figuring I at least have a pound of boltsnaps on me now. And the spring heels and stainless buckles probably add another pound or two. And the lights have to be another pound or so. Guess it doesn't matter much but just had me wondering if anyone ditches lead to compensate for these items.

 

[ptyx]

Guess it doesn't matter much but just had me wondering if anyone ditches lead to compensate for these items.

In that case - yes.
But not by computing the buoyancy of each individual item.

It's way easier (and more accurate) to do a weight check with your new gear every often.

 

[knowone]

You weigh according to location and conditions.

And take a bag in case you find an anchor or a ship.

 

[DevonDiver]

+1 for an accurate buoyancy check.

My gear is pretty standardised... I dive with the same stuff on each dive. I get my buoyancy sorted with that gear and weight myself accordingly.

If I substantially change my configuration or get new gear, then I will buoyancy check again.