Why weight integrated bc's?

[BSea]

There seens to be a flaw in your plan, just how are you going to ditch the 6lb backplate?

I think you misunderstand the backplate thing. For example: If you use your current BC with a steel tank, and are neutral, you have nothing to ditch. So what do you do if your bc doesn't work? Hopefully it will manually inflate on the surface. If not, and in a worse case senario, you could ditch everything. Well most of us that use a backplate without ditchable weight are neutral, and we'd be in the same situation in the event of a bc failure.

I have ditchable weight pockets on my BP/W, but recently I was using a steel tank in the ocean with a shorty, and needed no extra weight than my backplate. While it isn't common, I've know a few people that could use a normal bc in the ocean without any weight. I guess their body fat was juuuuust a little less than mine. Like about 15% less.

 

[joeabroad]

My memories of weight belts are almost all bad--uncomfortable at best, one more thing to put on and take off, always slipping down my hips, the weights themselves always shifting on the belt, the crappy rental buckles coming undone. The one time I ever lost weights was with a rental weight belt, which simply came open and sank. I was about 10 feet down and popped up, while the belt went the other 50' feet or so down. Very luckily there was no one underneath.

Now that I have steel tanks I only carry 20 lbs of lead with my full 7mm coating, and it all fits very easily into the two WI pockets of my BC, easy in, easy out. I can't imagine going back to a belt.

 

[herman]

I think you misunderstand the backplate thing. For example: If you use your current BC with a steel tank, and are neutral, you have nothing to ditch. So what do you do if your bc doesn't work? Hopefully it will manually inflate on the surface. If not, and in a worse case senario, you could ditch everything. Well most of us that use a backplate without ditchable weight are neutral, and we'd be in the same situation in the event of a bc failure.

I have ditchable weight pockets on my BP/W, but recently I was using a steel tank in the ocean with a shorty, and needed no extra weight than my backplate. While it isn't common, I've know a few people that could use a normal bc in the ocean without any weight. I guess their body fat was juuuuust a little less than mine. Like about 15% less.

I don't think I missunderstood. The poster was commenting that he should of gotten a BP because he could not ditch the rear weights in his current BC. I was pointing out that with a BP you will have weight that is not ditchable at all, at least he had the option in his current BC. He would be giving up that option with a BP and adding the problem of where to put more weight if it were needed.
For what it's worth, I dive warm fresh water with no weight in a simple no frills back inflate BC and AL-80.

 

[djanni]

Hoping someone would explain to me why weight integrated bc's are so popular, and why they even exist.

Pretty simple really..... it's Super convienient.

Seems to me, if you had to take it off to get through a tight spot, you'd have nothing to keep you from shooting towards the surface, especially in a wetsuit.

As you said, you're in a tight spot to begin with so I guess you have built in containment which would stop you from shooting to the surface.

And how do new students handle this during their pool drills, when they do the don/doff procedure? Or don't they teach that anymore?

When we were certified we were trained to don/doff the bc. We were also trained to don/doff a weight belt. We're you not trained to don/doff a weight belt underwater? In fact our instructor was more concerned about the weight belt because it's so easy to accidently release the buckle. So to me, it matters little if the weight is carried in a belt or integragted into the bc. Loose the weight and you could have a probelm. Might just be easier to loose it if your wearing a belt.

 

[BSea]

I don't think I missunderstood. The poster was commenting that he should of gotten a BP because he could not ditch the rear weights in his current BC. I was pointing out that with a BP you will have weight that is not ditchable at all, at least he had the option in his current BC.

You're right. I was wrong.

Sorry

 

[CompuDude]

Two thoughts: First, if all the weight you need with a bp/w is the 6 pounds inherent to the plate, more power to you. The idea behind ditching your weight is hopefully to make it easier to surface, not to shoot up so fast you actually catch air and splash back down. If you're carrying even 12 pounds (total), dropping 6 from your belt or release pockets and keeping the 6 in your plate should still make you more than positive enough to ascend easily.

Second: I like weight belts, and I'm somewhat anatomically challenged in the hips as well. I just crank it down, and don't have an issue. If I did, however, there are harness systems out there that will keep your belt in place, even if you're shaped like an inverted traffic cone. Y'all realize this, right?

http://shop.divebooty.com/2747.html

http://www.simplyscuba.com/ProductDetails.aspx?StockID=73213

http://www.simplyscuba.com/ProductDetails.aspx?StockID=76790

Just sayin'.

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

If I did, however, there are harness systems out there that will keep your belt in place...

why bother?

 

[CompuDude]

why bother?

Either I don't follow your point, or you missed the fact that the belt harnesses still allow you to ditch your weight, without necessarily being part of your BC.

 

[divermike1989]

Even with a wieght integrated you can take it off and hold onto it and still stay at depth. Personally, I like the weight in the BC rather then the weight belt. But now that I'm getting a BP/W if I dive in cold water I guess I'll be getting one.......

 

[stevetim]

For me it's a question of the weight belt shifting around my waist. Integrated weights in a pocket on your BC aren't going to move. It's also a question of the support system of the weights. With a belt, all of your weight is distributed on the arch of your back which can strain pretty badly. In an integrated system the weight is in pockets which distribute the weight over the whole of the BC.