weight belt vs. weight in BC?

[diver 85]

Is there any reason to use a weigh belt if you can get a BC that allows you to put weights directly into the BC?

Thanks.

yes, what if you have to ditch your BC & all your wt's are there----Could go 'flying' to the surface---quickly.....

Recently(2 yrs ago) I switched to a BC that has wt pockets on it(the Zeagle Scout) & now use about have & half....before that I wore a wt belt with all the wt on it, 24/7....

 

[SailNaked]

I like a weight belt because I can hand up my weight belt first and then my tank does not weigh a billion pounds. I tend to carry my wifes gear a lot, she has integrated and I cuss like a sailor. If I am diving off the back of a sailboat with no support crew then I can climb the ladder after removing the weight belt, no so much with an integrated BC.

 

[sabbath999]

As others have mentioned, a big concern of using integrated weights (especially in cold water where you will be using a lot more weight) is if you have to take your BCD off under water.

If you do go integrated, learning how to do this without having losing control and having an unplanned buoant ascent is something you NEED to do in a pool.

If you put all your weight on a belt, and you drop it at depth, you are also going up like a rocket (whereas with an integrated system you can drop just enough to get you positively buoyant) so this is another thing that you need to practice how to deal with.

Another thing to consider is your buddies... if you dive with one or two buddies all the time, each of you know the other person's gear so it isn't a big deal. With an insta-buddy, whichever way you go you NEED to make sure they know how your weight system works and how YOU want weight dropped in an emergency situation.

My .02 psi

 

[Blackwood]

I use BP/W setup with no weight belt

I do the same whenever possible.

For steel doubles, I have a v-weight and a tail pouch. For steel singles I can get away without a belt diving wet using the cam pouches, though I have to fight head-down trim. For steel singles diving dry I need a belt.

 

[Jupiter31]

As soon as weight integrated BC's became available, I purchased one - I much prefer over weight belts

However, I agree its a personal decision

 

[Sinbad the Diver]

I dive with the integrated most of the time, but I have a weight belt and I use it once in a while. If I ever lose a pocket or have to ditch, I prefer not to pay for a replacement pocket (assuming I could get one) plus if I was on a boat I'd be SOL (So Outa Luck) if I didn't have and know how to use a belt if I lost a pocket. So my answer is both...

 

[Dr Neil]

For some it's also dependent upon their ability to keep a standard (non harness) weight belt secure around their waist.

For example:
My son has no butt to keep the weight belt up. Consequently, a weight belt just won't work comfortably.

I have seen a good number of overweight male students with dunlap disease (their gut "dun laps" over their belt) who cannot keep a weight belt up.

So body types at either end of the spectrum need an alternative to a standard weight belt.

 

[SoybeanQueen]

I like having weights integrated in my BC, but I prefer to put some of the weight in the trim pockets (non-ditchable) on the back instead of all in the front.

I haven't done much really cold water diving yet, but I think if I need to use a lot of weight, I'll spread the weights out further with a weight belt, as well. I do not like having all of the weight on a belt, as it hurts my hips and back. But, I also don't like having the weight pockets in my BC jammed as full as they go, because they are difficult to put back in the BC that way if they come out.

 

[mgctutor]

I use both at the same time. I have a scubapro knighthawk. It has intergrated, and I dive with a dry suit, so the belt is used as well...

 

[Buoyant1]

I just carry a cinder block until I get to a depth where my wetsuit compresses then I'm good to go!

I've seen people use both at the same time for different reasons, needed more weight, needing it distributed differently, or just liking weightbelts!

Personally, I use integrated, no belt, some ditchable, some not!