Whats with ankle weights?

[wedivebc]

A certain local dive shop seems to sell ankle weights to every new drysuit diver that comes through their door. We see them at the local dive sites and as soon as they gear up I know where they shop just by the uniform.
I get that they need to sell poodle jackets and split fins to pay the bills but c'mon does every diver really need to use ankle weights?
I followed a couple of those roto-tillers out at the dive site this weekend and was shocked by the effect these guys had on the vis.
Do us all a favor and lose the ankle weights, a quick look behind you should tell you if you need them or not.

 

[Herk_Man]

Oh man, this is going to be fun!

 

[JeffG]

tee hee...I feel my nose twitching.

 

[Kingpatzer]

When I first started diving a dry suit, I had a heck of a time with my feet being overly buoyant. My overall trim was fine, but my feet just seemed to naturally end up in a vertical position. I put on ankle weights (readjusting my weighting elsewhere) and it solved the problem, getting me back to horizontal.

As I got more experience, I learned to be able to perceive the air in the suit and recognize how I had to move to get that air to go where I wanted it too in order to prevent the floating feet phenomenon. So I eventually lost the ankle weights.

But I'm still glad I have them, they are generally really useful. Just having a flexible weight that I can attach to anything makes me happy.

 

[JeffG]

But I'm still glad I have them, they are generally really useful. Just having a flexible weight that I can attach to anything makes me happy.

Ankle weights are great for that.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

A certain local dive shop seems to sell ankle weights to every new drysuit diver that comes through their door. We see them at the local dive sites and as soon as they gear up I know where they shop just by the uniform.
I get that they need to sell poodle jackets and split fins to pay the bills but c'mon does every diver really need to use ankle weights?
I followed a couple of those roto-tillers out at the dive site this weekend and was shocked by the effect these guys had on the vis.
Do us all a favor and lose the ankle weights, a quick look behind you should tell you if you need them or not.

Do you notice any correlation between the use of ankle weights and people who use their drysuit exclusively for buoyancy control?

Seems to me that the latter would make the former seem more desireable ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[JeffG]

Do you notice any correlation between the use of ankle weights and people who use their drysuit exclusively for buoyancy control?

Seems to me that the latter would make the former seem more desireable ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

But.....but.... we just had a commercial diving say that "drysuit exclusively for buoyancy control" is good and that we will tell him that he will die if he uses that method.


http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/324515-drysuit-buoyancy.html

 

[Web Monkey]

A certain local dive shop seems to sell ankle weights to every new drysuit diver that comes through their door. We see them at the local dive sites and as soon as they gear up I know where they shop just by the uniform.
I get that they need to sell poodle jackets and split fins to pay the bills but c'mon does every diver really need to use ankle weights?
I followed a couple of those roto-tillers out at the dive site this weekend and was shocked by the effect these guys had on the vis.
Do us all a favor and lose the ankle weights, a quick look behind you should tell you if you need them or not.

How does that work? If you look behind you and don't see a huge cloud of silt, you need more ankle weights?

Terry

 

[gcbryan]

A certain local dive shop seems to sell ankle weights to every new drysuit diver that comes through their door. We see them at the local dive sites and as soon as they gear up I know where they shop just by the uniform.
I get that they need to sell poodle jackets and split fins to pay the bills but c'mon does every diver really need to use ankle weights?
I followed a couple of those roto-tillers out at the dive site this weekend and was shocked by the effect these guys had on the vis.
Do us all a favor and lose the ankle weights, a quick look behind you should tell you if you need them or not.

A heavy snorkel will balance out the ankle weights.

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

The LDS is full of the most buoyant fecal deposits! Buying ankle weights is a waste of money. What you want to do is come up to Ontario where the law prohibits the removal of artifacts from shipwrecks. Bring your East Coat Wrecker crowbars and help yourself to some souvenirs. Our local constabulary will reward you with a pair of stainless steel ankle weights and a matching pair of wrist weights. Each will have a nice matching chain so you don't lose one. Furthermore, you will receive an orange jumpsuit at no extra charge.