Lead dive weights in public swimming pools? What about stainless or tungsten shot weights?

[Mike_4635]

You make an interesting observation about younger generations and diving participation. While cost is certainly a barrier, we're also seeing younger people make different choices than previous generations - sometimes prioritizing environmental impact even when it means paying more. The electric vehicle market provides an interesting parallel: EVs generally cost more upfront, yet they're seeing strong adoption among younger buyers who value their environmental benefits.

I'm curious about your perspective on this generational shift in diving. Are you seeing younger divers express different priorities or concerns compared to established divers? Understanding these changing attitudes could help us make diving both more accessible and more aligned with evolving environmental values.

The economic challenge you raise is very real, especially in regions where diving provides vital tourism income. At the same time, the diving industry has historically adapted to changing expectations - from the introduction of the Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD) to the adoption of dive computers to track nitrogen loading. How do you think we could balance environmental improvements with keeping diving accessible to everyone?

You point to the EV market, but most the of the EV manufacturers are losing billions of dollars. In the US, the main driver for EV sales are government tax credits. You solution doesn’t sound like a cost effective solution.

 

[lostsheep]

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on the manufacturing challenges. What aspects of machining make it unsuitable for dive weights in your experience? Are there other manufacturing methods you think would work better?

The challenge is machining 316 is time consuming and hard on tooling…or more importantly expensive.

I like the ocean , I don’t like it enough to spend $1100 on ******* ballast. I’ll put rocks in my pocket or hang out under OW classes doing R&R surface skills.

 

[pwoolf]

More emphasis on neutral buoyancy and finning techniques and buoyancy control in general will likely do more for the environment than replacing lead weights with anything that costs more.

You raise a good point about environmental protection in diving. Proper instruction in buoyancy control and finning techniques forms the foundation of sustainable diving practices - something that experienced instructors like yourself are uniquely positioned to teach. These fundamental skills prevent reef damage and help create environmentally conscious divers who understand their impact on marine ecosystems.

Environmental protection in diving involves many elements working together - from skill development to site selection to equipment choices. When I think about equipment's role in this bigger picture, I'm reminded of how diving has evolved over the decades. Each small improvement in gear or materials, guided by instructor experience and feedback, has helped make diving both safer and more environmentally responsible.

Like choosing between different regulators or computers, weight selection represents one of many decisions that contribute to our overall environmental impact. While proper technique will always be the cornerstone of environmental protection, I believe we can support those efforts by continuing to explore and improve all aspects of diving, including our equipment choices.

 

[happy-diver]

Delusional unaware ignorant living in a world of fairy stories from liars with an agenda
What do you, think happens to our magnificent environment, during weather, like this

I'll find some more pictures

Not really bad conditions at all

Hope the floras and fishes crustacea and shell animals all brought their heavy duty umbrellas


Make sure you are in trim, watch your fins, and hand sculling, can't be destroying those reefs


Follow divers around, most of my lead comes from the sea dumped by those about to drown

and realise
the up and coming countries that now deserve their own coal burning industrial revolution to last for 1000 years

 

[Zef]

You make an interesting observation about younger generations and diving participation. While cost is certainly a barrier, we're also seeing younger people make different choices than previous generations - sometimes prioritizing environmental impact even when it means paying more. The electric vehicle market provides an interesting parallel: EVs generally cost more upfront, yet they're seeing strong adoption among younger buyers who value their environmental benefits.

I'm curious about your perspective on this generational shift in diving. Are you seeing younger divers express different priorities or concerns compared to established divers? Understanding these changing attitudes could help us make diving both more accessible and more aligned with evolving environmental values.

The economic challenge you raise is very real, especially in regions where diving provides vital tourism income. At the same time, the diving industry has historically adapted to changing expectations - from the introduction of the Buoyancy Compensator Device (BCD) to the adoption of dive computers to track nitrogen loading. How do you think we could balance environmental improvements with keeping diving accessible to everyone?

EVs are probably one of the worst examples you could have raised to support your argument and endeavor.

To purchase an EV you truly have to be willfully ignorant of the environmental impacts of producing the batteries and the subsequent impact of the battery's disposal when it eventually fails to hold a charge. Those who purchase EVs conveniently ignore the raping of the earth that goes on to mine the cobalt and lithium used to produce the batteries. And then there is the polution to physically and chemically separate the ore from the substrate, not to mention the deplorable labor conditions in the countries where the mining takes place. As the EV market grows, so too will the undercurrent grow of the "not in my backyard" mentality for where the batteries will be disposed.

The only thing "green" about electric vehicles is the cash the auto makers are rolling in from those who have drank the coolaide and convinced themselves they are doing something good for mother earth by purchasing a shittier version of a car/truck.

