stance on ankle weights?

[kuster500]

I hate to admit this, but I have used the "crutch" of ankle wieghts in the past. I agree with many of the comments, try to get away from them.

Suggestions:

Small changes...Big result (take a change at a time, dive it, then decide where you need to go)

Heavy tanks carry more momentum (I dive 108's being a 180lb 73" male, when I dive AL80 I have much the same problem)

FINS! (Negative fins make a HUGE difference)

Now for my soap box! Question every thing you hear, many "standards" are made for very good reasons, but as you should have learned in school, you must question "standards" that are not in writing. Contact a trained professional or experience professional, and beg him/her for some pool time. I promise you a day of this will save you many days of unhappiness.

Good luck!

 

[mart1]

it was indeed an SS backplate, and I was diving with AL80s. I was actually using some SP jet fins, and the suit was a 7mm, so it's pretty buoyant. My shoulder straps are actually pretty tight, so tight that it is hard to get into, but I find if I lengthen them, the rig slips around on my back. I am a very small, 5'5" 110lb woman.

Sounds like the standard Mexico cave outfit. Both me and my wife dive about the same outfit, main difference being lighter fins (I don't like jetfins, pull my feet down and are harder to move).
Moving your wing is not the way to go: if it helps it will only do so when inflated, and this is not the case part of the time, so it would be a part-of-the-time solution.
There are three options:
1) move your tanks down (either by different holes in backplate or by moving ss bands)
2) change your suit: I for instance wear a 5mm suit with a 3mm body-warmer. (more neoprene on your upper body)
3) move the complete set down, by loosening shoulder straps a bit and tightening waist starp and crotch strap
Mind you, you will still have to be able to reach your valves without problem with #1&3

good luck, mart

 

[1MyWay]

I guess I went the different way and started diving a dry suit without any ankle weights. I wear a set of 108's with Turtle Fins and a ss backplate. I used a set of ankle weights this weekend and can't wait to buy a set. I had about fiflty dives in my dry suit before I even thought about ankle weights, but IMHO why not use them if they help you. They do not create an entanglement hazzard that I know of and if they help trim you out then go for it.

 

[TSandM]

COW, just a thought about task-loading . . . in Fundies, when they task loaded me, I went vertical or close to it. It was pretty reliable.

What I learned was that it wasn't that I was doing anything to go into that position when task loaded. It was that I STOPPED doing what I was doing to stay OUT of that position. In other words, my static weighting was such that feet down was the default position. When not distracted, I was constantly doing something to keep my feet up (which of course also affected my ability to remain in position). When distracted, I stopped managing my trim and it went to pot.

The solution was fixing the static weighting so that I no longer had to work to remain horizontal. Now I can task load a lot without losing trim, simply because I need do nothing to maintain the correct orientation.

Doubles are tricky -- if you are horribly top-heavy, you will tilt up to shorten the lever arm available to that upper body weight. Then you'll think you're foot heavy, and weight the top more, which makes it worse. The trick is to GET horizontal and stop moving altogether. Where you tip tells you which end is heavy or light. Then you can begin to shift weight or move or readjust equipment.

From everything I've read, you have to get this sorted out before you go into the overhead environment.

 

[H2Andy]

What I learned was that it wasn't that I was doing anything to go into that position
when task loaded. It was that I STOPPED doing what I was doing to stay OUT of that position. In other words, my static weighting was such that feet down was the default position.

oh yes... very well stated

when the crap hits the fan, you find out what your "default" position looks like
real fast, cause you end up there every single time

 

[radinator]

Have you considered that you have the wrong doubles for you?

I've talked to some tall people who can't use doubles like 95's, because the tanks are too short for them and puts all the weight near their head. They prefer either 85's or even going up to 108/120's (all of which are longer tanks than 95's).

I've only tried the 95's myself, and found myself going head-down. I'm told longer tanks would help.

Another possibility is that you should use an AL BP with doubles and not SS.

edit: Guess I should have read the whole thread before responding - it's all been covered.

Ray

 

[TSandM]

I've linked to this elsewhere, but here's a good article on balance and trim.

 

[super opus]

I would go to wight belt and add a few pounds there. ankle wights i don't like them i use gaiters with my dry suit but that's just to keep air out of my feet or use v wight at the bottom also try to rent diff size doubles or go with SS tanks see if that helps um all i can think of right now

 

[super opus]

oh yea i want to go to Mexico and do my cave training too but i cant go so sad hah good luck get your trim under control um also try to get some one to rec you why your diving and look over your trim and bad habits and work on that too you have allot of time tell July so you should bee fine