HELP! Weight Pouches Keep Falling OUT!

[PARADISE HUNTER]

On a recent trip, my wife's weight pouches kept falling out of her BC. She is diving with a weight integrated Dacor Airtrim ExtremElle. The weight pouches are a double valcro style (the valcro wraps around two surfaces) and she is putting 5lbs in each one. She had no problems until about the 20th dive on the bc. We started double checking them on the surface and they seemed very tight or had strong bonds on the valcro. But on every decent, they started to come out. My assumption is that they got wet and the bond gave. If so, that seems like a big problem. Also, after the pouches were put back in at depth, they stayed for the remainder of the dive. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, have you been able to solve it. Thanks in advance for any help.

Safe Diving!

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I have never had any problems with velco giving away when wet. I dive a Zeagle range so weights are not held by velcro. You may want to talk to whoever you purcahsed it from.

 

[diveman7683]

I've never had a problem with my old BC and even with my new Zeagle with the 10 lbs trim weights in the back.

 

[Skeeter1097]

I think you just need to take it back and fix it or get a norther.

 

[covediver]

I had a similar problem on my Seaquest Black Diamond. In Coz, one pouch with five pounds slid out and it barely missed my dive buddy. After couple of hundred dives, the velcro was just worn out. That does not seem to be your problem. Have you tried "brushing" the velcro to make sure the knap is up? Someone told me that could be a problem, but I don't know enough about velcro to know if that is the case. Velcro pouches should be able to hold 5 pounds without any problem.

You can sometimes order replacement pouches. I took mine to a laundry that did alterations and had heavy duty sewing machines and they were able to sew new velcro on the pouch flaps. That solved the problem.

 

[Damselfish]

Using velcro to hold weight pouches in place isn't a very reliable design and you don't see many (any?) new BCs designed that way anymore.

Make sure the velcro is clean. They actually make little brushes designed to clean and perk up velcro, I bought one from a catalog that sells lots of sewing gadgets. Or as mentioned if the velcro seems worn you can sew some new stuff on top of the old if you can get at it (use matching stuff both sides and probably the heavier duty stuff.) But it might not be wear after 20 dives, just a bad design. A friend of mine has had this problem with her velcro WI pocket BC since it was brand new.

If she can't solve the problem she could go back to wearing a weight belt, nothing says you have to use the weight pockets just because they're there. Or if she really likes WI, start thinking about getting a new BC with a more reliable mechanism. If they keep falling out it's unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst, don't just live with it.

 

[LI Diver]

Just a guess but what if you partially inflated the bc before closing the velcro, maybe when the bc is inflated the material streches or shifts enough for the velcro to loosen?I for one would get a different bc with a more positive locking method.

 

[Web Monkey]

According to DAN, lost weight is a frequent cause of dive injuries and I wouldn't dive with the BC again until you get this resolved.

Velcro is inherently unsutable for weight retention, since the holding power is dependant on it's age, care and cleanlieness. The BC needs to have a positive mechanical system like quick-release buckles or other method that hold with no possibility of an unintended release, but that is easy to release when needed.

In any event, I'd contact the manufacturer and see what they can do. I suspect they would rather eat the cost of the repair/replacement/upgrade than hear about a fatality later on.

If they can't do anything I would buy a different brand, then work on getting a refund.

Terry

On a recent trip, my wife's weight pouches kept falling out of her BC. She is diving with a weight integrated Dacor Airtrim ExtremElle. The weight pouches are a double valcro style (the valcro wraps around two surfaces) and she is putting 5lbs in each one. She had no problems until about the 20th dive on the bc. We started double checking them on the surface and they seemed very tight or had strong bonds on the valcro. But on every decent, they started to come out. My assumption is that they got wet and the bond gave. If so, that seems like a big problem. Also, after the pouches were put back in at depth, they stayed for the remainder of the dive. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, have you been able to solve it. Thanks in advance for any help.

Safe Diving!

 

[vladimir]

According to DAN, lost weight is a frequent cause of dive injuries and I wouldn't dive with the BC again until you get this resolved.

Velcro is inherently unsutable for weight retention, since the holding power is dependant on it's age, care and cleanlieness. The BC needs to have a positive mechanical system like quick-release buckles or other method that hold with no possibility of an unintended release, but that is easy to release when needed.

In any event, I'd contact the manufacturer and see what they can do. I suspect they would rather eat the cost of the repair/replacement/upgrade than hear about a fatality later on.

If they can't do anything I would buy a different brand, then work on getting a refund.

Terry

I agree with everything Terry said. I would add that if she decides to continue diving that BC, she might consider putting 4-6 pounds on a belt and the balance in her vest. That would mitigate the stress on the velcro and leave her with a comfortable amount on the belt.

If you decide on a new vest, Scubapro's clips hold the integrated weight securely and release easily.

 

[Brookieman10]

Just a quick thought as I too have lost a velcro pouch on a Seaquest lattitude

Keep all straps, buckles, hoses, lines, dodads, etc away from the velcro when putting the pouches in. I've had my BCD for 3 years and have ~ 100 dives on this BC using 5-7 lbs per pouch. Once, I may have caught a strap in between the 2 pieces of velcro and losted the pouch coming up a ladder. Now, I make doubly sure that there is nothing in between and that the 2 pieces of velcro line up perfectly to ensure max contact between them

My wifes Athena has only a clip that holds her pouches in but becuase of the size of the BCD and the size of the clip they are the biggest pain in the ***** to put in.

I think all systems have some draw backs and I guess the best advice is to try before you buy

Cheers