Weight Belt Under BP Harness?

[srcalDiver]

I recently switched from a weight integrated BC to a weight belt and SS backplate. The BP harness includes a crotch strap. If the weight belt is donned first, the BP harness will make it difficult to ditch the belt. However, donning the belt first reduces the risk of accidentally having the belt slip over your hips.

I've seen configuration where the belt is donned before and after the BP. How do you wear yours and why?

 

[fdog]

I wear my weightbelt underneath the harness.

If I wore it anywhere else (like overtop of the BP harness) it would be way uncomfortable, plus it might actually come off if the buckle is opened accidentally! With me unaware until too late. This would be a bit of an issue when overhead-restricted.

It's true I don't always dive overhead restricted. In this case, I still wear it under the BP harness, because it's more comfortable, and it might actually come off if the buckle is opened accidentally.


All the best, James

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Under the strap. Never a reason to ditch a live persons weights at depth. On the surface it does not take much more to ditch if need be.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Under the strap. Never a reason to ditch a live persons weights at depth. On the surface it does not take much more to ditch if need be.

Does not PADI still teach weight belt removal and replacement while submerged? If so, why, since there is "never a reason to ditch a live persons's weight at depth"?

 

[Charlie99]

Does not PADI still teach weight belt removal and replacement while submerged? If so, why, since there is "never a reason to ditch a live persons's weight at depth"?

Ignoring for a moment the irrelevant question of whether or not PADI teaches weightbelt removal while submerged, do YOU ever see a reason for ditching a weight belt at depth??

Ditching more lead than the weight of gas that you are carrying will cause you to be unable to control your buoyancy once you are shallow (provided that you are not overweighted).

Inadvertant ditching of lead can lead to uncontrolled ascents. If you are properly weighted, you should be able to swim up from depth, even with a failed BCD or wing.

The only case I can come up where fast ditching of weights is called for is when someone spashes in solo off of a boat and gets 15' under before they discover that their air is not turned on. If you need to stay on the surface for a long time with a failed wing and full tanks, then you may decide to ditch weights, but a bit of extra time to ditch weights shouldn't pose a problem.

After looking at the possible risks, I definitely lean more towards making inadvertant ditching very unlikely, even at the expense of slightly slower ditching when you intend to do so.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

I recently switched from a weight integrated BC to a weight belt and SS backplate. The BP harness includes a crotch strap. If the weight belt is donned first, the BP harness will make it difficult to ditch the belt. However, donning the belt first reduces the risk of accidentally having the belt slip over your hips.

I've seen configuration where the belt is donned before and after the BP. How do you wear yours and why?

I wear mine under the crotch strap. Easier for me to just put on the weightbelt, then put on BP/W (hog harness). It will of course take twice as long to ditch my weightbelt in an emergency.... like 6-8 seconds instead of 3-4 seconds, I do not see having the weightbelt under the crotch strap as a serious risk for the type of diving I do, others might however.

For what it's worth, in the DIR3(?) video I think I remember George Irvine saying the weightbelt goes over the crotch strap when using a wetsuit, and under when using a drysuit.... I think his reasoning was that with the drysuit you have redundant buoyancy in case of a BC failure, but not with the wetsuit (he was speaking about a problem at the surface I think).


Anyway, good question / topic. I'm interested to see what others do as well.

Safe Diving!

 

[vshearer]

The consensus I have seen on this board is when diving dry wear it under the harness, when diving wet wear it over. When I first switched to BP/W I tried putting the belt on after putting on the harness, I only did that once as that was a miserable dive. You can put the belt on first and then thread the crotch strap under the belt afterwards, takes a little practice on the back side but it is not that hard. And I do like having the option of ditching weight in a non-overhead OOA situation. Buoyancy, by definition, is how one gets back up to the ultimate secondary air source.

That said, even wearing it under is not a big deal if you practice getting it off in a pool. Even opening the belt of the harness to let it drop free. But you should practice.

 

[Nemrod]

I wear my belt over my harness, the way I have done it forever. For certain types of diving where you have an extremely buoyant suit such as a dry suit then it would certainly make sense to wear your weight belt under your harness so my answer is that it depends.

I would agree with over for a wet suit and under for a dry suit, it makes sense and that is the traditional teaching as I recall.

N

 

[Bretagus]

Just to echo what everybody else has said...

I always put my weight belt on first (so its under the crotch strap). Especially in my dry suit, I can't ever get as good of a cinch on it if I put it on second. Not that big of a problem underwater, but I mostly dive quarries/shores, so the walk to/from the water isn't much fun with a weight belt at your knees!

 

[captain]

I like the security of under the crotch strap but I also have a quick release on the crotch strap and use the old over center wire weight belt buckle which is less prone to accidental release than the modern buckles.