Need help with weight belt use

[MAKO Spearguns]

Just to address a couple of your suggestions, which are very good. The belts currently provided have pockets for the weights, so there's no issue with the weights sliding on the belt. It's the entire belt that slides around unless I pull it really really tight which then results in my feeling nauseated, so not a great solution. I will look forward to trying out the Mako belts that @MAKO Spearguns has so generously sent. That may be the solution that I need! I've also contacted our dive coordinator and will be making a donation so that she can purchase some other upgraded equipment. I know there have to be other divers that are having the same problems.

I do load the belt symmetrically. Most of them have 5 pockets, so I either load 2 5# weights on each end or put 5 4# weights in each pocket. If there are 4 of us diving at the same time, then it's a take what you can get situation, but I always balance the belt. If I end up going the route of the harness then I'll look for one with ditch-able weight pockets so that I have the option for using it for other diving if I want to.

We dive on hookah, so there's no tank to worry about.

Still, I appreciate your suggestions as I'm always interested in learning. I'm particularly interested in gear configurations as I'd like to improve my own. Plus, there are avenues of diving that I'm interested in pursuing that will require different configurations. Cave diving, for example, but I don't know if I can interest my husband/buddy in full cave. We love cavern diving, but he's a bit claustrophobic, so full cave may not be an option.

I think you will like the MAKO belt. The whole issue of a pocket belt sliding around your waist will be eliminated. However, 20 lbs of lead on a belt is beginning to approach the limits of "comfort" (for ANY belt).

Since you are diving hooka and need a lot of lead, another option might be a freedivers weighted vest. Most often, a freediver will select this option when a lot of lead is required. Frequently a rubber belt AND a vest are used in conjunction to better distribute the ballast and to enhance comfort. It might be something to consider, however I am not any type of expert on hooka diving, so I'm not sure how you would secure the hose or handle rigging.

The MAKO weighted vest is very easily and quickly ditched when freediving.

Quick Release Weight Vest ("zero drag")

 

[Diverlady13]

I think you will like the MAKO belt. The whole issue of a pocket belt sliding around your waist will be eliminated. However, 20 lbs of lead on a belt is beginning to approach the limits of "comfort" (for ANY belt).

Since you are diving hooka and need a lot of lead, another option might be a freedivers weighted vest. Most often, a freediver will select this option when a lot of lead is required. Frequently a rubber belt AND a vest are used in conjunction to better distribute the ballast and to enhance comfort. It might be something to consider, however I am not any type of expert on hooka diving, so I'm not sure how you would secure the hose or handle rigging.

The MAKO weighted vest is very easily and quickly ditched when freediving.

Quick Release Weight Vest ("zero drag")

View attachment 675452


View attachment 675453

I'll definitely have a look at the vest for myself if the belt doesn't work out. The hookah lines have belts attached to them to supposedly secure them in place. Some have a clip that you can latch onto...well, somewhere. Most of the divers prefer not to use the belts as they slide around and pull the line which, in turn, pulls on the reg. I am thinking about buying one of those necklace things to attach to the line so that the regulator doesn't get pulled on so much.

I'll have an update on Friday hopefully. We're signed up to dive then, but may pick up another day as well.

 

[Hoyden]

T

Now one other thing; the person in charge did not give you good advise about over-weighting yourself. Wear what you normally do to maintain neutral buoyancy throughout the dive, and use that amount of weight.

One other thing; the weights need to be jettison-able. You need to be able to dump them. A harness may not give you that option, depending upon how it is worn and what is over it.

SeaRat

I am a dive safety officer in an aquarium. Diving in an aquarium to do work is very different from recreational diving. The advice that this diver recieved is consistent with aquarium diving, depending on the job that she was assigned. Being "overweighted" by recreational standards is the norm for doing work in the bottom. Being neutral is fine for tasks that can be completed in the water column, but is suboptimal for other types of tasks.

We require that anyone wearing 20lbs or more on their weight belt uses a weight harness. Ours are DUI, but other companies offer them. They absolutely allow your to ditch weight if needed, without regard for your other equipment.


YMMV,

Jackie

 

[Diverlady13]

Now one other thing; the person in charge did not give you good advise about over-weighting yourself. Wear what you normally do to maintain neutral buoyancy throughout the dive, and use that amount of weight.

I missed this before. I have to disagree on this point. Diving in t

I am a dive safety officer in an aquarium. Diving in an aquarium to do work is very different from recreational diving. The advice that this diver received is consistent with aquarium diving, depending on the job that she was assigned. Being "overweighted" by recreational standards is the norm for doing work in the bottom. Being neutral is fine for tasks that can be completed in the water column, but is suboptimal for other types of tasks.

We require that anyone wearing 20lbs or more on their weight belt uses a weight harness. Ours are DUI, but other companies offer them. They absolutely allow your to ditch weight if needed, without regard for your other equipment.


YMMV,

Jackie

Thanks, Jackie. I agree. If I were wearing any less than the 20# in the aquarium, it would be difficult to stay down and clean the lower parts of the exhibits. It's a lot easier to do most of the tasks on ones knees or even (sometimes) laying flat on the bottom. Since the tanks don't have sand or silt, but pebbles, we don't have to worry about kicking up the bottom. Our jobs vary depending on the day of the week and what was done the day before and we're free to change our weighting and configuration to best suit our needs. The big ask is that we don't wear any gear that's been in other water unless it's been bleach sanitized. They prefer that divers wear the gear provided with the exception of masks just to keep it simple, but we can bring our own as long as it's sanitized. Even if we have our own dedicated aquarium items, it is asked that we sanitize between dives IF we are authorized to dive in both the turtle and Polynesian tanks. This is because sometimes the aquarium is short on divers for one tank or another and may ask that we dive a different tank than the one we signed up for.

 

[Diverlady13]

@MAKO Spearguns

I wanted to thank you again for sending those belts. They are very nice. I tried one on Friday and it stayed in place, so I'm all set now, hopefully. We'll be in Mexico for several days, but when we get back I'll try one of the belts out in the Poly tank which is the more difficult tank to dive it.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Thanks for letting me know. It is sometimes amazing that something so simple can solve several problems!

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

@MAKO Spearguns

I wanted to thank you again for sending those belts. They are very nice. I tried one on Friday and it stayed in place, so I'm all set now, hopefully. We'll be in Mexico for several days, but when we get back I'll try one of the belts out in the Poly tank which is the more difficult tank to dive it.

Any updates, you can share on the use of the MAKO belt?

Thanks
dano