Integrated weight system or weight belt???

[jagfish]

I have weight integrated BC
In warm water, it is really nice...
But sometimes when diving dry, I think about how much easier it would be to put on my rig if it didn't have 26 pounds of lead in it...

JAG

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

I have weight integrated BC
In warm water, it is really nice...
But sometimes when diving dry, I think about how much easier it would be to put on my rig if it didn't have 26 pounds of lead in it...
JAG

I used to think the same until one day the light bulb went on and now I put the weight pockets in after I have the rig on.

Removing the pockets also makes it easier to take the BC off a tank when swapping out between dives.

Marc

 

[jagfish]

Yeah
That ocurrred to me as well, but I often have to carry my equipment to a "staging area" near the entry point for the shore dives here. All your stuff hangs out there. I have often used a separate bag to carry the weight pouches with the rest of my gear to the staging area, then insert them into the BC at the last moment as you suggest. Still just a pain, and I am waiting for the time I forget to put the weight pouches in one day...

JAG

 

[Moogyboy]

hey all

Back after something of a layover...

I haven't used a weight-integrated BCD--I have a faded-to-brown Dacor Nautica--yet but I plan to make my next one WI'd. Usually I use of those soft-weight pouch belts for warm water and a big bulky lead belt for cold diving in my 6.5mm suit. That belt is really unwieldly with all that rubber, not to mention that because of compression I can never get my belt to stay snug on my waist--at depth I've had it almost slip off at least one and no amount of cranking it down really solved it. I'd get a WIBCD just for that. My pouch belt, though, is fine with a shorty and my Nautica. I'm itching to try WI.

cheers

Billy S.

 

[hex92]

the W&T keeps the weight on your shoulders - not your hips. If you have to ditch weight you can decide to dump only half of it at a time - like a WIBC. I have had the W&T 2 for just a short time (2 quarry dives and 6 ocean dives) and can't imagine having to go back to a regular belt.

The only WIBC I tried was in my open water class. I kept ending up in the face down postion. I find the Dive Rite Transpac and DUI weight and trim to be the perfect combination.

 

[Bretagne]

I dive in the UK to and use Mares BC with MRS intergrated weights, there is no problem uncliping them and handing them on to the rib , with a lot of weight in them. Because there are two pockets it's half the effort to pass them up

As long as you do not forget to give the weights separatly. Otherwise, you are condemmned to climb in the boat with all your gear on if you dive with the same boat again .

 

[CBulla]

After assisting my wife with her weight integrated Diva for 3 years now, it is my personal opinion that diving with all weight integrated stuff is a pain in the keister and way to heavy for my personal likings. My gear, pre-tank, and weighting weighs in at half the weight of hers.

Note: I have found pouches with lead in them during dives. Some had been returned to owners some are at my house.

 

[Mantaman]

An earlier post discussed setting used to the equipment and I have to give that a resounding Cheer. I purchased a Ranger Zeagle several years ago and hated it until I understood how it worked and the best way to dump air. Now I smile when everyone is hitching up their weight belts. I think the best decision I personally made was to go integrated. I travel for all my dives and stick the boat/shop weights in the pouches rather than carrying my own.

Go Beltless......

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Just my own 2 cents here but I have lost a velcro pocket without realizing it. I was fairly deep and I didn't exactly rocket to the surface. When it was time for a safety stop and I couldn't stop I knew something was up.

I use the seaquest black diamond with surlocks now. They're great.

At times I'll add a couple of pounds to the bottom of my tank.

 

[saintsfan]

I use the seaquest balance with the surlock system and love it,I wouldnt even think about a weight belt again.its easy enough to take the pockets out for entry into the boat or to put it on