Trim - On rental gear, how to place weights more to the front

[DevonDiver]

You can use zip-ties onto the upper shoulder straps, or use this method: Simple Method for Adding Weight to a Sidemount Diving Harness

Otherwise, put some trim weight pouches onto the cam band, one on each side, as flush with the rear of the BCD as possible.

 

[Foxfish]

I think there is something to be said for being a bit off the vertical when stationary rather than horizontal when diving in open water. It gives a diver a more comfortable position to look around. It's relatively easy then to tip forward into a more horizontal position when finning. I noticed that a lot of the dive guides use this position when diving in Bali.

 

[Steve_C]

After several hundred dives with integrated weights I finally had a dive with rental gear that used a weight belt. First time since being certified.

I did not notice any trim issues. Looking at a photo that somebody took of me later I see that while in my normal configuration I often extend my legs somewhat at rest (say a 30 degree bend) that in the pictures the legs were bent at 90 degrees. How you bend your legs when at rest can shift your center of gravity.

Also the proper trim depends on what you are doing. Personally I find looking parallel to the trim not real comfortable. Like standing and staring up at the ceiling. So if I am slowly moving along I will be horizontal if watching the bottom or somewhat downward. But if I am looking at say the side of a ship or up along some rocks I will usually trim head up a bit. Or perhaps rotate my body to the side. Sometimes I may trim vertical if that seems best. Such as looking over the top deck and trying not to startle some creature on the top deck.

 

[00wabbit]

You could buy a cam strap for a bp/w setup and then thread on some weight pockets to it and take it with you on your travels.
Then you can strap it onto the tank and put a couple of hard or soft weights into the pockets.
I use these pockets on my top cam band for my bp/w when I dive dry and I have 8 pounds in the pockets (4# in each pocket) of soft lead weights.

Dive-Rite Stainless Steel Cam Strap at LeisurePro

XS Scuba Single Weight Pocket at LeisurePro

This would give you a lightweight solution you could travel with easily and be quick to setup on a tank.

 

[tdtaylor]

I travel with a travel BC without trim pockets, and could never get horizontal with Aluminum tanks. Now I just throw a 2# ankle weight into my luggage and put it around the neck of the tank. Solved my problem.

Terry

 

[eponym]

You can also put a couple of regular hard weights on a regular weight belt and put the weight belt on the tank. Put it as high or low as you wish on the tank.

But locking the weight belt is not the same as locking the camband; the former tends to loosen up a bit when u lock it, whereas the latter gets tighter. How do you make the weight belt keep its place once u lock it around the tank?

If you put the belt just above the BC's tank camband it won't move around--especially if you slide the weights back against the BC's tank cradle. Or, as suggested elsewehere in the thread, you can use a camband (a shop might even give you an old one from a rental BC that's being tossed).

 

[lsorenson]

I do the following... and never have any problems with it... and its always how I dive traveling or not...

I put 4lbs on my upper cam bands (2-2lbs lead). I use to run it though the cam bands but found it to be a bit of a hassle when going from fresh to salt or traveling so I decided to cut a 2" wide piece of velcro (hooks on one side and catch on the other) 7.25" (just measured) and wrap the weight around the upper cam band going through the slots intended for the weight belt. I wrap it where I start inside top of the cam downwards and around, through the slots on the outside and continue up and over the cam and where a full 2" overlap inside the cam. Lock the cam, velcro in now locked in place against the tank and there you have it...

This works well for me... lee