More or less weights with drysuit?

[ScoobieDooo]

Hi,
Waiting for my drysuit to come in (Tri-Lam) and am curious if there is any 'standard' rule or starting point for how much weights I am going to require vs. my wetsuit? I know a rule of thumb for wetsuits is about 10# of one's body weight but I have no idea about drysuits? I'll be taking the SSI Drysuit course in March, but...

HELP!

 

[nickjb]

It depends on a lot of factors (Type of suit, under suit, other equipment) You really need to do a proper buoyancy check. As a starting point I found I needed a little less weight with my trilam drysuit than with a thick wetsuit.

 

[Hoppy]

Hi Scoobie,

After a year of diving dry I found I've halved my weights while not having changed any other kit.

As Nick says depends on so many things and also I think I had a tendancy to over inflate in the early days. So bouyancy check at the end of a dive on 50 bar as usual really.

Have fun with it , try and do the feet first Polaris missile bit in the pool it's a lot less embarrasing that way !!!!

Hoppy

 

[tinman]

nickjb once bubbled...
As a starting point I found I needed a little less weight with my trilam drysuit than with a thick wetsuit.

...I'm amazed! Is there that much difference between trilam and rubber? I dive a Gates HD rubber suit and it doubled my weight (18 to 36lbs). However, I wear a wicking layer, thinsolate and wool layers, and like lots of insulating air in my suit...last Saturday's lake dive registered at 29 o F. If you're diving cold water for 50-60 minutes or more, my bet is you'll be adding weight. Weighting has so many variables. Let us know what you learn at the Drysuit course...

 

[nickjb]

I suppose a lot depends on how much air you like in the suit (I have plenty for me, enough to remove squeeze and stay warm). I usually have 8 to 10kg (18 - 22lbs) when I dive dry, with a single steel tank and alu backplate.

 

[techdiver2us]

Years ago when I got my TLS350 and switched from a 7mm wet I used the same weight with no problems.