Whats your trick to keep the weight Belt from slipping

[FinnMom]

I think many people are much more comfortable and capable of donning/doffing their weighbelt if they carry something like 6-9 lbs on the belt. All other weight someplace else (many suggestions above) or in some other form (steel tanks/double tanks/etc). All you need on the belt is enough to make you positively bouyant, and a lighter belt will be much better for your back and much less determined to slip. Even if it does get loose at depth, a 6-9 lb belt is hugely easier to tighten than one it takes real strength to control.
A fabric ("soft") belt with lead pouches also may be more comfortable and stay put better - but even a soft belt is nicer if 9 lbs or less. It's really nice to have a belt you can manage with one arm, even swim holding it in one hand if necessary.

I also find have to suspect that 40 lbs mught be more weight than you really need. When I started diving I was quite overweight and had a 7mm suit + 5mm oversuit, but I still never used even 30 lbs of lead. Try checkinging your weighting and be absolutely sure you are getting all extra air out of both suit and BCD.

 

[oldschoolto]

Way, Way back in time... MID 70's I had a scuba pro weight belt that had rubber bungee cord built in to it ... It even had these funny looking round weights that went with it... The way it worked was you pulled the belt tight and as you went down the bungee would keep the belt tight and would not slip... I never dove deeper then maybe 40 feet with it back then and was really happy with it, don't know if it was any good going to a greater depth ?

Jim...

 

[DeeperOut]

Getting in shape and staying fit is always the best advice.
Second, do a proper weight-check to make sure you are not overweighted.

Third, I would spread the weight. Dive steel tank. Dive steel backplate. Ideally you will have weights on your back first (backplate) plus steel tank, then you add weights to your tank bands, then you add weights to your belt.
I dive a neoprene drysuit with thick undersuit with a steel tank and 6kg backplate and wing, and require 4kg extra weight (so my canister light and 2kg on a ditchable pouch take care of that). I do not risk catastrophic positive buyoancy (like you would with all weights on a belt) yet can establish positive buyancy by ditching weight and lamp at any time.

If I would dive a conventional BCD with all the comfort padding, light floaty fins, I would need 16 KG weights on my belt. I did a check on what happens when I took that weight off in 3 meters of water. Ascension was rather quick.

 

[tracydr]

Hi there,
Just got a few dives and all in a 7 mill wetsuit becouse of the brutally cold water. I use a weight integrated BCD and also a 40lbs weightbelt.
Problem is my body wants to slip out of the weight Belt which I already cinch down like on a Packhorse.

Is there a better way to keep the Belt from slipping ---------- Do you have a trick which could work for me.


Thanks in advance for all constructive advise!

First, do some pool dives and get a better idea of what weight you really need to stay neutral with your rig and thermal protection with 400-500 psi in your tank. Then do the same from a nice beach in shallow water if you're diving salt water.
Next, you need to spread your weight out somehow. By putting everything on your waist, you're causing your trim to be extremely leg heavy. Like a fulcrum, try putting all the weight on one end of a scale and see what happens.
Consider trim weights ( weights that go on the shoulder of your BC in pockets), wights on your cam-bands, a BP/wing with a steel backplate and a weighted STA ( the center channel is weighted so you can have a total of about 12 pounds between the plate and STA). A steel tank can be very helpful.
Have you taken a Peak Performance Bouyancy Class? Considered a Drysuit?
Or, if you'd really like to nail your bouyancy skills, try a GUE Primer class. ( or the UTD equivalent)
Ultimately, if you can get a drysuit, you will find it so much more comfortable for cold water diving. You'll still need a lot of weight but not usually quite as much as the 7ml, depending on the drysuit and undergarments.
The other thing, how are you descending? Watch the kicking. Are you kicking up while trying to go down? A lot of beginners are doing their darnedest to prevent sinking ( while not realizing it) by kicking, kicking,kicking) all the while not understanding why they need 15-20 extra pounds to sink. If only they would just cros their legs and relax, let out a breath to get started, they would gently start descending to the bottom.
You might always need a pretty large amount of weight on your weight belt/rig but I suspect that you are currently overweighted.
As far as the belt slipping-a DUI harness or a rubber weight belt is good. Or, if you go to a BP/wing, there are many other options, such as dump able weight pockets.
I suspect part of this problem is skills related, part is overweighting, part of it can be taken care of by spreading weight around. The final portion might be due to your conformation, as many men don't have hips so the weight belt doesn't have a place to stay on.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Way, Way back in time... MID 70's I had a scuba pro weight belt that had rubber bungee cord built in to it ... It even had these funny looking round weights that went with it... The way it worked was you pulled the belt tight and as you went down the bungee would keep the belt tight and would not slip... I never dove deeper then maybe 40 feet with it back then and was really happy with it, don't know if it was any good going to a greater depth ?

Jim...

Those types of belts are pretty rare now. However, rubber freedive belts supply the required elasticity and the rubber material of the belt itself, reduces sliding around and falling down. The total weight on an elastic rubber belt should be kept below 25 lbs or so.

We tried to explain the benefits in this thread..

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...systems/318220-scuba-divers-weight-belts.html


Edit: Sorry the sale is over, but our prices on everything are extremely competitive, since we sell direct with no domestic retail stores.

 

[tracydr]

Hi there,
Just got a few dives and all in a 7 mill wetsuit becouse of the brutally cold water. I use a weight integrated BCD and also a 40lbs weightbelt.
Problem is my body wants to slip out of the weight Belt which I already cinch down like on a Packhorse.

Is there a better way to keep the Belt from slipping ---------- Do you have a trick which could work for me.


Thanks in advance for all constructive advise!

How much weight was in the BC?

 

[LowDrag]

I would think that you need to look at your wetsuit as well. You mentioned that it is big and has air gaps. Your wetsuit should fit you like a second skin otherwise you have the air gaps you are describing which equates to extra water movement which will keep you cold.

 

[LowDrag]

I don't know if your LDS renting to you is using AquaLung BC's or not but my wife found this recall on their BC's using the Sherlock II weight system.

http://www.aqualung.com/us/pdf/Consumer_Notice_Recall_SureLock.pdf

 

[spoolin01]

There's a really simple solution to your problem and this guy nailed it. I don't know why anyone would use nylon, or bother with a more complicated rig. A rubber belt will not move, and I use mine up to 40+ lbs w/o issue. I use the plain SS pinch buckle.

Get a rubber freediving weight belt, sticks like glue on my fat tum.

 

[LowDrag]

There's a really simple solution to your problem and this guy nailed it. I don't know why anyone would use nylon, or bother with a more complicated rig. A rubber belt will not move, and I use mine up to 40+ lbs w/o issue. I use the plain SS pinch buckle.

Why? I find it comfortable, I don't have issues with slipping, it is adjustable for waist and amount of weight used, it is affordable compared to some other types of belt setups, it is easy to pack in a gear box/bag for transport, it has a good solid plastic buckle that will not rust or corrode. It may not be for everyone but that does not mean it is not useable or not worth using.