How Much Weight is "Normal"

[MaxBottomtime]

I'm 6'3", 220# and use 18 # with a drysuit and dry gloves. I'm slightly overweighted so I can photograph tiny subjects on the bottom. I could probably get away with 15-16 without the camera. In warm water I don't use any weight. I'm very comfortable in the water and don't move much, which greatly effects buoyancy.

 

[Keith.M]

Does that exclude your Freedom Plate Max? Not to mention what tank(s) you are using.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Yes. I use a steel 119 tank, which is -2 pounds empty and a five pound Freedom Plate. In warm water I use an aluminum 80.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The only thing normal about weighting is someone will tell you that you need X amount based on their narrow band of experience. They are almost always wrong because between individual differences and gear differences, everyone is different.

On week I had a dive op try to push 16 on me when I know I need 12 (diving 3 mil). A few weeks before someone though I was over-weighted at 30lbs in an 8/7. Both times I was dialed in for my body, my gear and they were blowing hot air. After the first couple of dives, you should dial it in yourself and ignore most weight advice or take it with a grain of salt. Even then, it will change as your wetsuit ages, you body changes and you get more relaxed. There is no harm in being over weighted a couple of lbs and it is a pain in the ass to be under weighted by a couple.

 

[Keith.M]

Yes. I use a steel 119 tank, which is -2 pounds empty and a five pound Freedom Plate. In warm water I use an aluminum 80.

Thanks, that makes more sense.

I only have a dozen dives on my BP/W but I am down to 16 lbs of weight. I use a LP steel 80 and the DGX backplate is 5.5. I am diving a 7mm suite with hood and gloves.

My descent with this weight is without issue so I would not be surprised if I could trim off a little more.

I would really like to drag a float out with some clipable weight and then do a true weight check with 500lbs in the tank at 15' at the end of a dive.

 

[Tony387]

As others have said, your weight requirements are a function of body type, gear, and experience in the water. I remember my check out dives, having to strap on 20lbs just to descend. After losing a lot of weight, switching to bp/w, and getting 75 or so dives in, I wear no weight or only a couple of pounds(depend on whether I'm using steel or AL) with 5mm suit, gloves, and hood. Individual weight requirements vary greatly even amongst divers with similar builds and gear. To think that someone can look at you and tell you how much weight you will need is just silly.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[geoff w]

Yes, with an empty bcd and a near empty tank (actually on this particular dive, I had about 1/3 tank left), it was tough to hold my safety stop position. In fact, I remember consciously trying to minimize the depth of my breaths so as to avoid ascending.

In warm water, I remember that as I got more and more experience diving, the more comfortable I got, and the more weight I could drop. So I'm wondering if I am currently just going through the growing pains of getting used to cold/temperate water diving and I'll drop weight or if I'm already where I need to be and the guy at the shop is exaggerating.

You didn't say anything about your equipment configuration, which makes a big difference. New or old wetsuit? A new wetsuit needs more weight to descend for the first dozen or so dives. Aluminum or steel tank? That's at least a 6 pound variation? Backplate/wing or traditional BC? Etc.

Did you do a buoyancy check before starting any of your dives? If you're diving wet, have an 80 cu ft tank (aluminum or steel) and can drop 6 pounds (approx weight difference between full and empty 80 cu ft tank) on the surface with a full tank and still descend, you have plenty of weight. But you have to get all the air out of your BC. If you have a back inflate BC or backplate, try leaning back to force all the air out of the bladder while you try to descend. If your hood isn't snug, you can have a bit of air trapped by your head

You would be surprised how much air most people still have in their BCs when they start to descend when the are overweighted. The more you dive here, the more weight you can take off

 

[drbill]

The general rule of thumb we use out here on the island for a diver in a 7mm with hood is 10% of body weight plus 5-7 lbs. I dive with a whopping 38 lbs on my belt due to my buoyant bioprene and my desire to plant myself stably on the bottom to film.

 

[fnfalman]

The only way to know how much lead you need for good weight is to go into the water with your exposure suit, hood, fins, mask/snorkels. Do a weight check and see how much is your ballast.

After that, whatever gear configuration you use, the total ballast has to add up to the weight that you checked in while in freediving configuration.