Ankle weights- Yay or Nay?

[JulieannevZ]

I really appreciate you all for discussing this!!

I've only logged 30 dives so far, just completed my Advanced Open water, and my instructor insists that I need ankle weights. And, I really don't want them.

I really got a lot from what Ken said here:

She was really overweighed. Dive after dive, as she became more confident and more capable with her DS, we started removing weight. She started feeling floaty - so I brought in the ankle weights. More as a placebo than anything else.

We pulled off another 4 and replaced it with the ankle weights. A few dives later, off they came. She was amazed at how much easier it was to dive, to walk, to get up the ladder, into the boat, etc. without the ankle weights.

My situation sounds similar to your wife's Ken. I used to do lots of runaway ascents, and I believe it was because of my low confidence level. Of course, the more runaways I did, the more scared I became of doing runaways.

The last 4 dives I haven't done any ( runaways that is) and I feel a lot more under control.

My instructor says I have floaty ankles like a lot of women do, yet they don't feel floaty to me!! LOL

You guys have helped with my decision. I'm definitely NOT going to put those things on my ankles!!!

Thanks!

 

[simbrooks]

I've only logged 30 dives so far, just completed my Advanced Open water, and my instructor insists that I need ankle weights. And, I really don't want them.

Depending of course on which agency this instructor is working through, if PADI, do the PPB course - but insist on now ankle weights, just moving weight around. An alternative is to go somewhere nice and shallow and work on trim (moving weight around to prevent floaty extremeties) with a buddy, just spend time trying out different weight placements and you should be able to move a few items (tank and other weights) around to suit. Of course check your weighting with a minimal fill (500psi or so) just under the water surface.

My situation sounds similar to your wife's Ken. I used to do lots of runaway ascents, and I believe it was because of my low confidence level. Of course, the more runaways I did, the more scared I became of doing runaways.
The last 4 dives I haven't done any ( runaways that is) and I feel a lot more under control......
You guys have helped with my decision. I'm definitely NOT going to put those things on my ankles!!!

Newer divers often retain more air in their lungs and this makes them more positively buoyant, requiring more weight. Most people shed weight as the do a bunch of dives. The more you relax and breathe more normally (as normal as deep, long, continuously and using your diaphragm is) you may notice more weight coming off on those weight checks. As for the runway ascents, part of the issue with buoyancy is anticipation. Just as when you descend you dont pump the inflator when you are about to hit the bottom (possibly over-compensating and sending you back up), give it some puffs as you are going down, short 1/2-1 second puffs of air, a little more as you go deeper, but hopefully pretty neutral when you are abuot 5ft off the bottom or so. When you ascend, you have to be thinking a little ahead of the game again, anticipate the expansion and let out small dumps from the BC as you are going up. Dont use the BC as an elevator to ride to the surface, just swim up (or breath your way up) getting rid of almost all the expanded air over the course of the ascent - not all at once, but in small doses. Buoyancy is an art that it takes time to pick up, at 30 dives i know i was still struggling to anticipate and get it right all the time without major corrections. Practice, play, work on it, things do come together. If you can get something to look at whilst you are ascending that might help - to guage your speed - as you see yourself increasing in speed slow down by dumping some, this might be stuff naturally floating in the water, a wall or down line to refer to - i find these help me to keep my ascents slow and determine if i am going to fast and need to compensate. Hope that makes sense

 

[Michael Schlink]

I've been dry for about 16 years now. I think I remember ankle weights when I first started diving a drysuit, but not anymore. Ankle weights are at best a temporary solution.
My answer would be to start out with ankle weights with the full intention to "work" out of them.
Legs don't float, they're probably the most negative body part we got, just cut one off and throw it in the water and watch your leg sink.
Better yet cut somebody else's leg off that way you don't swim in circles.
If you feel like your legs are floating up it's probably the scuba god telling you to try a frog kick instead of a flutter. Once you bend your knees then if your body tries to pivot, IE your butt and feet are rising and your head is dropping BUT you're not actually rising in the water column then you need to redistribute your weight load NOT add more weight.-M

 

[mempilot]

My buddy had his drysuit converted over to socks to use with Rock Boots. The RB's made his feet negative, so he modified a set of ankle weights(lightened) and now his feet are neutral again. His White's seems to fit fine. He dives with Jets.

Use em if you need em.

Are Rock Boots normally positive? I'd think they'd put a small shank in them to make them slightly negative to neutral.

 

[String]

Yay if needed.

Ive got 2 drysuits. One is absolutely fine without them (diamond membrane suit). The other has bigger boots and neoprene style socks and im far happier with ankle weights on that one (ND cortex).

Provided you can maintain a horizontal trim i see no problem at all with them. If a drysuit is slightly too big and/or legs too big it'll tend to hold air there and weights will help.

If you need ankle weights to stay trimmed and comfortable by all means use them. There are times they are needed with certain users and suit combinations.

Ankle weights are not overweighting - you should factor in their weight when doing weight calculations. They are also available in different weights so you should be able to choose one about right for the amount of buoyancy you're trying to counteract.

 

[Mo2vation]

I really appreciate you all for discussing this!!

I've only logged 30 dives so far, just completed my Advanced Open water, and my instructor insists that I need ankle weights. And, I really don't want them.

I really got a lot from what Ken said here:



My situation sounds similar to your wife's Ken. I used to do lots of runaway ascents, and I believe it was because of my low confidence level. Of course, the more runaways I did, the more scared I became of doing runaways.

The last 4 dives I haven't done any ( runaways that is) and I feel a lot more under control.

My instructor says I have floaty ankles like a lot of women do, yet they don't feel floaty to me!! LOL

You guys have helped with my decision. I'm definitely NOT going to put those things on my ankles!!!

Thanks!

Confidence cannot be overstated. It doesn't replace proper training, and it doesn't replace acquired skills, but I'm telling you - there is a difference between THINKING you can do something, and KNOWING you can do it.

She lost her confidence in one feet first ascent from about 30 feet. It took a long time and many, many dives to get it back.

I'm glad to have my favorite dive buddy back. Take it slow, and dive with someone who's patient (I wasn't for quite a while... that didn't help the situation) and it'll come back.

Your post made my day.

---
Ken

 

[verona]

Generally nay. If suit fits right, don't think they should be needed. The boots in my suit are a bit big but I wear extra socks to fill the airspace. If I forget to put them on, my feet get floaty. But otherwise floaty feet aren't a problem. I would encourage good fit, natural padding and good in water position rather than weight on the ankles

 

[mempilot]

Generally nay. If suit fits right, don't think they should be needed. The boots in my suit are a bit big but I wear extra socks to fill the airspace. If I forget to put them on, my feet get floaty. But otherwise floaty feet aren't a problem. I would encourage good fit, natural padding and good in water position rather than weight on the ankles

What would you recommend for Rock Boots then? There is no airspace to create the float, just material.

 

[verona]

Couldn't say, mempilot. Haven't any experience of them. That's why I said generally because doubtless there will be circumstances when weights would be appropriate. Just my experience. Others, as we have seen, will have different experiences. That's why this board is so great!

 

[mempilot]

I've been thinking about converting to rock boots, but not if they are positive and I have to wear weights.