Chris K.
Registered
I use a sealed first stage reg by Dacor - a "Pacer" - and yes, I know they don't make them any more. The story of my life. Works like a dandy in icewater mixed with diesel oil, sewage, or what have you, though. My old USD Aquarius hails from my fish farming days in the nineties. Can't kill that baby. If you're diving in a wet suit - no matter how thick- I feel for you, or rather I don't because you probably don't feel anything either. I did my open water ticket in a wet suit, and the first thing I did thereafter was buy a dry suit. Wet is okay in the tropics, but up here?? For BCD's I recommend you divide your weight up and not have it all in your pockets. I carry about eight pounds in a pouch on my back near the tank, two pounds around my ankles, and the rest in my front pouches. I lost one not because it was over-weighted, but because after a few years the velcro failed. They're prone to do that, I'm told. Put a couple of parachute clips on it. That solved the problem, and they're still dumpable, if need be...
If you wear a tri-lam with woolies you'll need more weight than if you wear a neoprene suit. If you dive wet, you'll probably need less weight again, depending on the thickness of the suit. especially at depth your neoprene suit will compress, decrease your total volume, and thus make you "heavier" (as in pounds per cubic inch displaced). You'll freeze your buns, too...
If you wear a tri-lam with woolies you'll need more weight than if you wear a neoprene suit. If you dive wet, you'll probably need less weight again, depending on the thickness of the suit. especially at depth your neoprene suit will compress, decrease your total volume, and thus make you "heavier" (as in pounds per cubic inch displaced). You'll freeze your buns, too...