Integrated weights versus weight belt

[LeadTurn_SD]

Integrated weight systems are basically accidents waiting to happen. It's one thing to be in the tropics with a skinny suit and 8 lbs in your BC, it's another to have 20 in your BC and blunder into a gill net that requires removing your rig to get clear. I wear a weightbelt or a harness ... even in the tropics with eight lbs.

What Thal said.

In addition to the point Thal makes, I've always worried about an accidental release of the weights, or on the opposite extreme being unable to quickly release them in an emergency.

When I returned to diving after a layoff of several years, I bought a non-integrated jacket BC and used a weightbelt. Recently I've switched to a BP/W, and still use a weight belt.

I am able to "split" my total ballast between the weight belt and the BC (using XS Scuba weight pouches on the tank bands).

If you do choose a weight belt, be sure to get one with a good quality stainless steel buckle.... the cheap plastic buckles can and do fail.

Good luck!

 

[NudeDiver]

....Yeah, unless you run your arm through it, or hook it to you in some fashion (multiple alternatives are available. Your weight harness isn't going to do you much good if your BCD and its attached air tank floats away from you anyway....

 

[Thalassamania]

....Yeah, unless you run your arm through it, or hook it to you in some fashion (multiple alternatives are available. Your weight harness isn't going to do you much good if your BCD and its attached air tank floats away from you anyway....

How is that going to happen if your weightbelt carries the lead that you need to stay neutral without your rig? Then your rig should be neutral with your BCD only carrying enough buoyancy to offset the weight of your breathing media.

 

[NudeDiver]

How is that going to happen if your weightbelt carries the lead that you need to stay neutral without your rig? Then your rig should be neutral with your BCD only carrying enough buoyancy to offset the weight of your breathing media.

Maybe a shark grabs it and carries it away at high speed.

 

[Tigerman]

Maybe a shark grabs it and carries it away at high speed.

In that case I would be more worried about getting my harpoon off so I can blow the tank - and the shark with it - to smitherines Jaws style!

And for the record, I have no problem with taking my integrated weight bc setup on and off under water. I have no problem with the weights mysteriously coming out, even diving with a drysuit and plenty undergarments.

And for the ones finding it heavy to carry around with the weights in it.. Thats why the weights is the last thing you put in before masking up and jumping in.

 

[NudeDiver]

And for the record, I have no problem with taking my integrated weight bc setup on and off under water. I have no problem with the weights mysteriously coming out, even diving with a drysuit and plenty undergarments.

And for the ones finding it heavy to carry around with the weights in it.. Thats why the weights is the last thing you put in before masking up and jumping in.

All ditto.

Recently, I practiced BC removal and replacement at depth. To be fair, my body did try to float up, but I prevented this simply by maintaining a hold on the BC. Running an arm through the shoulder strap of the BC ensured that I could maintain my hold, without uisng my hands. Didn't seem to be much of an issue.

I guess if I were really worried about it, I could keep an empty weight belt in a BC pocket, with a couple of caribeaners - and if necessary, I could remove a weight pocket from the BC and the weight belt and clip it on to myself. Yeah - a big hassle - but given the low probability of needing to remove my BC to release myself from netting, it seems reasonable, overall.

 

[D_B]

I'm kinda wondering about how many accidents have been caused by being separated from your integrated BC?
... given that it's just "one waiting to happen"

 

[gNats]

Greetings gNats good question with lots of opinions and solutions. In the end it really depends what works best for you. I have dove both and find the belt easier for me personally. Several reasons; it makes donning and doffing BC easier, it is easier to ditch if need be, it is cheaper "a little", I like the flexibility to add or subtract, it takes the pressure off my BC "pocket in particular", etc.. These are my reasons and my best advice would be to dive both and make up your own mind.
Both options are able to serve you well it is up personal preference. Have fun trying both out. While you are at it try a back floatation BC to, I did and learned for me I loved it! Just my experience though, go and discover for yourself. That is the fun of it, discovering new ways to dive / new things to try! Cool stuff!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

Greatings CamG,

I dive with a Mares Aliikai BC - which is a back bladder BC. I love this BC. It is very streamlined and trim on my smaller frame. I'm not sure how much weight it will max at, I better check that out.

Thanks for the comments.

Natalie

 

[gNats]

To the OP: I'm about your size. I have dived a BC with integrated weights, and a soft weight belt, and a hard weight belt. I've actually come to the conclusion that I like the hard weight belt the best. I didn't like the integrated weights because, when they were loaded into the BC, the rig was very heavy and hard to move around. My shoulders and neck didn't like all that weight hanging from them, either (although they tolerate a lot more now). So I went to the weight belt with the pockets that you can put soft weights in, and used that for a couple of years. It was handy when I was changing gear all the time, because it was easy to put different amounts of weight in for different dives.

Now that I have settled on my tanks and exposure protection, I have two setups, and I have two weight belts of hard weights. They are so much smaller than the soft ones that I hardly notice they are there. I wish I had done that a long time ago.

Thanks for the information! I dived on Saturday and spent Sunday gimping around from muscle fatigue. The weight on my shoulder and back is taking a toll on me. Plus, I have smallish hands and it is really clumsy for me to pick my fully loaded bc with weights and tank and hoses up and maneuver it. I consider myself in good physical condition and do quite a bit around my house - landscaping, house projects. So, I am shocked at how badly I get my butt kicked by the weight of my gear!

Natalie

 

[TravisD]

One other factor -- on the surface. My wife uses integrated weights (DUI Delta Wings BC) and the weights can make it challenging at times to gear up (they pull down the waist belt, which pulls down the shoulder straps). The short answer for this is to load the weights after donning the BC, but that's not always the safest thing to do (standing in full gear on a moving boat while trying to add weights to pockets? What happens when I gear up first -- now there's two full-gear divers trying to stay upright...)

Along the same note, keep in mind that if you have the weights pre-loaded, you're now also lifting your BC+Tank+Weightbelt all at once which can be touch, and harder on your back (or your Buddy's back). Not as big of a deal when there's a suitable bench available, but donning situations where you're asking your geared-up buddy to heft everything while you shimmy into the straps can be challenging...

Personally, I use a DUI Weight & Trim. Carbohydrate abuse has left me with insufficient hips/butt to safely carry a normal belt it seems The weight harness is very comfortable and adjustable. I don it before the BC and it's comfortable and stable enough to not interfere with gearing up the rest of the way, or with helping my buddy. It's also nice that the velcro pockets are toploading, so adding and removing weight even while in the water is easy.