Ankle weight user poll

[300bar]

Ok thanks

Ok, well I'll just keep diving and see how I go.

Looking at your pics.


You'll be better as most I've seen on this board.
Including some of the in(famous)

Just have Fun,hope we'll meet some time.

 

[Sas]

Looking at your pics.


You'll be better as most I've seen on this board.
Including some of the in(famous)

Just have Fun,hope we'll meet some time.

Hahaha ok, we'll see I guess

Hopefully, then you can show me how to dive without ankle weights

 

[LouieLouie]

Saspotato,

I've had a look at your pics, and to me it seems like your tank is still quite high. From the pictures, it looks like your first stage is 5-10 cm higher than your buddy Michael's.

As far as I can see, your valve wheel is at the same level as your mask strap. As a comparison, when diving double 12L tanks of similar lenght as your tank, mine are at shoulder level. I also have a set of double 6L tanks - when using those, the valve wheels are about 5 cm below my shoulders. I don't need ankle weights with either, not when diving dry, and definitely not when I'm in a wet suit.

If it's absolutely impossible to lower the tank further, I'd consider adding some weights to the lower end of the back plate to get rid of the ankle weights. Your ankles are in motion during the dive, which means added weight will waste energy, and more importantly, gas.

 

[Sas]

Saspotato,

I've had a look at your pics, and to me it seems like your tank is still quite high. From the pictures, it looks like your first stage is 5-10 cm higher than your buddy Michael's.

As far as I can see, your valve wheel is at the same level as your mask strap. As a comparison, when diving double 12L tanks of similar lenght as your tank, mine are at shoulder level. I also have a set of double 6L tanks - when using those, the valve wheels are about 5 cm below my shoulders. I don't need ankle weights with either, not when diving dry, and definitely not when I'm in a wet suit.

If it's absolutely impossible to lower the tank further, I'd consider adding some weights to the lower end of the back plate to get rid of the ankle weights. Your ankles are in motion during the dive, which means added weight will waste energy, and more importantly, gas.

Ok thanks. I have it set as low as I can with my current setup as I have stated (see this pic Me at Point Cook on Flickr - Photo Sharing! from a recent dive, you can see how the cam band lies just where the top of the tank is - bit dark I know so maybe you cannot see it, near the grey bit on my tank..). I have tried tail weight before with twins but still had floaty feet Might try it with the single tank though. Currently I wear all my weight in a weight belt + SS BP. I am not sure I could reach my valves if they were 5cm below my shoulders - I'd have to try it out as I don't know for sure.

Actually I do not agree at all that I will waste gas wearing ankle weights. My gas consumption dropped a few litres a minute to a baseline of 10-11L/min after switching to ankle weights as I no longer have to fin all the time in shallow water.

I dived with my new instructor tonight and asked him to look at my trim but the dive was very shallow (and dark) so he had no real feedback yet. He says he will let me know if there is anything I can do further.

Though, seems like I have already gone to a lot of trouble to try other things... Ankle weights make my diving very comfortable, much much more so than without so I will keep wearing them for now

 

[TSandM]

Saspotato, the bottom line is that we do this for fun, and if the ankle weights make your diving more fun, use them. It is highly likely that there is another solution to your problem, but you haven't found it yet, and in the meantime, it's miserable to have to fin all the time because you aren't stable.

 

[tfsails]

My legs are so negative that I don't need ankle weights and nothing I've tried completely works. I am toying with the idea of wrapping my lower legs in neoprene (made from an old 7-mm suit) to add some floatation to them. I use Aeris Velocity fins which are slightly negative in fresh water.

My legs have always been very negative. Hell, I had to get fat before I could float at all with anything less than a full lungful of air. Now I can still sink everything except my bald spot by exhaling (swimming, not diving). Dammit I hate being fat!!

 

[BioLogic]

Ok, I know about a puddle's worth of information from the whole ocean's worth of possible scuba knowledge. Just a Noob. But there's something in this discussion I just don't get, and I hope someone will clarify it.

I've seen 'Just dive more!' from several different posters as an explanation of how to fix floaty feet without ankle weights. No problem, I plan to try that approach anyway.

But I don't get how that's supposed to help. If I hold still now without my ankle weights, in a relaxed and body mostly straight position, I'm feet up in about twenty seconds. I've tried all the concrete suggestions I've heard, with the exception of going to negative fins (I like my fins). If I don't do something concrete differently, how will I float differently when holding still 1,000 dives from now? Any postural changes I've discovered that make the ankle weights unnecessary are unnatural contortions I don't want to hold for long.

 

[300bar]

Saspotato, the bottom line is that we do this for fun, and if the ankle weights make your diving more fun, use them. It is highly likely that there is another solution to your problem, but you haven't found it yet, and in the meantime, it's miserable to have to fin all the time because you aren't stable.

If that aint the thuth.the whole thuth and nothing but...

No thanks from me you already have waaay more then anyone else.

 

[300bar]

My legs are so negative that I don't need ankle weights and nothing I've tried completely works. I am toying with the idea of wrapping my lower legs in neoprene (made from an old 7-mm suit) to add some floatation to them. I use Aeris Velocity fins which are slightly negative in fresh water.

My legs have always been very negative. Hell, I had to get fat before I could float at all with anything less than a full lungful of air. Now I can still sink everything except my bald spot by exhaling (swimming, not diving). Dammit I hate being fat!!

You could try some weihgts on your tank,making you topheavy,thus forcing your head down.

If you can get these,BRIGHTWEIGHTS - Swim Like A Fish they do the trick.

 

[300bar]

You're also gonna hate me for this. You're female.














Again,just kidding you, but women do tend to have this problem,must have to do with the bodyfat distribution.IMO
Why dive more , quite simple,the more you dive the more you can and will experiment with different rig setups.Tanks low or high,placement of weihgts.
Body position in water and the likes.

Just dive and learn.

Ok, I know about a puddle's worth of information from the whole ocean's worth of possible scuba knowledge. Just a Noob. But there's something in this discussion I just don't get, and I hope someone will clarify it.

I've seen 'Just dive more!' from several different posters as an explanation of how to fix floaty feet without ankle weights. No problem, I plan to try that approach anyway.

But I don't get how that's supposed to help. If I hold still now without my ankle weights, in a relaxed and body mostly straight position, I'm feet up in about twenty seconds. I've tried all the concrete suggestions I've heard, with the exception of going to negative fins (I like my fins). If I don't do something concrete differently, how will I float differently when holding still 1,000 dives from now? Any postural changes I've discovered that make the ankle weights unnecessary are unnatural contortions I don't want to hold for long.