LavaSurfer:
OK, Got my new DSS wing and love it. Getting it all rigged the way "I" like it and have one question.
Do I use my weight belt for ditchable weight or do I use some kind of pocket. I am assuming I will need about 4# in Warm Water but maybe 6#. The Plate is 6# and I dive with 8-10 with my jacket BC.
The Belt should obviously go on last as I have a crotch strap but some kind of pocket might be more convinent
Any opinions would be appreciated
LavaSurfer,
Glad to hear you like the gear.
What I recommend for new BP&W users is to first determine your total weighting needs. The pool or other confined setting is great, edge of the dock etc.
For single tank divers using a 5 mil or thicker wetsuit I set people up so they are neutral (eye level) at the surface with no gas in their wing. This usually works pretty well, and allows a 15 ft stop with a near empty tank, because the wetsuit is compressed at 15 ft. (Doing the weight check at the surface with a full tank is much easier than the mythical 500 psi @ 15 ft. Never seems to be a bag 'o' spare lead at 15 ft.) If you are in little or no exposure suit you will need to add a few pounds after finding "Neutral" this is necessary to offset the gas consumed.
Once you find your total weighting, for example plate + 6 lbs, or whatever, you need to see where this 6lbs neess to be located for best trim. More pool time. Having some temp weights like drop weights or ankle weights you can move around, hang on the neck of the tank, zip tie to the sides of the plate etc. is a handy thing when working on trim. I start by setting the tank height where I can best reach the valve, and adjust weight position from there.
I personally prefer the pouch weight belts from XS Scuba. They are easy to add or remove weight from, and you can "ditch" one pocket at a time. I wear mine under the harness, you might choose not to.
I"ve tried adding pouches to the waist belt of the rig, and don't really like it, I know others have done so and report success. I like having at least a little of my ballast on my person, it makes donning and doffing in the water easier, as I'm not "pinned to the surface" by a buoyant exposure suit, and the waist straps of the rig aren't hanging straight down. Might depend on the type of diving you do.
If you find that having 5-8 lbs more up over your lungs our bolt on weight plates are one solution. If you find you can get trim with a 6 lbs weight belt, do it, Weight belts are cheaper than Stainless Steel.
BTW our medium plates are 5lbs, the large are 6 and the small 4.
As mentioned before you are very likely to loose more than the weight of the plate from your belt because most Jacket BC's are positive by 3-5 lbs.
Hope this helps,
Tobin
