Weight Belt

[mleong]

Oh, BTW, this is what I am refering to:

http://www.xsscuba.com/weight_belts.php

 

[RichLockyer]

Oh, BTW, this is what I am refering to:

http://www.xsscuba.com/weight_belts.php

I've had kelp and mono grab those and pull them open.
Sorry... no velcro for me, but I do use soft weights...

Mine is a belt attached to a single, long cordura "pocket" with a single zipper across the top. The pocket is stitched to divide it into compartments that will each hold a 5lb weight. This belt costs about $20, and is available in 3, 4, 5, and 6 compartment versions. The 5-compartment version is the largest that I would be able to wear (6'3", 180).

I keep the center pouch empty, which happens to be where the crotch strap passes over the belt

 

[mleong]

I've had kelp and mono grab those and pull them open.
Sorry... no velcro for me, but I do use soft weights...

Mine is a belt attached to a single, long cordura "pocket" with a single zipper across the top. The pocket is stitched to divide it into compartments that will each hold a 5lb weight. This belt costs about $20, and is available in 3, 4, 5, and 6 compartment versions. The 5-compartment version is the largest that I would be able to wear (6'3", 180).

I keep the center pouch empty, which happens to be where the crotch strap passes over the belt

If the kelp happens to pull them open, can consider to replace the velcro with quick release buckle?

 

[RichLockyer]

If the kelp happens to pull them open, can consider to replace the velcro with quick release buckle?

I started to do that, and my buddy did that on his stab jacket after dropping a weight pocket (luckily at the surface at the end of the dive).
IT was a PITA... much easier to simply buy a better piece of equipment than to deal with sewing 12 plastic clips (also failure prone) to the pockets.
I think I got two pockets done before I gave up and bought the new belt.

 

[cornfed]

I see the reason for the crotch strap, but somehow I did not notice any major disadvantages in NOT using the crotch strap

Crotch straps become more important when scootering. But "I'll never have a scooter" you say. Well, one of the important aspects of DIR is consistency in which a "Scooter harness" and "non-scooter harness" have no place.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I currently use the XS Scuba weight belt. I previously had used the one like Rich described. They both have trade-offs.

The one with the zipper broke before it wore out ... first the zipper pulls broke off, then the zippers "welded" shut. Which is not optimal for changing your weights when switching rigs or cylinders (I own a variety of backplates and cylinders).

On the other hand, while I haven't yet experienced any snagging problems, the XS Scuba belt is a bit bulkier than the other type. This also has drawbacks. But otherwise, it's a nice design.

As for the crotch strap issue, with a little practice you can ditch your weightbelt in a matter of a couple seconds, even if it's under the crotch strap (mine is). Not that I've ever had to, mind you. Nor can I imagine a situation where I'd really want to. So to my concern, it's a non-issue.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[FreeFloat]

I wear my weight belt under my crotch strap, front and back, and have endured a little hassling from my former OW instructor about its "non-ditchability". However, I did have occasion to intentionally remove it, once - I was retrieving aomeone else's (really really heavy) weight belt and chose to remove mine, swim theirs up, and go back down for mine (15' of water). Mine was only 6lb so it made a difference in swimming up the other diver's weight belt, but it was still easy enough to go back down for mine. If I had had a heavier weight belt myself (and been properly weighted) it may not have been so easy.

 

[mleong]

I guess each person has their own views about the weioght belt issue, whether it need to be ditched or not. I for one will never ditch it at any depth, if need be, i will consider switching to a bigger lift wing.

 

[cornfed]

Well that's one "solution"...

 

[jplacson]

You're supposed to be neutrally buoyant at 15ft, at the end of your dive... about 500psi w/ ZERO air in your BC. If you are properly weighted (even PADI weighting gives you this kind of system) you will NEVER have to ditch your weight belt... because at any given time, you're just supposed to be a few pounds negative. Remember your wetsuit also gains buoyancy as you ascend... ditching at depth, even with an empty BC will still cause an uncontrolled ascent as your wetsuit expands (assuming you've got an 8mm or so suit)

Thinner suits have less of a problem... either way, if you can't swim your rig up on an empty bladder... your weighting is horribly off.