Screwball
Registered
So long story short, went for my first post-OW dive in my new VoyagerPac equipped with the 16lb weight pocket system (2x 8lb pockets) mounted horizontally. Chose those pockets because I thought it would be good to have all my weight clean and 'streamlined' on my BCD belt with dump handles easily accessible. Quickly found that I couldn't get down with 16lbs (rookie mistake) and that I need closer to 25lbs, which from a quick search seems roughly similar to other divers like me (5mm 2-piece wetsuit, saltwater, one AL80, 190lbs). After posting in the DiveRite section about putting more weight in the pockets (spoiler alert: dumb idea) or going for the the 32lb system instead, a few guys told me that I shouldn't have all my weight in one 'weight system' anyway, to prevent an uncontrollable ascent if you lose one of them. Which makes perfect sense when you think about it but it's the first I've been told of this philosophy. So how should my weights be configured then? I was thinking about having one ditchable (mounted vertical) and one fixed pocket on the left and right BCD waist straps, with about 4lbs in each ditchable and 8.5lbs in each fixed. Or should I be using a weightbelt and pockets? Or some other combination? Which would I dump first in an emergency? Forgive my rambling but I'm kinda bamboozled!