Losing integrated weights

[gcarter]

If she can drop a weight pouch and stay neutral by dumping some air from her BC, then I would suggest she is carrying too much weight.

Not certain, not enough information. Depends on exposure protection, depth (25M in the example) and weight distribution. When I am diving a 7mm with my HP100, I wear 3lbs in each of my trim pockets and removable pockets. Losing 3lbs at 25M would hardly cause me to rocket to the surface, and I am not overweighted.

 

[dfx]

Not certain, not enough information. Depends on exposure protection, depth (25M in the example) and weight distribution. ...

And how much air you have left.

 

[jord1990]

I lost 1 pouche with 3 kg in it while I was at 18 meters. if you dump air fast enough you can just swim down to retrieve it

 

[dive_turkey]

I had a weird image slipping though my mind of Delmar picking up the frog in 'Brother, where art thou?', and then the obvious realization followed. I had been buddyless for about a minute at that point anyway, so I went up.

Your buddy had been turned into a weight pouch? That's just cruel... though not as bad as being turned into a p-valve.

I'm a big fan of weight distribution. Headed to the water this weekend to play around with weight pockets in the Ranger and weight on the belt while diving dry. I really wish I could test dive one of those Mako rubber belts. Might just have to order one based on reputation alone. So far, I really like what I hear.

 

[clownfishsydney]

I lost on in August on a trip to the UK when I was descending at about 5 metres (15 feet). A lighter line on the shotline got caught on one of my weight pocket handles and pulled it out. I saw the pocket disappear to the bottom in about 25 metres (say 85 feet). It was about 4 kgs (6.5 lbs). I decided to keep going down and find it it which was relatively easy. Even if I did not, I would have been okay to ascend slowly by picking up a small piece of wreck or a rock.

 

[TSandM]

I have been unpleasantly surprised on several occasions at how little rocks weigh underwater . . . unless you are lucky enough to live somewhere where there are lead ores

I was VERY dubious about the rubber weight belts, so much so that I wasn't going to buy one. (No store locally carries them so that you can look at them.) Dumpster Diver here was so convinced I would like the belt that he BOUGHT one and sent it to me, telling me if I liked it I could pay him back, and if I didn't, no worries. Needless to say, he got his money and I have been using the belt ever since. They're really nice.

 

[dive_turkey]

Sold! I'll promptly send him my address!

They sell then here, but 19€ is not cheap... I'll probably get one this weekend anyway.

 

[TSandM]

That's not unlike the price here -- I think it was somewhere in the $35 to $40 range. Seemed like a lot for a belt, but I really like it, and the stainless of the buckle seems to be very good quality.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That's not unlike the price here -- I think it was somewhere in the $35 to $40 range. Seemed like a lot for a belt, but I really like it, and the stainless of the buckle seems to be very good quality.

Glad you like the belt. They are not that expensive, but shipping on one small item adds up.

I think of the rubber belt and scuba divers -sort like Green Eggs and Ham:


I do not like
green eggs
and ham!

I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.

You do not like them.
SO you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may I say.

Sam!
If you will let me be,
I will try them.
You will see.

Say!
I like green eggs and ham!
I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!

 

[themagni]

When you have to wear 15-30 lbs because of the exposure protection needed for cold water, its a good idea for a lot of different reasons, to spread the weight around to various locations. Which is part of the reason many cold water divers have gone to a backplate/wing system. A steel tank is also helpful because you don't have to compensate for 4 pounds of positive buoyancy at the end of the dive.

I have yet to encounter a local diver carrying less than 30 pounds. I've got a SS backplate, 5# in each ditchable pouch, 4 x 5# in tank pouches, and 2 x 2# around the tank.

So somewhere near 40#, and I've got next to no biological buoyancy. (12% BF) Of course, that means I have to have a warmer exposure suit, so I've got a neoprene drysuit with dry gloves and battery-powered heat. Even if I went to steel tanks (which would run me more than a grand!) I'd still be carting around 30# of lead. (In tropical waters, I cart around a whopping 6#.)