Weightbelts, why does everyone hate them so much?

[drrich2]

Big guy with a big belly; to get a weight belt tight enough under my gut that it doesn't fall off, I have to wrap it around me, bend over, try to snug it up really tight. Stand back up...I don't recall offhand if I tightened it more then. Often it'd still tend to work its way down over time, unless I got it really tight.

I did it when I needed to, but I prefer integrated.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

After reading 5 pages of responses I'm surprised no one mentioned that it messes with your trim. For me, a weight belt made me too feet heavy. Switching to integrated weight pockets on a BCD partly fixed the bad trim. Switching to a BP/wing with the weight on the tank straps split between the upper and lower bands finally got my trim dialed in. When I was diving cold water in a 7 mm wetsuit I used integrated weight pockets on the waist band of my BP which didn't upset the trim too much.

What fins do you use? I find with Deep 6 Eddy fins which are slightly buoyant in saltwater, ten lbs on my weight belt, bp/w, ten lbs on trim pockets, I trim out nicely

 

[CuzzA]

Those of use that 7mm farmer style wet sui

IMO that is why a lot of divers have trouble with trim I can't figure out why. Without a properly adjusted crouch strap the rig changes position when air is added or released from the BCD. A crouch strap IMO is standard equipment.

I'd forget to buckle the crotch strap so often I found I really didn't need it and took it off, but perhaps that's because my harness straps slide when pulling the waist straps allowing me to snug the rig down tighter to my back, whereas someone wearing fixed shoulder harnesses that need to be a little loose to get the kit on have a bit more play.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Amazing this thread came up.

I haven't dove a weight belt since OW. Up until now it's all been integrated. I just started diving dry and sometimes solo. The other day I wanted to check my rig with all its weight for any leaks before diving. I lowered it in from the pier and wouldn't you know it with it fully inflated it still wanted to sink! Now here I am with the rig being held by one hand in 40f water wondering how in sam hell I'm going to get this thing back up....it was not fun at all. If I dropped it it was sinking 50' or so. Thankfully it all worked out.

So I started thinking I need to move some weight around and here's this thread.

Does anyone have (or is willing to share) pictures where your weight belt sits along with the bp/w? In my mind I just feel like they would be on top of each other?

My wife says I have a nice butt (to hold a belt)... so I guess I'm good there

 

[Joneill]

I don’t understand the hatred towards weightbelts.
Maybe I’m old school, but I’ve always been a believer in using a weightbelt to split up my weights between the rig and my body. It allows me to use a smaller wing on my rig for better streamlining, it allows me to remove my rig underwater if the need ever arises, it gives me an option to ditch some lead in the event that I need to bail out of a situation.
When I saw the first BC’s coming out with integrated weight pockets I thought it was a bad idea. Even during my tech diving days we wore weightbelts with two buckles. Phil Sammet was always a big advocate of weightbelts.
Now with this new craze to have all weights non ditchable is mind boggling to me, I honestly don’t get the rationale. I think it’s bad enough that industry has made it where you are supposed to stuff all your weight onto/into a BC rig, but to not have anything ditchable just seems like insanity to me.
I can see putting some weight on the rig to relieve the need for a giant weightbelt, but still having some weight to ditch just seems like a great idea and provides a margin of safety.
What’s wrong with using rubber freediving belts?
They are comfortable, they don’t slip, they’re great.

Please help me understand when and how this new trend started and how long it’s supposed to last.

I have a vested interest in this phenomenon, otherwise I could care less what people do.

I don’t hate weight belts - but with the integrated, ditchable weight pockets on my Halcyon BP/W, I have zero need for one.

 

[Bob DBF]

Does anyone have (or is willing to share) pictures where your weight belt sits along with the bp/w? In my mind I just feel like they would be on top of each other?

No pictures, but the BC belt is not quite on top of the weight belt. The weight belt buckle is offset left and pulls open right, the BC belt is offset right and pulls open left. I do this to prevent an error when rushed, having always had right pull weight belts.

It may be different for you depending where your weight belt sits, and how far down your BC and it’s belt rides.


Bob

 

[rob.mwpropane]

No pictures, but the BC belt is not quite on top of the weight belt. The weight belt buckle is offset left and pulls open right, the BC belt is offset right and pulls open left. I do this to prevent an error when rushed, having always had right pull weight belts.

It may be different for you depending where your weight belt sits, and how far down your BC and it’s belt rides.


Bob

Thanks. Mine is a normal bp/w, nothing special. I'm just having a hard time visualizing the webbing and the belt sitting harmoniously together without causing issues.

 

[MichaelMc]

Does anyone have (or is willing to share) pictures where your weight belt sits along with the bp/w? In my mind I just feel like they would be on top of each other?

My BC belt is a bit above the weight belt. But the integrated pockets, Halcyon's that run down, are often at risk of interfering with the weight belt pockets. And my weight belt has pockets that hang down a bit, making it a bit less of an issue than it would be otherwise. Things would be higher in water. An old photo below with a normal back plate. The front of the hip belt will angle down as that is where you are pulling it. The front of the hip belt can lay between you and the weight belt, as long as any integrated have room above the weight belt. It also depends on how high the plate is.... My seated chair to shoulder top is 24". I do not have much waist room. If you have more getting weights to not sit on top of each other is easier even if the belts lay more on top of each other.

Also I do put the BC buckle on the other side now so the crotch slips off the end easily, as mentioned above. And got rid of the crotch D-rings.... And I run the crotch under the weight belt, but I'm not sure that affects issues of vertical room.

.

 

[Bob DBF]

Thanks. Mine is a normal bp/w, nothing special. I'm just having a hard time visualizing the webbing and the belt sitting harmoniously together without causing issues.

That’s why I put mine together the the way I described, so if it’s not so harmonious it will still function properly.


Bob

 

[johndiver999]

I di

My weight ditch concern is not about the diver removing their own weight belt. But rather for the random rescuer doing their very simple steps on the surface of 1) ditch weights/belt, 2) only then remove BC. It is confusing to tell my students, or a random person on the pier, 'weights then BC' but for me you should partially remove my BC, then ditch weights, then fully remove BC. Yes, yes, I know we teach ditch weights before removing BC, but if you rescue me, do it half in reverse. Hard to justify for me around students or new divers. For me. Recreationally. When I can R/R just fine with crotch strap under.

I understand your point. If you want to route the strap under the weightbelt and go to that extra trouble, I think that is fine. I found it more troublesome to perform that extra step.

However, I think a rescuer is taught to release a weight belt buckle and then do what? Watch it fall, or are they taught to then grab the belt and pull it away from the victim and make sure it is clear of potential entanglements, like wetsuit pockets, a clipped of catch bag, a knife worn on the thigh etc. I don't ever talk to people about ditching my weight, but it should not be that hard to just pull it away from the victim before dropping it, even with a crotch strap over it.