Weight Hog. How much do you use?

[RJP]

Thx for your feedback. I'm going to swap out with some different gear / BC and see what happens.

You might want to consider a BP/W as a way of taking some of the weight off your belt - whether it's 35lbs or 50lbs that's still a lot of lead. A 6lb plate and a weighted single-tank adapter would let you take 12 or so lbs off, plus probably another 3-4lbs savings to offset the bouyancy of the BC.

 

[-Aaron-]

If you are wearing non diving specific undergarments you might check in to something made for diving. Often times outdoor insulating gear can be pretty lofty and trap a lot of air for insulation. A lot of the dive specific undergarments are made to insulate using less air space.

Also, sometimes you can get away with less undergarments that you think and still be warm, especially if you add a little extra air to your suit when needed. You might try starting out with an Under armor type tight wicking layer and a dense insulating layer like Powerstretch and see how your temperature is. The advantage of this is you can run a little more air at depth for insulation and then vent it as you ascent to reduce your buoyancy. I have a tall and lean friend that was requiring similar amounts of weight to get down and he was using 7 layers of outdoor insulating gear in a neoprene dry suit. We traded all those layers for some Under armor and a Powerstretch and he was able to drop a significant amount of weight while still being warm.

 

[boulderjohn]

I'm in the "something must be wrong" camp.

I am about 6-0, 200 pounds, and I dive a Fusion, too.

Most of my diving in it has been with a SS backplate and steel doubles, so it is hard to compare with that, but while wearing those in fresh water I don't use any additional weight at all, even when my tanks are getting down toward empty.

I have done a little diving in fresh water with my Fusion, a conventional BCD (ScubaPro Nighthawk), and an aluminum 80 tank. On those dives I used 24 pounds, and I felt that I was overweighted.

On all those dives I was wearing MK2's, the medium weight underwear from Whites, without the jacket. A friend did a dive with the heavy weight underwear, MK3, and that is much thicker. He is close to your size, and although he was diving a BP and doubles, his equivalent weight would not have been anywhere near what you are talking about.

 

[cmburch]

I use to use quite a bit with a 7mm Farmer John (14mm across chest), Al80 tank, and a BC. Most of the weight was on my belt and I also used ankle weights.

I have switched to a 9/7/6mm one piece wetsuit with integrated hood, HP100 steel tank, and a SS BP with STA. I am down to about 24lbs of lead on my belt now.

My buddies use about 32lbs with Al tanks, BC, and farmer john.

 

[farsidefan1]

You cold water guys are nuts!! 14 lbs in the tropics. with my cold water gear of a wetsuit top. If it's under 77 degrees I will take a pass. Enjoy

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

We have a local guy who uses like 40lbs and he is... larger... and uses a 7mm wetsuit, bcd, single aluminum tanks, etc.

there has to be an issue here.

I have not heard of a Fusion BCD so I'm assuming your in a fusion drysuit. If thats true then its pretty hard to not have all the air vented out if the dump is open. You should be able to dive with the shoulder dump all the way open at all times without any issue though some people close them a bit.

make sure you exhale as you vent the BCD and you should sink I would bet.

I am 5'7" 165lbs (about 30lbs over weight so plenty of FAT to float) and I dive aluminum 80's all the time and dont change my weight for adding a pony cylinder so... thats 14lbs of SS for the backplate and STA (FredT) and I throw 10lbs of lead on so thats a total or 24lbs. its a bit light in the winter with my mk3 undergarments so I add another 3lbs or so in the winter. Its actually to much weight for me unless I drained the 80 and then I would probably have just enough weight to stay under.

I couldn't imagine 50lbs, something is wrong for sure.

if you have a bcd take it (without a tank on) and see how much lead it takes to sink just an empty bcd with no accessories like lights attached. I bet it takes 2-5lbs to sink just the BCD which is part of the reason I advocate BP/W so much. if you need moor lead than that to sink just the BCD then I assume thats part of the problem.

your fins ma be buoyant but not more than a lb I bet, I had some floaty fins and put spring straps on them and they sunk.

T

 

[VancouverBC]

Thank you for the feedback on this. I'm going to lose a few things today, swap out some different undergarments, BC, lose the otterbox etc and see how it goes. At least now I know where to go from here...and its not with more weight.

BTW Boulder, using the Seaquest Fusion BC (rather huge) and a Whites Nexus 3 (not Whites Fusion)

 

[AbyssalPlains]

When diving the Fusion in the tropics, I need 18 pounds and that's wearing a 3 mil shorty.

Holy......

I'm overweighted with only my 4.7 pound backplate and no additional weight, and that's in a 3mm full suit.

You might want to look at a different BC.

 

[VancouverBC]

I bet it takes 2-5lbs to sink just the BCD which is part of the reason I advocate BP/W so much. if you need moor lead than that to sink just the BCD then I assume thats part of the problem.
T

I guarantee it takes at least 4 or 5 to sink the Fusion

 

[diver 85]

How much lead do you carry?

Been diving for 18 years on and off but new to Drysuit diving. I have fairly bouyant gear and a large BC (Fusion). First time I went out I tried 34 pounds....definitely not enough. Tried 39..wasn't enough to sink me so I had to use a line to pull myself down. Was OK at 25 feet and beyond, but as soon as I hit half tank up I went. Tried 44 lbs...still not enough to sink me at the surface.

Tomorrow I'm going out with 50 pounds and hoping it will allow me to actually finish a dive this time. Is it normal to need this much weight? How much weight are you using??

wow, only depends on about(rounded off) 10 different variables.....really does it matter???.....If you need it you need it----that or enjoy your snorkeling trip.....