I can swim with 2 10-lb bricks and my gear weights about 10 lbs. Well, plus the tank. So yeah, something else: I'll have to kick a little harder.
How much lead weights do you use?
- Thread starter Richard Dayan
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I can swim with 2 10-lb bricks and my gear weights about 10 lbs. Well, plus the tank. So yeah, something else: I'll have to kick a little harder.
quietlife4me
Contributor
Since I just lived through a weight check in my new 7mm…
6’-2” / 210 lbs
Salt water
New 2XL 7mm Bare wetsuit + 5mm boots
Jacket BCD
~3000 psi AL80 (full)
36lbs total
2x3lb trim pockets
15lbs in each ditchable weight pouch
2 instructors and 20min making sure this was right at the back of the boat cause nobody believed it. Coming up the ladder was murder.
6’-2” / 210 lbs
Salt water
New 2XL 7mm Bare wetsuit + 5mm boots
Jacket BCD
~3000 psi AL80 (full)
36lbs total
2x3lb trim pockets
15lbs in each ditchable weight pouch
2 instructors and 20min making sure this was right at the back of the boat cause nobody believed it. Coming up the ladder was murder.
Robert H. Diver
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Wow, I'm 5'10" 190 lbs. I use 20 lbs with a 7 mm full suit, 5/3 mm hooded vest, back inflate BC and an AL80. Amazing how much variation there is
I am always amazed at how many so called and self professed experts here on this forum seem to be so judgemental on how much weight a diver actually needs. Isn't it really just "what it is".? It's not at all a competition or an indication of competence. If it takes 36lbs to be able to hover comfortably at 15ft while breathing normally with 500PSI or less in your tank then that's just what it takes. It may be related to BMI or bone density..... I don't know. But the flipp'n A-holes here who seem to be so sanctimonious about shaming or chastising or judging others for the amount of weight actually needed are in fact A-holes.
Anyone here who is an instructor or has experience knows exactly what I am talking about. Sometimes you just get someone who just needs more weight than normal and there is no formula or logical explanation other than "it is what it is".
Those of us that have been diving for many years know exactly what weight we need and screw anyone else's opinion. But many of the shaming and judgmental responses stated here related to weighting are 100% counterproductive in that they may actually influence a new diver to make a bad decision rather than a correct decision.
Anyone here who is an instructor or has experience knows exactly what I am talking about. Sometimes you just get someone who just needs more weight than normal and there is no formula or logical explanation other than "it is what it is".
Those of us that have been diving for many years know exactly what weight we need and screw anyone else's opinion. But many of the shaming and judgmental responses stated here related to weighting are 100% counterproductive in that they may actually influence a new diver to make a bad decision rather than a correct decision.
Count me in that group. Was your suit flooded? I have measured that wetsuit at about 16 lbs (positive) at the surface. A single AL80+reg at reserve pressure is about +1.5 lb. There is no possible way that you plus your empty BC combined have a combined buoyancy of positive 18.5 lb.
BS. No one is shaming anyone. Just pointing out there must be something the instructors missed.
BS.... The instructors did not miss anything. The minimum amount of weight needed to comfortably hover at 15ft with 500PSI or less is "what it is". I have seen multiple posts from self professed and self certified "experts" on a flipp'n internet forum, saying "wow, that is way too much weight".
My main point is that a new diver may be reading this flipping forum and thinking that they need to dive with less weight because that's what the keyboard commandos think they should do. My point is that weighting is what it is......... and that proper weighting is key.
PS..... I personally prefer to be few lbs negative because I can compensate for that.
quietlife4me
Contributor
Can’t help you
. 4 dives…checked 4 times. Boat captain even came over to count the weight on the floor. I guess I’m super floaty (read over weight). Bare skin in a pool in just the bcd and an AL80 tank I was needing 6lbs to even begin to make a dent.
I’ll get another chance to check with a new set of instructors in freshwater in couple months. We’ll see…
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