Weight belt VS. integrated

[Stryker]

integrated of course.

1) easier (in my opinion) to release. (at least on my BC)
2) easier to adjust the weights if you have to add or subtract (from fresh to salt water)
3) easier to remove and replace in the water
4) dont shift while diving (if you have your BC snug enough)

Its more of a personal preference I think though. Also with integrated thats just one less piece of equipment you have to think about losing on a boat or leaving at the shore.

The only negative I can think of off the top of my head is if you have to ditch your weights, it would probably be HARDER to find an integrated weight pouch on the bottom of the ocean compared to a weight belt.

 

[waterwraith]

Nore does it include an option for nether.

I don't think I have a setup curently that uses a weight belt anymore.
Its ether double steels in a drysuit or a single in a light wetsuit with no weight.

People like you really irk me, actually I humbly bow at your feet. It must be nice not to have to mess with a weight belt.

That aside I use weight integrated because I find my weight belt to be ineffective when its around my ankles. For some reason it does not seem to work there.

 

[Stevie_G]

I currently use two integrated BC's: A Mares Vector Platinum for pool teaching where I wear a 3mm shorty and 2 - 3 lbs in each weight pouch; and a Dive Rite Transpac II which is used at the lake with drysuit and 9 - 12 lbs in each weight pocket (depending on drysuit underwear / tank combination) - along with 2 lb ankle weights.

During a recent ice dive at a local dive site here in balmy Canada one of our divers had the misfortune of having a hefty weight pouch drop out of his BC at 30 ft, resulting in an unwanted ascent into an overhead environment - he was fine due to a combination of experience, luck and some fast reacting surface tenders.

I experienced a similar incident with the same style weight system during a dive in Cozumel last year - luckily there was only 4 lbs in the weight pouch and I managed to retrieve it from the sand about twenty feet below me.

I like integrated weight systems but get nervous when they are loaded to the max as in the case of a drysuit dive in cold water using 400 gram underwear and a single aluminum 80. To that end I am contemplating transferring some of the weight away from my open water BC, by using a 10 lb lead shot weight belt, for safety reasons. That way, the effect of loosing a weight pouch should be considerably less.

 

[ScubaFreak]

I used to use integrated, but I use very little weight now. 12 lbs on my waste doesn't really effect me. But I think integrated is great, esp for thos who need a lot of weight!

SF

 

[Dyno Bill]

Gotta keep the lead with the flotation, its just so much easier that way. I would only use a belt while freediving anymore.
Bill

 

[Fly N Dive]

warm water = intergrated
cold water = both

 

[mrjake]

I am in the process of trying what Scott M is considering. I just started diving in cold water in September in Ohio and had problems getting enough weight to get down since I could only pack #20 in my integrated pockets. I tried a weight belt with it but as soon as my suit compressed a little it was around my ankles. I purchased a weight harness from DUI that looks like it will solve my problem. It has it's own quick release system and will adjust low enough to keep out of the way of my BC. Now if the ice would just melt off the quarry ...

 

[grazie42]

Before:
Integrated. It´s propably just me but I kept losing the weight-pockets on dives. I´ve lost 3 or 4 of them (on different dives) without noticing til I got out...Maybe its just me, but as I´m the only one diving my gear, I´ve decided to do something about it...

Now:
My BP is integrated, I guess, and when wet that all I use. At least I can be pretty confident that I´d notice if I were to drop it. When dry I use a weightbelt. To me, being able to stay down, even when taking my bc off feels like a very good idea.

YMMV

 

[KrisB]

An additional comment...

I use integrated for a couple reasons: 1. comfort; 2. streamlined-ness.

I made my own weights that are perfectly sized for my pouches, and appear to be smaller than standard weights of the same weight. I typically have to wear 20+#s in salt water, so I have the non-ditchable pouches maxed, then adjust my ditchable to suit the need -- also resulting in the ditchable being less likely to self-ditch.

I would encourage anyone who has integrated weight pouches to consider making your own weights -- it's simple, effective and safe if you follow a couple precautions.

Cheers,

 

[Mike Veitch]

Before:
Integrated. It´s propably just me but I kept losing the weight-pockets on dives. I´ve lost 3 or 4 of them (on different dives) without noticing til I got out...Maybe its just me, but as I´m the only one diving my gear, I´ve decided to do something about it...


YMMV

If you don't notice the lack of weights until you get out (ie not having trouble at your safety stop) then you don't need nearly as much weight as you think you do. And it is definitely not just you, i have found countless pouches on the bottom...

For me, i throw a couple of two pounders in the trim pockets on the back of my BC. Have jumped in the water far too many times without a belt when i used one so went integrated and never have to ask the boat driver for my weight belt as i am floating around at the surface...i get a lot less slack from the boat driver that way...