Weight Belt Options

[decidedlyodd]

I'm diving a compressed neoprene drysuit in cold water with BP/W (steel backplate and STA) usually with steel tanks. With all of that, I need to carry 30lbs of lead. I've only done 5 dives in the drysuit so far but have done proper weight checks, so I feel pretty confident in the correctness of the weighting.

Currently, I wear 10lbs in pockets on the waist strap of the BP/W and 20lbs in pockets on a simple belt made of nylon webbing with a metal depth compensating buckle.

I've got a couple of problems with this setup that I'm looking to solve:

1. I have to tighten the belt after I've descended a few feet. The belt comes very loose to the point that I'd worry about it falling off or getting turned around if I didn't tighten it.
2. After I get out of the water, the belt is always slung quite low--well below my hips. It feels like it's going to fall off if I keep walking without holding it up. I haven't had any trouble in the water (even standing or being vertical) but this seems like a potential safety incident waiting to happen.
3. It's hard to fit all the weight around the belt. There's only so much room on the front for the buckle when latched tight and only so much room in the back where my backplate rests. Lately, I've just been dealing with the overlap in the back a little. This doesn't seem like a huge issue but it is annoying.

I've seen a couple of options around such as a rubber weight belt with wire buckle or weight harness. Can anybody comment on those addressing the above issues or perhaps point out some other options that I'm overlooking?

 

[WB2GLP]

Bite the bullet, buy a harness. It's worth the $$ to lose the aggravation.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

If you need to be wearing that much weight on your hips, it's difficult to beat the comfort of a weight harness like the DUI Weight & Trim. The DUI product can easily accommodate 20 lbs. of lead and distributes the weight over your shoulders in a very comfortable way. It works nicely with a BP/W setup. A new one costs about $100.

A rubber belt would address issues of depth compensation and slippage while walking around topside. Leisurepro sells one for $23.

Given the two choices, I'd spend the extra money and get the DUI Weight & Trim.

I'd recommend demoing the DUI product before buying it. See whether someone in your local diving community has one that you can borrow for a weekend. This is one perk of joining a dive club and expanding your circle of dive buddies.

 

[cmburch]

The best set-up would be 1/3rd of weight over lung area and 2/3rds around belt.

8lbs SS BP

30lbs on belts: with 20lb on ditchable weight belt.
1. One possible solution is a rubber belt in place of nylon web belt/depth compensating buckle.
2. Another possible solution would be to use a DumpsterDiver style webbing/rubber belt. This belt has a SS QR buckle with 2" nylon webbing about a foot long threaded through the QR portion of the buckle with the remainder of the belt being rubber.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...systems/318220-scuba-divers-weight-belts.html Somewhere in this thread is a picture so you can easily customize your current belt at minimal coast.

20lbs on a waist belt will work in the water, but may sling over shoulder when hiking to and from the water.

May want to move about 4lbs from waist area to tank cam straps for better trim if trim seems off.

 

[tbone1004]

That still seems awfully heavy... Did you burp your suit all the way?

One of the first things you have to do on descent with any suit is readjust any belts you have. That includes waist belt on the plate. In neoprene this needs to be done almost constantly due to the compression and with drysuits unless you are standing in the water when you are putting it on you'll never get the suit squeezed all the way for a tight fit.

Halcyon V-weight (11 lbs.) - Accessories - Sharky's Scuba
that may be an option too

 

[Montana Diver]

I feel your pain. I had my weight pockets on my BP/W webbing and the tank would not float at the surface when I was donning it. I went to a weight belt with my Dive Rite weight pockets and added the harness straps to make it work. I bought 1 1/2" webbing, attached it to the pockets in front and crossed in the back. Added some quick release buckles off an old BCD, primarily to allow me to adjust the harness up and down. If I had not purchased the pockets, I would have bought the DUI harness. I use my harness both with wetsuit and drysuit (CLX450).

I love the harness setup. Used nearly every dive except when I am ocean diving with wetsuit and using steel tanks(clip 2# ankle weight around tank neck).

Dennis

 

[fisheater]

I have similar weight issues.

I use a rubber weight belt.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Get a rubber belt and also think about 8 or 10 lb hip weights if you are having trouble with weights under the backplate.

 

[knowone]

L@@K at only half the junk you can carry.

One kilogam lumps, four per pocket.

 

[decidedlyodd]

I definitely want to give the rubber belt a try. Regarding the weighting, I agree it seems high. Even in a 7mm farmer John + jacket I needed 20 lbs. As for the drysuit I'm still getting used to it. On the first dive, I thought I was weighted ok based on the weight check but could not stay down about 25 minutes into the dive. I felt super squeezed in the suit and could not get more air out at 35ft. I signaled to the instructor up and floated up uncontrolled but slowly (about 15ft per minute according to my computer afterward). I did some calcs on gas weight to get to the 30 I'm at now although I could probably drop 2lbs I figure. Since then, I've gotten more comfortable with the suit and haven't had these kinds of issues with 30lbs.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express