How much do you use for your weight belt?

[TonyW388]

I dive in fresh water most of the time. I am 5'11" and 207 lbs.

When I dive my 7 mil wet suit, I usually carry about 24 lbs. I carry half in my bc and the other half on my weight belt. My weight belt has metal buckle which seems to hold the webbing better than the plastic buckles do. Once I get down to depth, I find that I have to stop and re adjust my weight belt because it has loosened up a little bit (compression of the suit).

With my full 3 mil suit I carry 12 lbs of weight in my ditch-able weight pockets on my bc.

In salt water (keys trip, I want to go back soon :crying2::crying2 with my 3 mil shorty I carried 18 lbs in my bc.

My tanks for most dives are usually Al 80's.

 

[dkktsunami]

I no longer use a weight belt. Your info. indicates that you are from Florida so I will assume that you are diving warm salt water. With a three mil suit I am using 10 lbs. of weight under these conditions. You are likely way overweighted. Just because you are large does not necessarily mean that you need more weight than a smaller person. As others have said, you need to do a proper weight check (500 psi at 10'). Record the results and when you change equipment, or dive fresh water, write down weight used. Keep info for each exposure suit, fresh and salt, and for different gear that you may carry.

 

[BonaireDan]

For warm water travel I use my original old BC - not weight integrated. Therefore I use my weight belt with 10 lbs, AL80 and 3mm full wetsuit.

For dive training and local quarry diving I use a weight integrated BC with a single steel 100 tank. When I use a 3mm full wetsuit I can dive with no added weight (although I overweight intentionally for classes). With a 7mm wetsuit I use 12-14 lbs and my single steel 100 tank. With a dry suit I use the same tank and generally am downweighting from 24 lbs to less than 20 at the moment.

 

[ivobj]

I don't use weight belt, I use Backplate/Wing configuration with a weighted STA + 2 pockets in the tank bands of the STA, that I use with AL tanks to adjust the trim adding weight in the upper or lower band. For steel tanks I don't need any weight in the pockets, just move the tank up or down to adjust trim.

But to properly adjust your weight, regardless on where you use it, at the end of the dive, tank at 500 psi, empty BC/Wing, between 10 and 15 ft (I adjust to 10 ft, specially in deco dives), you add or remove weight so that you achieve neutral buoyancy, that is the correct ballast for you.

 

[paddler3d]

5'11 - 180#

8mm Semidry - HP130 or HP100 single tank, SS backplate, no lead
3mm full suit - AL80 single tank, SS backplate, 6# lead.

 

[SailNaked]

5'10" 205 (fat ass).
Al 80, Al BP/w, 3mm full suit, 0-3#lead (SW)

 

[drbill]

I use enough to drown two normal divers... 36 pounds. I weigh 250 so by the rule of thumb for 7mm full wetsuits, 10% of my body weight plus 5-7 lbs puts me at 32 lbs. I add an extra four to keep me more stationary when I'm filming. I have no trouble maintaining good buoyancy with my 28# lift BC. Your mileage should vary!

 

[bbdqsony]

I believe I wore 3mm full suit with steel tank that holds 3000psi when I wore 22lbs belt my body wouldn't go down when my head tilt down to dive... the divemaster had to pull me down. With 24 lbs seems to work I was able to float up, down even kneel down at bottom. Please advise?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

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.


P.S. For more details check here: Aloha Shore Divers

I believe I wore 3mm full suit with steel tank that holds 3000psi when I wore 22lbs belt my body wouldn't go down when my head tilt down to dive... the divemaster had to pull me down. With 24 lbs seems to work I was able to float up, down even kneel down at bottom. Please advise?

If you are not certified yet pay attention in class, asking questions when necessary, and you should have your questions answered. If you are already certified it really seems to many of us that the next time you dive you conduct a proper weight check as described by Kidspot above.

If you will end up renting and/or using different combinations of gear you need to know what gear you use on the weight check (tank, exposure protection, even BC's, reg's and fins - all by brand). Then when you dive in different gear you have a better (ie, workable) guestimation. If you only/always dive in the same gear in the same conditions all you need to remember is the proper weight.

I take 8 lbs off my AL 80 weight belt for the two different steel tanks I occasionally use, so that would mean with an aluminum tank you would need 32 lbs? That picture is perhaps a few years ago??? OK, it was probably an aluminum tank, but 24 lbs still sounds like more than enough for the guy in the picture to stay down in a 3 mm full suit.

Propulsion mechanics, breath control and body position are keys to diving the proper weight. That is one flaw in most descriptions of the typical static weight check. I like to know what weight keeps me down while diving at 15 fsw with a low tank; we've got plenty reef at the proper depth for a safety stop.

 

[mdb]

If you are not certified yet pay attention in class, asking questions when necessary, and you should have your questions answered. If you are already certified it really seems to many of us that the next time you dive you conduct a proper weight check as described by Kidspot above.

If you will end up renting and/or using different combinations of gear you need to know what gear you use on the weight check (tank, exposure protection, even BC's, reg's and fins - all by brand). Then when you dive in different gear you have a better (ie, workable) guestimation. If you only/always dive in the same gear in the same conditions all you need to remember is the proper weight.

I take 8 lbs off my AL 80 weight belt for the two different steel tanks I occasionally use, so that would mean with an aluminum tank you would need 32 lbs? That picture is perhaps a few years ago??? OK, it was probably an aluminum tank, but 24 lbs still sounds like more than enough for the guy in the picture to stay down in a 3 mm full suit.

Propulsion mechanics, breath control and body position are keys to diving the proper weight. That is one flaw in most descriptions of the typical static weight check. I like to know what weight keeps me down while diving at 15 fsw with a low tank; we've got plenty reef at the proper depth for a safety stop.

Good question. Not the first time but always relevant. Makes us think/rethink our weighting decisions.

At 5'11" 175 lbs. In my home waters I wear 22 lbs with both a 7mm skin 2 wetsuit and my Apollo 4mm drysuit. 12 lbs of weight on a belt and the rest in pockets on the BC. Cold water diving.

Resort diving: depends on water temp and dive guides advice.