Integrated weights, Yes or No ?

[Tocantins]

Nowdays everybody talks about how good integrated weights are, I tought they might be right, then I tried it. I weight 110kgs requiering for a neutral float 11-12 kgs of lead. 1st not many BCs take that weight(actualy I haven't seen any), 2nd you could get a hernia trying to get then on your back on the deck and getting equiped in the water with that weight is an idea I don't want to entertain, 3rd but not last the things are very expensive by the kg. This is my question why say yes to integrated weights? Or is it just me being fat and bulky?

 

[Paddler_46]

When we dive in our local quarry, we are forced to wear 7mm farmer johns & 7mm hooded shorties. So we also have to dive with 10-14 kg of lead. We put on the BC then load the weight pockets (at waters edge) with 8 kg and wear the rest on a weight belt. The advantages are with surface bouyancy the BC doesn't ride up around your ears. And in the event of a problem underwater, we can ditch some of our weight (the weight belt) or all our weight, giving us more options than all or none. There are several BCs available here in the states, that will carry 12-14 kgs, and most will take either pellet or molded weights. Malibu, Transpac II, Sea Elite Tech, Sea Quest Ballance are a few names that come to mind.
DSDO
Steve & Margo
Jr. Underwater adventures

 

[Tocantins]

If you divide the weight you will still be wearing a weight belt, wasn't the whole point of weight integration to get ride of it? Less flotation of the BC can be good on ocasion but to acheive that why not just dump part of your air load (it will be a significant less air load if the BC is not wheighted down). Another good piont is if the BC is the one weight you can not remove it under water, if you like I do carry two full regs may want to close the air flow in to one because you just had an o-ring pop under water. How to do it with integrated wheights. Just to close up even if you divide getting a 15lts 230 bar bottle plus tow regs plus 8kg of lead is back braking and mind soring.

 

[Diver smitty]

For diving from iflatables or small boats wieght intergrated is great.
Just set up your BC and iflate it a little and set it overboard clipped to a leash of course then you just get in the water and slip it on and your off.
I might add that I don't have weight intergration but all of my buddys do and they put forth much less efort than I have to when diving from our inflatablerefering to getting in and out of the water of course.
As far as transporting the BC just take them out and put them in a seperate hand bag.
The only down side would be lifting it in and out of the boat/infltable but still pro's outwieght the con's.

 

[HERB KING]

I dive with a transpac b/c and it will hold this much wieght. As far as getting lifting it in and out of the boat I generaly just reach down and slip my wieght pouchs out before lifting my bc. I also load my b/c wieghts after putting it on. I sure beats wearing a belt around my waist and is easier on my back as the weight is supported evenly over my back and shoulders not around my waist. If I feel the need to dump some weight then just one pocket has to be released. I would never go back to belts. Just my 2 cents
DOAS

 

[Mario S Caner]

Please take a look at my post on Scuba Board>New to Scuba>Welcome Jim.

Weight integration is a wonderful thing. A number of BC's that are set up for Tech or Semi-Tech should handle the weight you need to use quite easily. For example the SeaQuest Black Diamond holds 42lbs of soft weights with ease. Though the pockets in the back are designed to hold 5lb weights, I only put 3's in there. It's really just a matter of how much weight you need to use for the specific exposure protection you are using. The weight pockets are easy to load into the BC whether you are on a boat, dock, beach or in the water.

 

[jenmichigan]

I love my weight integrated bc. I would never go back to the weight belt that slips and needs to be tightened after I go down. I also think that the weight is much easier to dump if needed.

Jennifer
http://www.MichiganShipwrecks.com

 

[Campana]

There are ways around the problems you mentioned. With the Transpac, one can open the tops of the weight pockets with zippers, take out the $4 weight pouches, and hand them up to the boat.

Be very, very careful about which BC you purchase. Some are very bad for dropping weights, and the pouches may cost $40 or more.

Get a BC that meets your requirements. When you have narrowed down some on the brands you have interest in, post again.

good luck.

 

[morgan]

I use a Dacor flyt pak. I love it. Integrated weights are a lot easier than the weight belt. But I am having problems with the weight pockets self dumping. I have lost them four times in the last 3 dives and have not been near anything that could have snagged them at the time they dumped. It's really unnerving heading for the surface all of a sudden because you lost your weights. Haven't figured out why yet but I'm taking it back to the dealer to see what can be done. Hopefully it's just faulty velcro. I carry 9 pounds in each pocket.

 

[Campana]

This is a definite hazard. They use cheap, non 3M velcro on a lot of BC's. I would replace it with real, 3M velcro. The Halcyon Active Control Ballast system (ACB or ABC, can't remember which) uses a different approach. They have large fastex buckles holding the weight pockets in, as well as 3M Velcro. You have to unbuckle the fasteners to dump the weights. In my opinion, it should require such a deliberate move to dump your weights. Make sure your buddies know how to release them and you wont have the problem. I have several buddies who drop weights from their cheap Genesis BC's. We are planning on taking them to a upholstry shop and having the buckles put on them.