Head over Heels

[saying]

I'm about ready to give up.

While drysuiting it is ALWAYS an argument with air and gravity to keep my feet down north of about 30 feet. As soon as I'm under that ceiling, or thereabouts, I can take and maintain any body position I like, having most of my weight in the thick SS backplate. But as soon as I'm up above, the feet start getting floaty. I don't even want to talk about my typical monkeybars, like saftey stop.

Even if I go completely head-up vertical (not an easy thing to do, with the feet so very desirous of pointing skyward) and get every ounce of air out of them boots, as soon as I go horizontal again, up to the surface they try to go.

I'm about ready (after about 50 dives in the thing) to proclaim this a function of the boots being 5mm neoprene and get ankle weights, but I am incredibly loath to do this, feeling that it's a cop out, somehow. I'm also nervous that now, at depth, maintaining any trim I'm in the mood for will become more of a hastle having exchanged inherent footsy bouyancy near the surface for inherent leadfoot at the bottom.

So what's the concesus? Am I just wearing too little belt lead? Do I just need more practice? Or am I just being stubborn in thinking it's a cop-out and could really get some benefit out of some low poundage ankle weights?

 

[ScubaFreak]

I wear ankle weights for this very reason. 8mm of neoprene in my origin 800...that's some really floaty boots!
Same with my NDiver Cordura- about 5mm of neoprene there also.

I on the other hand am sick of people proclaiming ankle weights shouldnt be used. They help distribute my trim and overall weight, and keeps me in a comfortable swimming position. Get the ankle weights and try em out. If they work- who cares whatt people say!

SF

 

[jonnythan]

I have to point my feet down once or twice during the last 30 ft of my ascent to let the excess air flow out.

 

[matt_unique]

...I'm about ready (after about 50 dives in the thing) to proclaim this a function of the boots being 5mm neoprene and get ankle weights, but I am incredibly loath to do this, feeling that it's a cop out, somehow. I'm also nervous that now, at depth, maintaining any trim I'm in the mood for will become more of a hastle having exchanged inherent footsy bouyancy near the surface for inherent leadfoot at the bottom.

So what's the concesus? Am I just wearing too little belt lead? Do I just need more practice? Or am I just being stubborn in thinking it's a cop-out and could really get some benefit out of some low poundage ankle weights?

You have developed this 'cop-out' feeling from the nonsense you read on this board about ankle weights. It really is simple....if you're neutral and your feet float....your feet float. Ankle weights will offer that trim. If your suit does not fit properly around your legs or feet it's possible you have too much air space causing the lift. This is usually not the case with neoprene suits though. Different body types float different.

I dive neoprene dry and I have the opposite problem actually. My feet float down when I am neutral without ankle weights. I choose to wear ankle weights to distribute the weight off my mid-section.

--Matt

 

[saying]

The suit is a shell, it's just the boots that are neoprene.

Suit actually fits near on perfectly (custom), though I do have to cinch down the calves with some gators (there was no chance on getting my big 'ole feet through tight fitting calves).

 

[Diver0001]

The suit is a shell, it's just the boots that are neoprene.

Suit actually fits near on perfectly (custom), though I do have to cinch down the calves with some gators (there was no chance on getting my big 'ole feet through tight fitting calves).

You don't need ankle weights, you need to get proper boots put on your suit. If you can't afford that now, then save for it and use the ankle weights as a temporary fix.

You know about arching your back and all that, right?

R..

 

[saying]

proper boots put on your suit...arching your back

Back arching, yes... that's the only way I can get those two liftbags under me at 10 feet or so.

Proper boots? By this, do you mean sock/rockboot combo which, I must admit, I'm kicking myself for not having opted for in the first place?

 

[ScubaFreak]

You don't need ankle weights, you need to get proper boots put on your suit.

hmmm...i dunno R, both pair of boots on both my suits fit perfectly. As Matt said, if they're floaty...they're floaty...

Nothing wrong in wearing a pair of ankle weights (something tells me we were here before...)

SF

 

[Diver0001]

Back arching, yes... that's the only way I can get those two liftbags under me at 10 feet or so.

Proper boots? By this, do you mean sock/rockboot combo which, I must admit, I'm kicking myself for not having opted for in the first place?

Somethign like that...

What you can also try, which works for me, is to take a kg or two and hang it low on your tank. To do that you need another cam-band but it will push down on the bottom of your tank and move your feet to a more horizontal position. With arching and bending your knees this might sort you out. Personally, I would try that before ankle weights.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

hmmm...i dunno R, both pair of boots on both my suits fit perfectly. As Matt said, if they're floaty...they're floaty...

Nothing wrong in wearing a pair of ankle weights (something tells me we were here before...)

SF

I'm certainly not a purist aoubt the ankle weight question..... IN fact usually I'm the one arguing for the pragmatic approach.

R..