How do you wear your weight?

[wardric]

warm water, shorty: from 4 (FW) to 8 (SW) pounds on a weight belt

cold water, Freshwater, 7(14)mm full wetsuit with hood, gloves, boots: 23 pounds on a weight belt or sometimes 16 lbs on the belt and 2x3 lbs in weight pockets attached to the BC for a total of 22 lbs. for saltwater, I add about 4-6 lbs to the belt or replace the 2x3 by 2x5 in the weight pockets.

Colder water, thick undie, trilam drysuit: Freshwater, from 32 if it's summer to 36 lbs when it's really freezing, (22 to 26 on the belt and 2x5 in the weight pockets.) In saltwater, 36 lbs is enough but if it's freezing saltwater, I'd add maybe 2 to 4 lbs to the belt.

My back likes not having all the weight on the belt but in warm tropical dives, I dont even feel the weights

 

[Codyjp]

humm, with my trilam i use 2lbs and a heavy faber MP100...

I use the Zeagle pockets on my plate...

http://www.zeagle.com/index.php?submenu=Accessories&src=gendocs&link=Accy_weights

 

[Nemrod]

I wear a weight belt. I don't have a BCD. N

 

[ScubaGir1]

I use the BC integrated pockets too.

The weight belt starts to hurt my hips after awhile. And after a long day of diving, my hips will be SORE Having the weights in the BC is wonderful! Luckily I don't have to dive with much weight (compared to others in 7mm wetsuits).

 

[Marek K]

I have all my weight in my integrated BC. More weight than I wish I needed, even with a 1mm suit in warm water -- but I can't take any more off and still hold a safety stop (yes, I've tried all the tricks).

I have about 2/3 of it in non-releasable trim pockets to, well, help keep me trimmed. And only 1/3 in the quick-release pockets.

A weight belt is not only uncomfortable with my thin suit, but at my age just kills my back... Makes the BC very heavy, though. And I am aware of the risk if I ever have to doff the BC.

 

[sberanek]

I hate using a weight belt for the same reason as ScubaGirl1. Even wearing a 7mil FJ, I come home with huge bruises from the weights. I've tried moving the weights around, tightening the belt, loosening the belt, etc., but nothing helps. If I was lucky, I would only be sore and not have bruises.

So, I distribute all my weights in the BC except for 3lbs that goes on my ankles (I have floaty feet when wearing the 7mil FJ). I've found that it is easier to put the weight pockets in after I don the rig and take them out before I doff it (while on land that is). Though, now with it being warm and I can use my 3mil, I don't need much weight and I just leave the pockets in the whole time (no ankle weights either).

--Shannon

 

[Thalassamania]

I hate using a weight belt for the same reason as ScubaGirl1. Even wearing a 7mil FJ, I come home with huge bruises from the weights. I've tried moving the weights around, tightening the belt, loosening the belt, etc., but nothing helps. If I was lucky, I would only be sore and not have bruises.

So, I distribute all my weights in the BC except for 3lbs that goes on my ankles (I have floaty feet when wearing the 7mil FJ). I've found that it is easier to put the weight pockets in after I don the rig and take them out before I doff it (while on land that is). Though, now with it being warm and I can use my 3mil, I don't need much weight and I just leave the pockets in the whole time (no ankle weights either).

--Shannon

Have either of you tried soft weights in a belt with pockets?

 

[sberanek]

I've never had the chance to use a belt with pockets, just the hard weight belts. I could always give it a shot if the opportunity arises. (Never used a harness either)

I know there are people for and against, but I do really like using the weight integrated system. It doesn't matter to me what some one else uses either. If it works for you, then that is all that matters.

--Shannon

 

[Thalassamania]

I've never had the chance to use a belt with pockets, just the hard weight belts. I could always give it a shot if the opportunity arises. (Never used a harness either)

I know there are people for and against, but I do really like using the weight integrated system. It doesn't matter to me what some one else uses either. If it works for you, then that is all that matters.

--Shannon

We all decide what risks were are willing to take and thus each of us goes to hell in the handbag of our own choice (unless we go DIR, in which case we go to heaven in the handbag of someone else's choice). The problem, in my mind, with weight integrated system and heavy backplates is that weight which you are wearing to make yourself (not your rig, yourself) neutral is transfered off your body onto your rig. For every pound that you move from your body to your rig you create a two pound problem if you have to remove your rig (you're going up by a pound and your rig is going down by a pound). If you never have to take off your rig then its a non-issue, but when you do its big trouble, especially since this problem has given you a double wammy: it's now such a pain to take your rig off whilst underwater that you've not done it in years.

 

[Teamcasa]

Have either of you tried soft weights in a belt with pockets?

Both my lovely bride use the Scubapro pocket belt with soft weights. For us, it works very well. She no longer complains of the belt hurting or bruising her hips.

Dave