Integrated weights falling out

[dkktsunami]

Miss Naomi, If you can't get integrated weights to work to your satisfaction consider switching to a weight belt with soft weights. Weight belt allows you to shift weight around your body (more flexibility), will not pull you forward on the surface as integrated weights tend to do, and will spread the weight to more pockets resulting in less load on individual velcro enclosures. Depending on how you're equipped the weight belt might help with bouyancy and trim problems by allowing a greater range of places to put weight.

 

[MarkUK]

My wife has got a Diva LX and she's probably done in the region of 500 dives with it over the past four years and never lost a weight pocket. She tends to dive with 8lbs with a 5/7mm wetsuit, and splits this into four 2lbs weights – two go in the non-dumpable trim pockets on the back, and the remaining two go into the weight pockets. This keeps her nicely balanced and she has no problems.

However, Aqualung have obviously realised Velcro is an issue, as the new Diva LX has the nice plastic locking system, which works a treat.

When you have a look around the market, more and more manufacturers are using a clip system, which is good news all round.

Mark

 

[Web Monkey]

I'd bet that if you asked Aqualung nicely they would repair/replace/upgrade your BC to the current style, which uses some type of positive locking mechanism (can't tell exactly from their website).

It's bad for business when your products cause your customers have repeated runaway ascents.

Terry

Hello divers all

Just a question for those who might have some experience in this.

Just bought a SeaQuest Diva LX, went on holiday and out of 20 dives integrated weights fell out - TWICE.

First time I thought must be user error, suspected maybe I caught the arm of my wetsuit on the velcro and unlocked the weights.

Naomi

 

[pasley]

Welcome to the board. The forum on buoyancy compensators (BC) at http://www.scubaboard.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18 would be the best place for this post.

In my own experience with a weight integrated BC, my first one used only Velcro. Once the Velcro gets old or dirty, it does not hold for anything. It is easy to brush up against the flap and undo it. I lost my weights 3 times before I got a new BC with a plastic locking device in addition to the Velcro. Some people sew on a plastic bayonet style locking device as a home made modification. Velcro and weights, not the best idea IMHO

Oh, almost forgot. Don't forget to fill out your profile. If you at least put in you city and state or counrry (if non-USA) it often helps find local dive buddies and also some answers will be location specific such as about wetsuits etc. Dive experience is also good.

 

[dpbishop]

Pasley doesn't trust his integrated weights to stay in, I don't trust mine to come out. You might consider a split system, with some integrated weights in locked pockets on the BC and some on a weight belt. I dive with 14# in the BC and 14# on the belt. It's more comfortable then having all the weight around the waist.

 

[Randy43068]

Welcome to ScubaBoard missnaomibird. I had a BC with integrated weight pouches. I used to wear a Dacor RIG back inflate. The pouches were held in place by a couple of velcro flaps. If I wasn't really, really careful they'd fall out. So I put less and less weight in them. But even with less weight, I lost one. I don't think much of them. But now I use a back plate with a wing and weight belt. Works much, much better.

 

[String]

Id suggest upgrading to a weight belt or a proper weight harness. Lots of weight integrated BCs struggle to hold large amounts of weight - in cold water most fail. A lot of them are using velcro only fastening which is lunacy. Even worse a lot of them when a diver is horizontal face straight down making them even less stable.

They cause issues with kit removal under water too. Evil things.

 

[drbill]

In my personal opinion there is WAY too much velcro being used these days in dive gear. The biggest problem I've found is that it doesn't stick securely to its proper mate, but sticks tenacipously to any other velcro item in your kit. For example, my gloves with the velcro cinch strap attach tightly to the velcro closures on my wet suit.

Weight integrated BCD's should use a secure clip instead of velcro. This is too critical a situation to trust to something that gets clogged too often with threads, algae, etc.

 

[Michael_Lambert]

i dive the Raider also made by Aqualung and i have the pockets on it maxed out at 15 pounds each pouch.. and i have never had an issue with it falling out!

Are you overloading the pockets??

 

[Daxter]

Naomi, was this a new BC you purchased? The diva should have sur-lock system on them last year. If a LDS sold this as new take it back. If it was bought used or new getting rid of old stock I like the idea of making your own system with big backback clips, using the pocket you have. Best of luck.