Weight dumping for a newbie

[Mario S Caner]

Liz,
The weight integrated B.C. you used was obviously not properly configured. A proper fitting B.C., configured the right way is a beautiful thing. I would erge you to find a place or person that will assist you, hands on on doing this. You will see that this will make a world of difference in your future choices.

 

[large_diver]

Mick,

I think it depends -- some weight-integrated BCs are easy and some are more involved. Some folks also like splitting up weight (belt and BC) to be able to dump their weights in increments.

I am a new diver as well (25 dives) and a larger than average human. Given my size (6'5" and 260 lbs), the exposure protection I wear (XXXL 7mm john/jacket wetsuit), and my relative newbieness, I carry 40 lbs of weight. Given this high amount of weight, I split it as follows:

- 10 pounds on weight belt
- 20 pounds (10 x 2) in ditchable integrated BC weight pockets (SeaQuest Pro QD BC)
- 10 pounds (5 x 2) in non-ditchable integrated BC weight pockets located against my back

With this much weight, I definitely feel more comfortable splitting it up. 40 pounds on a weight belt would be hard to handle. I like having the option of being able to ditch my weight in increments, enabling me to control my ascent a little bit more if I have to get rid of the weights.

All that being said -- I think weight intergration is the way to go. I'm probably over-weighted at the moment and will do some testing with a near empty (500 psi) tank when I get back in the water this spring. When/if I am able to drop enough weight to get down to 30 lbs, I will drop the weight belt and go 100% integrated.

Good luck.

 

[greg somers]

Heya Micky-boy,
Just caught your question while ferreting through the site.
I use a belt myself.It can be a pain sometimes but the one point not mentioned is when you yourself get into trouble and require buddy assistance.The easier that a buddy can release your weights if your panicking,the better.I have some friends with integrated weights but there's not alot of them this part of the world.Maybe there's more in Oz.
No-one Has the same system though and unless your buddy is fully conversant with your system and can release your weights and can remember how to do so while your thrashing around in a panic than I would go for the simple option of a belt.Everyone knows it and trains with it and with the flick of a wrist it's gone.Plus you can get a good jacket B.C. and belt for a heck of alot cheaper than an intergrated system and still afford other items with the change.Have a good one Aussie-pom,or should I say Pozzie?
Cheers,gasman.

 

[jobowker]

When I started, I bought a bunch of equipment at once. Cash was low, so I started with a hand me down wetsuit, my brother's old regulator (he upgraded) and a used SeaQuest Spectrum jacket-style BC that I picked up for $85. It was used in pool sessions, and the dive shop liked to get all new stuff every year. Given the price of rentals, I bought teh cheap BC, figuring that the money I saved on rentals for the first year would go towards buying a Zeagle Ranger or maybe even the Tech, both weight integrated back flotation BC's. Three years later, I'm still using that SeaQuest Spectrum BC. My dive buddy loads 36 pounds of lead into her weight integrated BC, and cannot lift the thing. She ties a line to it, dumps it overboard, adn then jumps in and dons it in the water. I put on my weightbelt, slide on my BC, and then jump in. Even with cold hands and heavy gloves, I can still unbuckle my weight belt and put it on the swim platform when I'm getting out of the water. Also, her Zeagle tends to make want to float leaning forward with her face near the water. I'm not saying that my cheaper non integrated, jacket style BC is better, but it works better for me, and now that I can upgrade, I've decided that I like the old one better. I guess I'll have to spend the money on a better reg, maybe upgrade to HP100 tanks, all kinds of good stuff.....

 

[Kevin]

I agree with Greg, I have tried both systems and prefer the belt to the integrated. I use an Apex SB2000 jacket which has two weight release pockets, the problem that I found was that the velcro is so good that it takes a hard tug to release the weights and it is also hard for my buddy to lift the jacket onto me at the start of a dive.
I will be staying with the weight belt.