How much weight do you dive with?

[iztok]

5'8" 205lb
5mm + gloves + hood
ss bp/w
0 lbs of weight

 

[allistoy]

5'10"
220 pounds
5 mil Henderson Hyperstretch full suit
3 mil hood
5 mil boots
5 mil gloves
XL Kighthawk BCD
fresh water 12 pounds
works nicely for me

 

[drrich2]

6'1", slightly under 285#, obviously chubby, no wet suit (just t-shirt, swim trunks, scuba boot(ies) & fins), diving roughly 80 degree waters in Bonaire back in March '10, I consistently used 24# & that worked out for me. Sherwood Avid BCD - 2x size, weight-integrated. Air 2 system, so no octopus. 80 cf aluminum tank (the usual there).

So, 24# with no wet suit. I've wondered whether I could get by with 22.

Richard.

 

[robpauley]

I have always heard it was 10% of your body weight.
I am 6'2" and weigh 280 lbs. So that would be 28 lbs. In salt water with a 3 mm suit I use about 18 lbs. I do really well with my buoyancy though. I found that carrying the extra weight I was always working to get it right. Now I do have to work a little to get down but after the first 10 feet I have a very enjoyable dive.
It may sound crazy but anything that makes you more comfortable underwater is what I feel you need to do. I do know that I feel better during the dive with one less thing to think about and after I get back up, from not struggling the whole time, I look back on the dives with fond memories.
Those my friends are my 2 cents worth.

 

[Dhboner]

5' 9", 180 lbs and I use 17.5 lbs in a full 7mm wetsuit with hood, booties and gloves and an AL80 in fresh water (16 lbs in my drop pouches and a 1.5 ankle weight on my tank valve...helps me trim out nicely).

I started at 29 lbs and have been dropping weight as I gain more experience.

With 17.5 I have to do a strong exhale to begin the dive (until my suit fills and starts to compress) and then I add a little air as I descend. I have done a few buoyancy checks and I have no trouble holding a stop with 500 psi at 15-20'.

Had a chance to try my new 2mm full suit yesterday (no hood or gloves) and with 500 PSI left in the tank I needed 6lbs. I couldn't believe there would be THAT much difference between my 7mm and my 2mm!

 

[Clanggedin]

5'8"
185 pounds
7 mil Henderson Hyperstretch full suit
5 mil hood
5 mil boots
5 mil gloves
Hollis BP
Oxycheq Mach V Extreme
HP 80 Steel tank
Fresh water - 2 pounds

When I dive in my Whites Dry Nexus 2, I dive with 10 pounds.