Fins or weight belt ?

[AfterDark]

Old school was weight belt last thing on 1st thing off. The theory was if you put the weight belt under the harness you couldn't dump it. These days with integrated BCDs and the like that became less of a concern. Most of the charters I've been on tell you when they want you to put your fins on. I've shuffled over to the gunwale with fins on and I've put my fins on in the water. Left to my own devices my fins are put on last before I hit the water.

 

[Octopusprime]

Fins are last... Shore, boat or dock... I assemble gear including putting weight in BCD. If you fell off boat you can inflate BCD. In the rare occasion I wear belt it just makes be neutrally buoyant in wetsuit.

You can always dump weight, wearing the fins is a good way to lose your balance and fall.

 

[pt40fathoms]

Belt first, anything else would just get in the way. If you do loose your balance, you can dump the belt. But with fins on, and then trying to put your belt on, you run a much greater chance of loosing your balance.

Of course this whole scenario is moot, when you consider that more and more people are going to weight integrated BCD's. Much more comfortable, much safer in my opinion, and easier to dive in.

Cheers and have fun exploring.

 

[Frosty]

I genuinely feel that the rule will vary according to your gear selection,and the dive site/entry method.
Two recent "extremes" Ive dealt with were flat sea big boat -giant stride entry.--in that case last thing on was fins.
the other extreme was smaller RIB choppy seas.easiest was to put fins on first then belt/bcd when I was first in the water. last in the water it was easier to gear up in the "pool"