How much weight do you carry (warm water)?

[Diver below 83]

I use 12 currently on a standard jacket bc with rash guard and board shorts. I’m building my bp/w now. It’s just under 3lbs and I figure I’ll rock some weight on my cam bands. Not sure how much I’ll need with them bp

 

[stepfen]

How warm is warm water ???

 

[FreeFlyFreak]

How warm is warm water ???

Warm enough to wear a 3mm wetsuit

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Hi, I would like to know how much weight do you guys need to perform your dives. Thank you in advance!

Conditions:
- warm water
- AL80 single tank
- in a 3mm wetsuit
- ONLY the weight from your weight belt/pockets PLUS weight from BC (backplate)
- disregard weight from tank, regulators, camera, etc.

Example:
1lb (AL backplate) + 2 x 2lb (lead) = 5lbs

too many variables and most important is number of dives. if you have 0 to 5 dives you may need 15 or 20 pounds, if you have over 50 dives you may need zero to 8 pounds.

then there is the positively boyand BCD vs a nuetral to slightly negatively boyant bcd.

full 3 mil wetsuit? 2mil shorty? rashguard and shorts?


do you carry a pony tank? thatll knock off a pound and a half of weight that you normally would need.

aluminum 80 vs steel 120?

aluminum 100 in exotic location?

lot of camera gear plus extra cutting tools multiple computers...it all adds up

 

[runsongas]

this poll might as well be renamed to: what is your natural buoyancy in warm salt water?

 

[Diver below 83]

this poll might as well be renamed to: what is your natural buoyancy in warm salt water?

If you need to wear a 3mm it isn’t that warm. Warm weather down here in board shorts at a rash guard. At least in south Florida

 

[seeker242]

If you need to wear a 3mm it isn’t that warm. Warm weather down here in board shorts at a rash guard. At least in south Florida

Depends. I still wear a 3mm when it's 86 degrees.

 

[archman]

3mm full suit, an Al 80 and no weird extra stuff. I use 12-14 lbs. If it's a deep dive I go 12, it it's really shallow and/or strong current, upgrade to 14 lbs.

I can't easily see how someone can get negative with 3 lbs of weight if also wearing a 3mm wetsuit. Is this a shorty? Do people still dive with shorties?

 

[Aviyes]

Why the 0.5 lb increments and stopping at 7 lbs? Just countering a low/empty AL80 takes 4-5 lbs.

 

[OceanEyes]

From the responses so far, I suspect people who answered "< 3.00 lbs/" did not understand the question. You are asking for TOTAL weight, not just lead. In other words, INCLUDING the weight of the backplate.

I understood the question perfectly, but the poll itself has flaws and I cannot understand the reasoning that the OP has in believing that he or she could glean any useful information for their personal use from the results. As @Altamira stated in post #15, there are as many variables in proper weighting as there are divers.

One flaw in the initial query is that the OP specified an AL80. As far as I’m aware, there are currently four different AL80’s in use these days, (Luxfer 80, Luxfer S80, Catalina S80, and Catalina C80,) no two of which have identical buoyancy characteristics.

My own weighting for diving with a full 3mm suit and single AL80 remains the same regardless of which cylinder I use and whether I’m wearing my BP/W, Scubapro Finseal stab jacket, or lightweight Zeagle Covert travel BC. I’m male, 5’11”, 160 Lbs., have very little body fat, and wear no weight. I’m what’s commonly referred to as a sinker.