Harness and weightbelt

[stefusa]

Hi,
I am doing my first BP/W setup, and want to keep ditchable weight in case of huge emergency...
I know that's not DIR :no , and it's why I post this in hog forum !!!!
Do the weightbelt goes under or over the harness ????
I have seen some pictures (DIR like) where it is under and it doesn't seen easily ditchable !!!
So, as far as you don't want to remove your BC underwater, I think it's better to put the weightbelt over the harness...
Am I right ?? :huh:
Thanks for the answers....

Stef

 

[PerroneFord]

In a wetsuit, if the situation warrants it, you NEED to be able to get out of that weightbelt. So it is worn on top. With a drysuit, you have redundant buoyancy, so there is no urgent need to get out of a weightbelt, and the more dangerous scenario is actually have it come off without you WANTING it to. So it's done under.

I'm not sure if that is a Hog answer or only a DIR one. Interested to see other responses.

 

[rjack321]

I wear mine on the inside. Yes, it is difficult to ditch that way, but not impossible. But by and large there are very few circumstances where you'd want to ditch a weightbelt underwater and risk an uncontrolled ascent anyway.

At the surface its easy to ditch. Open the harness buckle and free the crotch strap, then drop the weight belt - 3 seconds and its gone.

 

[TSandM]

Having ditchable weight is not "not DIR". DIR is to be able to swim your rig up from depth in the event of a single catastrophic lift failure (ripped wing, flooded drysuit). If you can't do it without dropping some weight, you need some ditchable weight.

There have been many long and heated discussions of weight belt positioning wrt the harness in the past. Consensus, where it has been reached, is what Perrone wrote.

 

[stefusa]

thanks a lot for informations that confirm my thinking....

 

[cool_hardware52]

As an alternative;

I use the XSScuba pouch type weight belt. If I need to ditch I can open one pocket and remove 2-3 lbs at a time. I like that better than having to drop the entire belt.

Tobin

 

[rjack321]

I don't get the need to ditch weight with a wetsuit? Maybe I'm thinking DIR (which is another forum) but why overweight yourself in the first place?

 

[cool_hardware52]

I don't get the need to ditch weight with a wetsuit? Maybe I'm thinking DIR (which is another forum) but why overweight yourself in the first place?

Lets say you are wearing a 7 mm with a 7 mm hooded vest etc, lots 'o' neoprene

It might take 35 lbs to sink all that neo. If you are neutral at the surface with no gas in your wing, and descend to ~100 ft you might have lost 20+ lbs of buoyancy due to suit compression. If your wings fails that's 20 lbs to swim up. Having a few lbs to ditch helps manage the problem, but it will make for an uncontrolled ascent at some point.

Tobin

 

[rjack321]

You're right, I was stuck in a 3mm wetsuit and doubles mode - nevermind.

I do have a 7mm wetsuit and 3mm hooded vest I bought for Cave1. But with the 4lbs I carry to sink me in freshwater I can swim double 80s up

 

[Peter Guy]

Since this was brought up although NOT the DIR forum -- is using a DUI Wt and Trim within "the rules" as set by those who shall remain nameless?

In other words, having purchased the Wt and Trim last night and tried it today, I will NOT go back to a weight belt with a BP/W -- the harness arrangement was just too nice -- but is it "DIR?"