below_sea_level
Guest
Do most of you guys that own all of your equipment own your own weight belt. Does anyone put weights in your bc pockets if it does not have a quick release?
Buying a weight belt
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I have my own weightbelt that is designed to work with softweights. Anytime I go diving, shore or boat, its with me and I do carry extra weight for those weird times when its cool enough for a wet suit, surf is rough, etc.. It eliminates the guesstimate of weight for me and makes it easier to get to diving!
Don Burke
Contributor
I have several belts. I normally use the bag belts with shot weights, although I own quite a bit of block weight and a custom weight I made.
Weights in BC pockets can fall out when you don't want them to and might be hard to ditch. I don't think it is a good idea.
tholt576
Contributor
I use a pocketed soft lead shot weight belt and I don't put weights in the pockets of my BC. I might do it in a pinch if I needed extra weight to get down and I had other ditchable weight on me. Just make sure the BC pockets have a zipper or velcro or you might ditch the weight without meaning to. All in all I say get a weight belt and forget using the pockets.
Damselfish
Contributor
I have a heavy nylon cordura fabric belt with a zipper running all along the top. (like http://www.diversdirect.com/scripts...m?Item=122&Template=9990000001000999&Group=32) It's backed with a regular webbing belt and closes with a normal weight belt buckle. It's divided into pockets and I can put hard or soft weights in it. With hard weights it's more comfortable than a regular weight belt, it softens the corners just enough. Also really easy to adjust weights. There's a neoprene one too, probably more confortable, but longer to dry and getting something bouyant to put weights in seems wrong!
Below Sea Level,
Forget about putting weights into pockets that have no ditch ability. Ditching the weights, either by yourself, or another diver, is of paramount importance. Simple velcro pockets don't do it, as has been mentioned, the weights may come out if you are inverted. I have a weight belt, standard issue, so any basic diver can see the quick release and ditch my weights. I also have a zeagle bc with quick release pockets, so I can ditch my bc weights. This way, I am diversified, so if either system fails, I am still semi weighted and avoid a rapid ascent, and I can get buoyant by ditching one or both systems. Some divers have two buckles on their belts, for redundency. I don't recommend the weighting harness because it is non-standard and may not be recognized as such by another diver in an emergency rescue.
Yes, good divers own their own weight systems, because weighting is a very big and important component of diving properly. Don't underestimate the importance of weighting.
Forget about putting weights into pockets that have no ditch ability. Ditching the weights, either by yourself, or another diver, is of paramount importance. Simple velcro pockets don't do it, as has been mentioned, the weights may come out if you are inverted. I have a weight belt, standard issue, so any basic diver can see the quick release and ditch my weights. I also have a zeagle bc with quick release pockets, so I can ditch my bc weights. This way, I am diversified, so if either system fails, I am still semi weighted and avoid a rapid ascent, and I can get buoyant by ditching one or both systems. Some divers have two buckles on their belts, for redundency. I don't recommend the weighting harness because it is non-standard and may not be recognized as such by another diver in an emergency rescue.
Yes, good divers own their own weight systems, because weighting is a very big and important component of diving properly. Don't underestimate the importance of weighting.
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