Soft Weights

[dumpsterDiver]

You have probably noticed that new solid weights appear shiny. The surface is bare metallic lead. After a short time the surface takes on a dull gray appearance as the surface oxidizes. (By the way, lead oxide is a "salt." A salt is, by definition, an oxide of a metal.) Lead oxide is not soluble in water, is quite hard and acts to protect the underlying metal from further oxidation.

Soft weights are commonly made of lead shot, encased in a synthetic cloth bag. The individual pieces of shot oxidize the same way large solid weights do but, unlike solid weights, the lead shot pellets are subjected to continual grinding against each other. The grinding wears away the lead oxide on the surface and is carried away with water as it drains out after a dive. That gray residue that your weights leave on the laundry room floor where you dropped your weights is lead oxide. It is toxic to your children and pets who may play in it or lick it up.

Exactly! Large solid pieces of lead also oxidize, but the coating generally stays in tact. Also the lead shot has a much, much higher surface area, so there is much, much, more lead oxide to wear off each time the weights are moved.

Lead really is bad stuff and I would be more worried about contamination of my home than the diving envronment.

I hate soft lead and the belts they go in, they slide around on your waist and end up being less comfortable. Try a rubber weight belt with hard lead (or even better vinyl coated lead) and you will be much happier. They work great for scuba and freediving.

Take a look at this site where you can buy a rubber belt for less than $25..

MAKO Spearguns - Freedive Weight Belt

 

[psychocabbage]

The way I see this is simple.

#1 you can see the "residue" coming off your weights so therefore most of it is now down your sink and not in the place you dive. Thats great for the environment.. hmmm.. well anyways..


#2 the earth is full of minerals.. Naturally.. Like...well.. LEAD.. and having the little trace amounts that you will be leaving behind really isnt going to amount to a hill of beans..


I really wish more people had perspective.

 

[captndale]

what about if you put the shots in like a Ziploc bag or something, squeeze all the air out and close it? No reason comes immediately to mind why this would work: they still weigh the same but stay dry. Am I missing something?

Ziploc bags do not last very long before they start to leak.

Scubapro used to sell soft weights that had very small shot encased in two layers of vinyl bags. One cold November day, after a dive about ten years ago, I tossed one of the Scubapro weights into the corner of the boat cabin in a sort of underhanded "shovel' throw. The cold vinyl split open and spilled lead shot all over the place. I am still finding tiny shot in the carpet.

 

[bart73]

Can you post a link to this, please.

http://www.scubapro.com/europe/dutch/scubapro-products/accessories-[5506]-[5514]/other-gear-[6565]-[12381]/eco-weights-[14136]-[14142]

this is the link for the eco- weights from SP.
hope this helps.
Edit: cannot go directly to the proper page.

 

[knotical]

This URL seems to work:
ECO-WEIGHTS - SCUBAPRO-UWATEC

 

[svs]

Lead is mostly poisonous in ionized (soluble) form after it reacts with other salts and/or acids (same as for mercury), e.g exposure to vinegar will produce toxic acetates. Most weights are made from lead alloys with are stronger then pure lead and are pretty resistant to corrosion (can't say the same about car batteries harvested lead). Continues usage of lead weights as door stoppers etc., as seeing in some dive shops may cause some brain damage among personnel. It will not harm the ocean (from recreational diving source), dilution factor is too big.

 

[Hatul]

This URL seems to work:
ECO-WEIGHTS - SCUBAPRO-UWATEC

These appear to be soft weights in PVC sealed bags. So where do we find them to buy?

 

[Hatul]

Continues usage of lead weights as door stoppers etc., as seeing in some dive shops may cause some brain damage among personnel. It will not harm the ocean (from recreational diving source), dilution factor is too big.

That explains what I hear in the dive shops.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The way I see this is simple.

#1 you can see the "residue" coming off your weights so therefore most of it is now down your sink and not in the place you dive. Thats great for the environment.. hmmm.. well anyways..


#2 the earth is full of minerals.. Naturally.. Like...well.. LEAD.. and having the little trace amounts that you will be leaving behind really isnt going to amount to a hill of beans..


I really wish more people had perspective.

I would honestly be concerned about contamination of my home if i used them a lot. I'm sure the gray water residue dries and then can be tracked all through the house. Remember what a big deal lead based paints were (are)? I really don't know the chemistry, but it seems that lead oxide residue would have a much higher Pb content than old paint.

The soft weights provide very little potential advantage and I don't like them around my house with kids and pets (and people).

 

[bart73]

These appear to be soft weights in PVC sealed bags. So where do we find them to buy?

I think with any LDS that is a SP dealer.
maybe they don't have it, but i'm shure they can order it for you.