Weight-integrated BCD or belt?

[Ice9]

I use integrated, but I keep the weight pockets seperate until after I put on the BCD. Then I slide the weight pockets into the BCD. Makes it easier to maneuver...

Of course, if I ever need to get out of my rig, it will be an interesting few moments!

 

[Sharky1948]

Stainless steel backplate + steel single tank adapter + steel tank = no extra weights!

I'm impressed! With a drysuit and thinsulate on, I need a few pounds around the waist. (As soon as I get the double SS 110s, that problem should resolve itself!)

 

[spectrum]

My experience with the Weight & Trim II is that it is cumbersome under a BCD.

I agree that if you have to run the weight & trim with the POCKETS up under the BCD jacket it will be cumbersome, not to mention dangerously inaccesibe.

When I dive dry as well as when my wife dives wet in full 7mm we respectively run it low enough that it is below the BC. The upper harness is minimalist to say the least and provides no bulk.

In my wihes case (not tall) her hips positioned her belt under the jacket and that was nasty. The harness spread it out and rescued her from the brink of quitting the sport.

Pete

 

[spectrum]

I personally am a fan of having weights in more than 1 place.

Very true.

Between diving steel cylinders and running 4-6 pounds in trim weight I end up having that too by default.

 

[PNW Dive Girl]

I'm a drysuit diver and I dive integrated.

 

[Sharky1948]

I agree that if you have to run the weight & trim with the POCKETS up under the BCD jacket it will be cumbersome, not to mention dangerously inaccesibe.

When I dive dry as well as when my wife dives wet in full 7mm we respectively run it low enough that it is below the BC. The upper harness is minimalist to say the least and provides no bulk.

In my wihes case (not tall) her hips positioned her belt under the jacket and that was nasty. The harness spread it out and rescued her from the brink of quitting the sport.

Pete

You're right. To clarify what I meant by cumbersome, when the weights were hung low enough to clear the BCD, the BCD was too high and the weights to low. My trim was off and it felt awkward. The Ranger is a pretty long BCD, so the W&T might work better with other brands.

 

[spectrum]

You're right. To clarify what I meant by cumbersome, when the weights were hung low enough to clear the BCD, the BCD was too high and the weights to low. My trim was off and it felt awkward. The Ranger is a pretty long BCD, so the W&T might work better with other brands.

What I hope the OP sees is that it's a very individual part of optimizing configuration.

The harness running low with my neoprene drysuit trims nice and saves me from ankle weights.

If I dove wet with that same harness and setting but correct weight I'd be a hopeless bottom tiller.

Pete

 

[kittyjg]

My son dives integrated because the weight belt kept falling down to his knees. No hips.
I dive integrated because the belt left sore marks on my hips. I do use a weight belt in addition to integrated when diving dry. As with Ice9, I normally leave my pockets out until the BC is on.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I dive integrated and can get out of my rig at depth wearing 7mm jump suit, hood and gloves. The trick is you Can not let go! One of my buddies did I grabbed him and his rig and pulled them together otherwise he would have been on the surface. We were in 20 feet of water.

Just an opinion but the weight belt loosens when neoprene compresses which makes the belt loose. I don't care for this and the risk of losing the belt.

 

[KC5UX]

I'm a big feller and use between 20 & 30 pounds, depending on water type and exposure suit and, having said that, I have no hips and no butt so i usually end up with weight belt around my ankles Trim? What trim? At that point, i'm using my bc as an elevator and that's not good. Integrated works much better if your bulk is around the middle. just my 2 cents worth.