Weighting with Bare 7mm SGS

[dirthead]

I plan to do some cold water diving this winter and bought a Bare 7mm SGS wetsuit. I usually dive with a 3mm fullsuit or a 2.5mm shortie most of the year in this area, so I am used to the weighting and buoyancy characteristics of those two. I jumped in the pool yesterday with the 7mm suit to do a buoyancy check. I started with 12 lbs, my ss bp/w, and 500 psi in my al80 tank. I was also wearing 6.5mm booties and a 5mm hood. With wing empty and holding a normal breath, I was floating around eye level, but almost immediately my body inverted to where my head was pointing to the bottom of the pool and my fins were at surface level (inverted). On subsequent attempts I was able to keep myself from turning over, but it took some effort. When at the bottom, my legs wanted to float up most of the time and I had to make an effort to keep my body horizontal.

My question boils down to this. 12 pounds of lead seemed right, but the distribution of that lead was way off. I was carrying the lead in xs scuba weight pockets on the waste strap of my harness. It seems that shifting some of the lead to ankle weights would be the thing to do, but how much? Would 1 pound on each ankle be enough?? I know that trial and error is the only sure way to find the right weight distribution, but I don't have a local source for ankle weights, so I will have to order and would like to get a ballpark idea of how much ankle weight is needed before ordering.

Thanks for your great help as always!

 

[kareny]

Are you able to get down a couple of feet? Usually the new 7mm float more at the beginning. If you can manage to go down about 10 feet, everything compresses and you'll be fine. You really don't want to use the ankle weights if you don't have to, they become cumbersome to carry around. I still go down headfirst for the first few dives of the year.
Good luck!

 

[spectrum]

First the weight check... "You jumped in the pool". Did you muck around on the bottom long enough to saturate your gear? I know with the PB/W this is less of an issue but it can still be a factor with the suit and any entrapped air. Entraped air would cause you to be incorrectly underweighted in your test and could contribute to being tippsy.

With the weight check under control the you need to consider trim. In your case it sounds like weight needs to move down. The harness sounds like it has your weight slung fairly low so the next thing before straping weights to your ankles would be running your cylinder lower on your back IMO.

If I extrapolate enough from my set-up your weight sounds believable for MY body but I'm not you.

Pete

 

[SadiesMom]

I plan to do some cold water diving this winter and bought a Bare 7mm SGS wetsuit. I usually dive with a 3mm fullsuit or a 2.5mm shortie most of the year in this area, so I am used to the weighting and buoyancy characteristics of those two. I jumped in the pool yesterday with the 7mm suit to do a buoyancy check. I started with 12 lbs, my ss bp/w, and 500 psi in my al80 tank. I was also wearing 6.5mm booties and a 5mm hood. With wing empty and holding a normal breath, I was floating around eye level, but almost immediately my body inverted to where my head was pointing to the bottom of the pool and my fins were at surface level (inverted). On subsequent attempts I was able to keep myself from turning over, but it took some effort. When at the bottom, my legs wanted to float up most of the time and I had to make an effort to keep my body horizontal.

My question boils down to this. 12 pounds of lead seemed right, but the distribution of that lead was way off. I was carrying the lead in xs scuba weight pockets on the waste strap of my harness. It seems that shifting some of the lead to ankle weights would be the thing to do, but how much? Would 1 pound on each ankle be enough?? I know that trial and error is the only sure way to find the right weight distribution, but I don't have a local source for ankle weights, so I will have to order and would like to get a ballpark idea of how much ankle weight is needed before ordering.

Thanks for your great help as always!

The suggestions you've gotten are great. One other question that I wonder about is whether your cold water diving is going to be fresh or salt..? If salt, don't forget you're still going to need additional weight other than that 12 pounds you're wearing in the pool.

Personally, I find that I have "floaty feet" in my 7mm Farmer Jane with my booties. I've tried all the tricks to fix my trim, but I just *need* ankle weights with that particular suit (not with any other one, however). One thing I found that I've loved is a set of ankle weights that come "fillable"...you buy the weights WITHOUT the lead shot in them - the you can fill them with as much shot as YOU want (which you can usually pick up at your dive shop). Not only are they cheaper to buy and have shipped to you, you don't have to decide which ones to buy before you buy them...they allow you to experiment on how much weight to add to make them work for YOU - and you're not limited to whole numbers for pounds. If you find them, just be sure that you don't rely on velcro to close them - also sew the opening shut so you don't accidentally end up dripping lead shot all over the place .

Now...as to where to buy them? Not sure anymore. My LDS used to sell them but doesn't anymore. I'll see if I can find them online and if I do, I'll modify this post to add a link... Frankly, I'd like to order another pair just in case...

 

[dirthead]

The suggestions you've gotten are great. One other question that I wonder about is whether your cold water diving is going to be fresh or salt..? If salt, don't forget you're still going to need additional weight other than that 12 pounds you're wearing in the pool.

Personally, I find that I have "floaty feet" in my 7mm Farmer Jane with my booties. I've tried all the tricks to fix my trim, but I just *need* ankle weights with that particular suit (not with any other one, however). One thing I found that I've loved is a set of ankle weights that come "fillable"...you buy the weights WITHOUT the lead shot in them - the you can fill them with as much shot as YOU want (which you can usually pick up at your dive shop). Not only are they cheaper to buy and have shipped to you, you don't have to decide which ones to buy before you buy them...they allow you to experiment on how much weight to add to make them work for YOU - and you're not limited to whole numbers for pounds. If you find them, just be sure that you don't rely on velcro to close them - also sew the opening shut so you don't accidentally end up dripping lead shot all over the place .

Now...as to where to buy them? Not sure anymore. My LDS used to sell them but doesn't anymore. I'll see if I can find them online and if I do, I'll modify this post to add a link... Frankly, I'd like to order another pair just in case...

Thanks for the replies.

My cold water diving will be freshwater. Since the pool was only 10', I really couldn't get a feel for how compression of the neoprene will affect the floaty feet feeling I had. I like the idea of ankle weights that are fillable. I will be in the Dallas area in a couple of weeks, so I might stop by ScubaToys to see what they have that would fit the bill. I have been making my own soft weights from lead shot and a special vinyl material I found at work. Maybe I can make a set of ankle weight that would work. Now you really have me thinking!! :icon_idea

 

[moneysavr]

I make my own ankle weight for dry suit dives ,But as said you need to get suit wet and air out,2-ways pull down on a mooring line or swim down,going to have to get past 15FSW to make that work,New suits do have more lift,My 7mm after 80+ dive most deep is now a 5mm.
Ankle weights you do not need move your tank up.
If you think you need some lead On your feet,go to wallmart,in the fabric section they sell buckle snaps,get some 1" webbing then get some bike tire innertube like 1 -1/8 and lead shot at sport good store,
The webbing will run thru the tube to each end of the snaps-sew,glue,or melt end's to the right size,then zip tie and glue with a water proof glue one end of tube to snap,then fill with lead shot,roll tube over other snap put some glue on end and zip tie.
DONT USE IN POOL ANY SHOT LEAD THING IT BREAKS YOU GOT A BIG MESS TO CLEAN UP<
Move your tank up,get suit wet or air out,as you come up from your first dive hang on line not that you are to light,
Dive safe,
Brad