How much do you use for your weight belt?

[bbdqsony]

Sorry if this sounds incredibly stupid but i dont actually know how much weight i need. I went dive 4 times, first time I had 22lbs but I kept going up lol so I was given 24 it seems to be perfect... I'm 6'1 230lbs.

My weight belt almost slide off my waist 2nd dive it was down to my buttock

 

[H2Andy]

i don't use a weight belt for several reasons, one of which is that they can (and do, as you found out) come off

i moved my weight to a steel backplate and my tank (a steel 108). i don't have to use any weight as a result.

you could try sharing your weight more evenly over your body, perhaps by using an integrated BC or by spreading your weight between your weight belt and weight pouches which you can place on the upper tank strap

 

[rstofer]

Are you diving warm water with that much weight? What thickness is your wetsuit?

I'm 6'1" and 210. I wear a 7/8mm wetsuit and wear 20# of lead in a DUI Weight & Trim Classic harness and a 6# SS backplate. So, 26# total with a thick wetsuit.

Richard

 

[CalgaryDF]

I'm diving cold water with a drysuit. I generally wear 25-30 lbs depending on the tank i'm using. In warm water with a 3 mm full suit and AL 80 I wear around 12-14lbs. I'm 5'8", 180 lbs.

 

[kidspot]

you need to do a proper weight check - it's the best way to find out how much you really need.

At the end of your next dive with 500 psi or less in your tank (you can always hit the purge button to empty it), in about 10 feet of water or less, empty your BC completely (roll around and do whatever it takes to get all the air out) Then cross your ankles, fold your hands, relax and breathe normally ... do you sink or float? if you sink, then take some weight off. If you float add a couple pounds. Then cross your ankles, fold your hands and watch again. Repeat until you just rise and fall off the bottom with each normal breath. You now KNOW how much weight YOU need in your current exposure suit and the same gear.

Once you have the correct amount of weight you can identify other problems that excess weight is often used to correct for, such as finning yourself up (instead of straight ahead) or nervous breathing that makes you more bouyant or other issues you may have to resolve.

Let us know how it goes

Aloha, Tim

P.S. For more details check here: http://www.alohashoredivers.com/tweaks/weighting.html

 

[Bonairetrip]

What Kidspot said. There is no magic formula and there are lots of variables (salt/fresh, equipment profile, exposure suit, body weight/volume, trim, etc.).

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

The most weight I've had on my belt was I think around or just over 40lbs (saltwater + 7mm farmer john wetsuit + aluminum tank + me being overweight + being new and probably slightly overweighted). That was before I owned my own gear, I can now move a lot of it into my BCD

 

[rongoodman]

I haven't used one for several years. If I need more weight in warm water than a SS plate and weighted STA, an XS Scuba pocket on the waist belt easily holds a couple of pounds. At home I'm always diving dry suit and double LP85s these days, and I can add weight if I need it in the DSS tail weight pouch or switching from aluminum to SS back plate. (I haven't used 400gm Thinsulate underwear yet--that might involve a V weight.)

 

[Arizona]

I wear one when teaching to demonstrate skills or carry some extra weight for divers under my supervision in need. Most of the weight is held via an integrated system. If not teaching integrated is preferred less the weight belt. With 4 dives "under your belt" and noting your picture, your kicking technique may be causing some issues. Do you bend at the knees as in your picture and tend to bicycle kick? This is fairly common for many beginning divers and forces you upward as opposed to moving in a horizontal position. Ditto on doing a buoyancy check. Reference your OW manual. For the lose belt just tighten it up. As your wetsuit constricts this is to be expected.

You look streamlined and happy

 

[RJP]

6'2" 190lbs here

Coldwater with drysuit and steel tank + steel backplate = 6lbs lead
Coldwater with drysuit and steel doubles + AL backplate = 0lbs lead
Warmwater with drysuit or 3mm wetsuit and AL80 + steel backplate = 10lbslead