hammet
Contributor
For all you well-seasoned divers out there... have you ever been in or witnessed a situation where dropping weights for yourself, buddy, or other diver was a critical factor in preventing or managing an emergency or near emergency type of scenario?
When I took PADI rescue some time ago, we learned dropping weights on the surface would of course aid in floating a victim on the surface so you can continue to provide aid like rescue breaths, etc. But inflating the victim's BCD was also standard operating procedure (mainly because dropping weights would damage the pool bottom or be lost in the murky quarry) and as long as the BCD inflation mechanism and bladder were functioning, just as effective.
With regards to releasing weights underwater, I cannot fathom (pardon the pun) any situation where dropping someone's weights below the surface would be anything but dangerous; the concern being a rapid surface ascent resulting in serious decompression problems.
Reason why I'm asking is that I currently dive an Aqualung Outlaw BCD equipped with the two 10lb modular releasable weight pockets on each hip. However, Aqualung also makes smaller 5lb modular pockets available, but they are not releasable.
When I'm diving an HP100 , I usually stick about 2lbs into each 10lb pocket which obvious holds lots of unused space for more weight. When diving with an AL80, I put about 3 lbs in each pocket plus about 2 or 3 lbs into two trim pockets I can slide onto the tank band.
Basically, what I'm asking is: Will I die?
@scubadada for his familiarity with the outlaw.
outlaw with bulky 10lb releasable weight pocket (bladder not shown)
vs the much more compact, non-releasable 5lb pocket:
When I took PADI rescue some time ago, we learned dropping weights on the surface would of course aid in floating a victim on the surface so you can continue to provide aid like rescue breaths, etc. But inflating the victim's BCD was also standard operating procedure (mainly because dropping weights would damage the pool bottom or be lost in the murky quarry) and as long as the BCD inflation mechanism and bladder were functioning, just as effective.
With regards to releasing weights underwater, I cannot fathom (pardon the pun) any situation where dropping someone's weights below the surface would be anything but dangerous; the concern being a rapid surface ascent resulting in serious decompression problems.
Reason why I'm asking is that I currently dive an Aqualung Outlaw BCD equipped with the two 10lb modular releasable weight pockets on each hip. However, Aqualung also makes smaller 5lb modular pockets available, but they are not releasable.
When I'm diving an HP100 , I usually stick about 2lbs into each 10lb pocket which obvious holds lots of unused space for more weight. When diving with an AL80, I put about 3 lbs in each pocket plus about 2 or 3 lbs into two trim pockets I can slide onto the tank band.
Basically, what I'm asking is: Will I die?
@scubadada for his familiarity with the outlaw.
outlaw with bulky 10lb releasable weight pocket (bladder not shown)
vs the much more compact, non-releasable 5lb pocket: