How much weight? Switching from jacket style to Backplate/Wing

[Lobster-Tale]

I am a new diver with limited experience and have only used a jacket style BCD’s to date. I am ready to purchase my first BCD and have decided I want a Wing and Aluminum Backplate style for both home (Canada) and travelling (tropics).

To date, I have dived with a jacket BCD in the tropics (salt water) with a 3mil wetsuit and added 14lbs of weight. In Canada (fresh water) with a 7mil wetsuit, I added 20lbs of weight.

My question is when switching to an aluminum backplate and wing style BCD (35lbs lift wing), would the amount of weight I add be less, and if yes by how much on average? Essentially, I just want a ballpark idea to know where I should start and then make weight adjustments from there.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Not a direct answer, but what I do: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook

 

[_Ralph]

Can’t say for sure, but went from 12lbs w/ jacket in the tropics down to a SS plate and 2 lbs....

All depends really... although I do suggest a SS plate over the aluminum, unless you really need to save the weight (I find it negligible travelling) for buoyancy reasons

_R

 

[Esprise Me]

I dive with a steel backplate, which allows me to drop 6 lbs. of lead vs. what I'd need in a jacket, all other things being equal. I believe the aluminum backplate is only about 2 lbs. negative, so not much of a difference. But you might try doing a weight check as suggested above. Twenty pounds is what I dive with in a 7mm in salt water (with an AL-80); fresh water means something like 4-6 lbs. less. I know people vary, but if you're lean enough to get away with 14 lbs. in a 3mm in salt water, something's not adding up.

One other thing: for cold-water diving you might consider a weighted STA to take another 6 lbs. off your weight belt.

 

[runsongas]

try dropping 4 to 6 pounds at first with the AL plate, depending on how much padding the jacket bcds you have been using are

 

[johndiver999]

I am a new diver with limited experience and have only used a jacket style BCD’s to date. I am ready to purchase my first BCD and have decided I want a Wing and Aluminum Backplate style for both home (Canada) and travelling (tropics).

To date, I have dived with a jacket BCD in the tropics (salt water) with a 3mil wetsuit and added 14lbs of weight. In Canada (fresh water) with a 7mil wetsuit, I added 20lbs of weight.

My question is when switching to an aluminum backplate and wing style BCD (35lbs lift wing), would the amount of weight I add be less, and if yes by how much on average? Essentially, I just want a ballpark idea to know where I should start and then make weight adjustments from there.

I would make NO change at all and see how it goes. It is better to be heavy than too light.

 

[rongoodman]

FWIW, I've been using 12# with a 3mm in the tropics, although I'm thinking with the new suit from Deep 6 I might have to add another pound. One nice thing about a wing is that you can reach around behind you while you're hanging flat or a little head down on your safety stop and feel how much air is in there. If there's more than a fist full or so, drop some weight. If the wing is shrink wrapped around the tank, add a little. (I'd go with a SS plate instead of the aluminum one. It isn't a big deal to travel with.)

 

[Bubblesong]

I recommend buying a lot of used 1lb weights, and basically adding one by one as you try to sink to “alligator level”, water half up your faceplate. You’ll use them again to re-weight with various gear changes and also to help other newer diver-friends perfect their weighting.

 

[EireDiver606]

Dont listen to peoples BS numbers on weighting with this or that wetsuit/ drysuit.

Go diving. When you surface, purge you cylinder down to 40 bar and see if you sink, if you do, remove weight and try again. Keep going until you sink with the least amount of weight possible. So that means you exhale to sink and with an empty wing and not exhaling, you should float with the water at eye level

 

[Jcp2]

Not a direct answer, but what I do: How I weight students in open water courses | Facebook

This is a really great method, but if all you’ve got handy is the local indoor pool, try the buoyancy calculator.
Optimal Buoyancy Computer
The latest version has one going into the pool with mask and snorkel and a mesh bag with either weights or empty water bottles to determine personal buoyancy. It’s quite interesting to onlookers, but very useful if there are swings in winter weight vs summer weight while keeping equipment constant.