-Z

 

[Umuntu]

Its hard to tell, between this discussion thread and the one about using US nickle coins, why you are ringing such alarm bells and pushing so hard with your arguments about the use of lead as a standard for dive balast....but then it would seem there may be some bias given your financial interest as the founder of a company that manufactures and sells alternative weights for diving:

Dive Steel

a cool new app

www.divesteel.com

#Disingenuous

-Z

But he won’t make a nickel if we just use nickels

 

[Umuntu]

EVs are probably one of the worst examples you could have raised to support your argument and endeavor.

To purchase an EV you truly have to be willfully ignorant of the environmental impacts of producing the batteries and the subsequent impact of the battery's disposal when it eventually fails to hold a charge. Those who purchase EVs conveniently ignore the raping of the earth that goes on to mine the cobalt and lithium used to produce the batteries. And then there is the polution to physically and chemically separate the ore from the substrate, not to mention the deplorable labor conditions in the countries where the mining takes place. As the EV market grows, so too will the undercurrent grow of the "not in my backyard" mentality for where the batteries will be disposed.

The only thing "green" about electric vehicles is the cash the auto makers are rolling in from those who have drank the coolaide and convinced themselves they are doing something good for mother earth by purchasing a shittier version of a car/truck.

-Z

A bit of a rabbit hole- but there’s advantages and disadvantages to all of our choices on energy, both production and consumption.

The oil industry and super polluting internal combustion engines are hardly poster children for clean energy or anything. At least EVs don’t pollute us and our children in the way that internal combustion engines do.

 

[Zef]

A bit of a rabbit hole- but there’s advantages and disadvantages to all of our choices on energy, both production and consumption.

The oil industry and super polluting internal combustion engines are hardly poster children for clean energy or anything. At least EVs don’t pollute us and our children in the way that internal combustion engines do.

Again, this is a short-sighted mentality. Just because you don't see the pollution doesn't mean it isn't being produced and having an impact. It is foolish to think that because your vehicle doesn't have a tail pipe, that the energy used to propel your vehicle is free of pollution. It is easy to ignore because it is currently sight unseen.

-Z

 

[Umuntu]

Again, this is a short-sighted mentality. Just because you don't see the pollution doesn't mean it isn't being produced and having an impact. It is foolish to think that because your vehicle doesn't have a tail pipe, that the energy used to propel your vehicle is free of pollution. It is easy to ignore because it is currently sight unseen.

-Z

Recycling of Lithium Ion Batteries is already an emerging industry. And the need for safe disposal of these batteries ensures that they feed into the recycling cycle. Eventually, as is already the case for aluminium in some parts of the world, recycled materials will become the dominant source of the rare metals.

Cheap oil held back the development of a Green energy economy. Now, everyday I see solar panels and domestic electric windmills spreading here. The ability for households to produce and store their own electricity economically is changing the way we live. “Off grid” used to be a crazy expensive hippie idea. Today we sell our excess green energy into the grid.

People are free to oppose it, and the US is in love with oil and gas, but it’s like pissing into a strong wind.

 

[pwoolf]

The challenge is machining 316 is time consuming and hard on tooling…or more importantly expensive.

I like the ocean , I don’t like it enough to spend $1100 on ******* ballast. I’ll put rocks in my pocket or hang out under OW classes doing R&R surface skills.

You're absolutely right about the machining challenges with 316 stainless - I've definitely felt that pain myself! The material is notoriously hard on tooling and time-consuming to work with. The flip side is that 316 holds up amazingly well in water environments, which is why we see it in everything from boat railings to surgical instruments.

I really appreciate the comparison with lead, which is remarkably easy to work with - you can literally melt it on a stovetop and pour it into molds. That accessibility is part of why it became so widespread in diving. Unfortunately, that same ease of processing means people sometimes make their own weights without proper safety precautions, potentially exposing themselves to lead fumes and dust.

For pool use specifically, I wouldn't actually recommend Dive Steel weights - a dropped stainless weight could definitely crack pool tiles! That's why I've been researching and sharing information about other alternatives that might work better in pool environments. Plastic-coated lead weights, while not perfect from a lifecycle perspective, do provide good protection in pool settings. Stainless or tungsten shot in weight pouches offer another approach - they're relatively easy to DIY and distribute impact better than solid weights. Even scrap 316 stainless or coins can work well if properly contained.

But he won’t make a nickel if we just use nickels

You've got it exactly right! Same goes for DIY stainless shot weights, scrap stainless, or tungsten options.

My goal isn't to corner the market on lead-free weights - it's to expand awareness of alternatives and encourage innovation in diving equipment. The Dive Steel weights I make will likely remain a niche product due to their cost and manufacturing complexity. But they demonstrate one possibility of what we can do with alternative materials, and hopefully inspire others to develop their own solutions.

That's why I openly share research about options like coins, shot weights, and other alternatives that I don't sell. Each approach has its own trade-offs in terms of cost, durability, and practicality. What matters isn't which solution divers choose, but that we keep exploring ways to make diving safer and more sustainable. The more options available - whether DIY, commercial, or somewhere in between - the more likely divers are to find alternatives that work for their specific needs and circumstances.