how much weight do i need?

[cocoajoe]

I was within 2#....not bad

 

[TSandM]

Is it a straight 7 mil suit, or a 7 mil Farmer John (thus 14 on the torso)? The weight range you are mentioning is pretty much what we use for our students who are in Farmer Johns.

Where to put the weight will depend in part on the tank you are using, but 7 mil neoprene on longer legs is pretty floaty. If you are using steel tanks, you may want to put some weight in the trim pockets; if you are using aluminum tanks, you may want it all fairly low, and even need negative fins or ankle weights.

Before you invest in a lot of lead (which isn't cheap!), it might be reasonable to rent some weights and do a formal weight check with your equipment. Although it's never a horrible idea to have a little extra weight on hand, if you end up changing something or having to borrow a tank.

 

[scubadada]

Totally inaccurate... i.e. at least for me. With a ss/bp, steel 85 tank, a 5mm wet-suit, in salt water, I use no weight. Somebody is smoking something.

Not a very helpful post. You have 6 pounds in your backplate, another 4-6 pounds in your tank, and about 6 pounds less from your wetsuit.

With a Scubapro Knighthawk, a 7 mm full suit and 5/3 hooded vest, and and AL 80, I use 24 pounds of weight. Your weight range is probably within reason. I might start a pound or two high and cut back based on your ability to hold your safety stop at the end of the dive. Your goal shoud be to have no air in your BC at the end of your dive and easily be able to hold your last stop comfortably.

Best of luck, Craig

---------- Post added October 25th, 2013 at 07:48 PM ----------

I put 8 pounds in my trim pockets and the other 16 pounds in my weight pockets. Works well for me and I have a very reasonable amount of releasable weight, should that be needed.

 

[Hawkwood]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but once you decide on how much you want to get, buy them in small weight increments . That way you can move them around, remove some, etc. as you become more comfortable.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Went back and checked again with the 3 ml and fresh water. It was within 2 pounds. I'd say that this calculator is much more accurate than any other calculator that I've ever seen. I'm pretty careful with my weights and I run a little on the light side so the fact that it puts me 2 pounds heavy is probably about right.

1+.

For a "calculator" it arrived at a very good "ballpark" figure for me, within about 1lb of what I actually require for ballast weight. I imagine that this will not be the case for everyone, but I was surprised that it was that close for me.

Best wishes.

 

[Kronek]

Totally inaccurate... i.e. at least for me. With a ss/bp, steel 85 tank, a 5mm wet-suit, in salt water, I use no weight. Somebody is smoking something.

SS BP/W = ~ 12lb with STA and accounting for no padding, Steel LP85 ~Neutral empty, 5mm wetsuit and salt water. Lets assume 200 pounds.

Calculator says 20 pounds. 20 - 12 for BPW, -7 for full tank, That brings your kit to 19lb neutral. Thats pretty close to "Needing no lead"

 

[Tigerman]

Ok, so here goes the one and only 100% accurate universal answer..

"You need just enough"..

Do a weight check and find the ammount that is

 

[RJP]

1. Wait for the BC to come in.
2. Go to a dive shop with a pool.
3. Rent the pool and use their weights too.
4. Grab a used tank (in the 500 psi range).
5. Do a weight check.
6. Play around a bit with the different pockets +/- a belt to get a feel for how much weight in each location for trim.
7. Order the weights.


edit: Order a few extra pounds for salt water.

Hmm. Wonder if the OP bought the BCD online as well. Pretty poor form to go to a shop with gear bought online, even if you "rent their pool" to "use their weights" and "grab a tank" and then "play around a bit" and then leave and "order weights."

If the BCD is already bought, sort of doesn't matter at this point. But for chrissakes, if you're gonna through all that trouble to use your LDS to get your weight dialed in... just buy the ****ing weights there.

In fact, here's a crazy idea for the OP: if you plan to "do a buoyancy class next" wait until then to get your weighting right with the shop... and then just buy the ****ing weights there.

 

[herr2720]

Personally I wouldn't waste my money buying new weights. I go to the local scrapyard and buy their clean lead for $1.20/#. Most of the time there is a large pile of nice condition Sea Pearls in 2#, 3#, 4#, 6#, 8# & 12#. I've even found boxes of soft weight bags of lead shot for $1.30/lb.

 

[mangoconchile]

Hmm. Wonder if the OP bought the BCD online as well. Pretty poor form to go to a shop with gear bought online, even if you "rent their pool" to "use their weights" and "grab a tank" and then "play around a bit" and then leave and "order weights."

If the BCD is already bought, sort of doesn't matter at this point. But for chrissakes, if you're gonna through all that trouble to use your LDS to get your weight dialed in... just buy the ****ing weights there.

In fact, here's a crazy idea for the OP: if you plan to "do a buoyancy class next" wait until then to get your weighting right with the shop... and then just buy the ****ing weights there.

relax why are you so upset? First off I bought my bcd at the lds and plan on taking a buoyancy class with the guy that sold me the bcd. Secondly the shop carries very little soft weights and I want soft weights which is why I want to get them online.