How much weight do YOU use?

[suthnbelle]

3) SS bp/w, and steel 95 in freshwater (which is what I dive the majority of the time) I add no weight. Still a little heavy so I've ordered an alum bp.

Just wanted to add when i was in the Keys diving an AL80 I think I had 6lbs on. Those dives I was wearing a backinflate BC. Same Akona 7mil I always wear, great wetsuit.

 

[eponym]

4) 14 pounds. Whites shell drysuit, hood, 5-mil gloves. Back-inflate BC, single AL80. Whites 36-ounce fleece suit + polypro underwear. Two pair socks + neoprene socks (my toes used to freeze on me until I added the neo layer).

4) 34#. I have new gear so it will change. I thought it was way too much weight since physically I'm only about 10# overweight, but when I tried 31#, I couldn't sink. Now I have my own gear, I can figure out what it really should be.

Good plan. I was using 30 pounds when I started diving dry. After a dozen or so dives to get used to the suit, I made two dives just to work on weighting. I found I could get down (and hold safety stops) with half that weight.

Had to focus on relaxing on the surface, staying still, exhaling to start under (and breathing shallow until I pass six feet). Less weight=less work to gear up=more relaxed when starting the dive. Good luck!

Best practices always,
Bryan

 

[eponym]

2) Mild water set-up, 3mm shory, single steel LP80 . . .

Zero weight.​

This was my only warm-water trip to date - water was 84 degrees (29C), but I needed the 3-mil to stay comfy. I guess I chill easily.

 

[Jamdiver]

Just an informal question. Given below the different basic set-ups, how much weight do you dive with?

I know there are many variables, just give rough numbers. Add or leave out what you don't know.

1) Tropical/warm water set-up, skin suit or no suit, single tank.

2) Mild water set-up, 3mm full suit, single tank.

3) Cool water set-up. 5mm-7mm suit, hood and gloves. Again, single tank

4) Cold Water. Dry suit, hood and gloves. Single tank.

5) Tech set-up. Dry suit (or wet), bp/w, doubles, hood and gloves and stage bottles.

Yes, yes, I know, "Yeah, but I dive with ____." Don't worry. Choose which catagory it could fit in and lets hear it!

Thanks!

Darin

Generally I've got a sort of Mild Water set up. Maybe it should be called setup 1.5
3mm shorty, Al 80. 8lbs of weight used.

 

[kazinvan]

I'm in #4 and I use 45 lbs.

 

[Darin]

I'm in #4 and I use 45 lbs.

Whoa......


Ooo, my back...

 

[Scubakevdm]

Today I dove a DUI TLS-350 with fleece pajamas from Walmart, a spun steel 100 and 20 lbs of lead.

If I dive my 7mm, I use a PST 100 and 10 lbs. of lead.

In the summer I wear a 3mm, use a PST 100 and 4 lbs of lead.

I don't ever go with out a wetsuit, but I suppose if I did I would dive a PST 100 with zero lead.

 

[dlndavid]

24 lbs @ 178 lbs in a 3mil full w/ al80 in saltwater. I'm a cork!

 

[Nemrod]

Why do we suppose then some people are diving two lbs and for the same condition others are using close to 30 lbs?
A few things could affect this--

physical size and body fat %
trapped air in suit and BC etc
other equipment
assuming same thickness some neoprenes may be more bouyant that others
steel vs aluminum tanks
use of metal backplates
experience and comfort factor in the water--maybe?
what else?

With two lbs, a steel 72, plastic plate, I go to the bottom of a pool like a piece of granite in my 3/2 mil suit. I am 5-11, approx 185 lbs. I never really minded being a little positive at the end of a dive, never had a problem with my safety stops either, it is a little more work but still not a problem. Without the weight, I am faster, leaner, more manuverable, sleeker, better trim, more rapid acceleration and deceleration and just feels better and use less air. Others may differ. I imagine 7 mil suits and dry suits are a whole different ball game.
N

 

[ZAquaman]

How you breath and lung capacity make a big difference. Average lung capacity is around 5 liters for most people. Each liter of air in the lungs has 1kg of lift (2.2 lbs). Some of us have larger chest and lungs (I know some folks with over 10 liters of lung capacity!), some have smaller than average chest and lungs.

Most people don't take this into account when talking about weights. They assume lotta weight = lotta fat. That's true enough, fat floats. But don't make it a numbers game. You can't predict the health of a diver or his skill by the amount of weight they use.

Get your weight right for you and your equipment. Use the same setup as much as possible and leave as much weight as you can on the boat or on shore. And never think that it's a bad thing to be using more weight than your buddy. If you're neutral at the surface with an empty tank and an empty BC, you're just right!