PerfectD3
Guest
Why are they better? What's wrong with a weight belt?
Weight integrated BCs
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djanni
Contributor
PerfectD3:
Why better? Let me think..... because you don't need a weight belt??!? The word that comes to mind is convience.
Nothing wrong with a weight belt if you don't mind messing around with the extra piece of equipment every dive.
AevnsGrandpa
Contributor
When I was certified they had us use the weight belts and it was ok but I hated the tightness of the belt around my waist with all the lead on it.
Then in a pool dive to try things I put all the weight in pockets in the BC, it was great!
Now, a couple of years later, I have it both ways. I still wear a belt but with only enough wear I am about netural with just the wet suit, the rest I put in the BC and of that I split up 60/40 or 70/30 with what is in the ditchable pockets verses the unditchable pockets on the back.
This has help me trim out very well and I'm not trying to put 8-12 ilbs of lead in a ditchable pcket, which I have lost one because I had too much weight in it! Boy that was fun, all of a sudden I'm listing to one side and very buoyant!!
Try it and see if you would like it, to me the mix is the best of both worlds!
Jeff
Then in a pool dive to try things I put all the weight in pockets in the BC, it was great!
Now, a couple of years later, I have it both ways. I still wear a belt but with only enough wear I am about netural with just the wet suit, the rest I put in the BC and of that I split up 60/40 or 70/30 with what is in the ditchable pockets verses the unditchable pockets on the back.
This has help me trim out very well and I'm not trying to put 8-12 ilbs of lead in a ditchable pcket, which I have lost one because I had too much weight in it! Boy that was fun, all of a sudden I'm listing to one side and very buoyant!!
Try it and see if you would like it, to me the mix is the best of both worlds!
Jeff
I like the weight integration in my new ProQD so far(but it only has 2 dives on it)
Just one less thing to put on, take off, keep track of on boat or shore. I have been looking at various systems of weight integration since I started diving in '78, and I like what my QD delivers. Nothing wrong with belts, they work fine, just like horsecollar bc's, just take a bit more time to get on and off and more effort to keep track of IMAO.
I have dove with old school equipment and new school, including BP/W's, all have their place and adherants. I prefer Jacket BC's with weight integration and knife attached for my diving, but everyone has different preferences that suit the diving they like to do. It is easy enough to rent a weight integrated BC nowadays if you can't find someone who will let you try a quick dive in theirs, so try it and see if you like it.
When diving out of buddies zodiac, we remove equipment in water then board and pull it in, with weight integrated BC the process is much less complicated and I don't have to worry about dropping the weight belt when removing it and putting it aboard prior to removing bc and tank. Also use the same procedure when diving out of friends boats with less than substantial ladders.
Just one less thing to put on, take off, keep track of on boat or shore. I have been looking at various systems of weight integration since I started diving in '78, and I like what my QD delivers. Nothing wrong with belts, they work fine, just like horsecollar bc's, just take a bit more time to get on and off and more effort to keep track of IMAO.
I have dove with old school equipment and new school, including BP/W's, all have their place and adherants. I prefer Jacket BC's with weight integration and knife attached for my diving, but everyone has different preferences that suit the diving they like to do. It is easy enough to rent a weight integrated BC nowadays if you can't find someone who will let you try a quick dive in theirs, so try it and see if you like it.
When diving out of buddies zodiac, we remove equipment in water then board and pull it in, with weight integrated BC the process is much less complicated and I don't have to worry about dropping the weight belt when removing it and putting it aboard prior to removing bc and tank. Also use the same procedure when diving out of friends boats with less than substantial ladders.
eckybay
Princess of Dorkness
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I think it's just personal preference. I did my OW class with weight integrated equipment, the equipment I bought is all weight integrated. . . .I have no desire to use a weight belt and have one more piece of gear to keep track of. I think it's all just personal preferences and needs - use what works for you.
EvilSlumLord
Guest
I have a Zeagle Ranger with the integrated weight system. Prior to owning it all the dives I did were with weight belts. As a guy I don't have much in the way of hips and always felt like the belt was about to slip off (unless I wanted to cause kidney damage by cranking the belt super tight). The other problem I found was that invariably when the BC was inflated I'd find it pushing on the lead weights on the belt, digging them into my sides. That might have been mitigated by adjusting the location of the weights on the belt or perhaps with some of the soft weights that are out there.
At the end of the day it's all about comfort for me and having a belt that feels like it is on the verge of falling off or is making dents in my sides doesn't fit the bill.
YMMV.
At the end of the day it's all about comfort for me and having a belt that feels like it is on the verge of falling off or is making dents in my sides doesn't fit the bill.
YMMV.
A lot of it is personal preference.
I started with a weight-integrated BC, but several things about it annoyed me: I didn't like hanging all the weight off my shoulders (gave me neck pain). I didn't like the tendency of the rig to tip when the weight pouches were in it. And I didn't like having to carry the rig with the weight pouches in it.
I'm female, and I have hips to put a weight belt on, and that just works better for me on all counts. But my husband has a lot of trouble finding a place for a weight belt to ride, and he prefers weight-integrated. It's what works for you.
I started with a weight-integrated BC, but several things about it annoyed me: I didn't like hanging all the weight off my shoulders (gave me neck pain). I didn't like the tendency of the rig to tip when the weight pouches were in it. And I didn't like having to carry the rig with the weight pouches in it.
I'm female, and I have hips to put a weight belt on, and that just works better for me on all counts. But my husband has a lot of trouble finding a place for a weight belt to ride, and he prefers weight-integrated. It's what works for you.
Another reason I perfer WI is the weight and bladder act as one unit. When using a seperate weight belt and BC, the weight is pulling down while the bladder is pulling up with you in the middle. Unless your BC is really tight, something you can't easily do with a jacket stype BC or you use a crotch strap the BC ends up riding high and is uncomfortable. Yea I know if your horizonal it doesn't but there are times when I am not and even then you have to pull the BC back into place after not being horizonal. Give me a back inflate WI any day.
I learned and dove a weight integrated for almost two years before going to BPW. I still have to use the jacket when helping with some classes but much prefer the BPW. Why? The feeling it gives me not having all that stuff across my chest and around my body. And come to think of it isn't a BPW weight integrated to a point? Just that the weight(the plate) is where it's supposed to be. I used to wear a pocket belt that was a pain to load and unload. I now have a standard belt with two XS pockets on it, two on the tanks bands when I need em(drysuit) and none of the excess material around cluttering things up.
snhrph
Contributor
I love the comfort of my Seaquest Balance with SureLock weight system. One of the advantages of my BC is that I can dump only PART of the weight if I have to, whereas with weight belt you don't have a choice: ALL weight comes off. May make a big difference when it comes to the controlled ascent vs. uncontrolled.
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