I'm buying my bc this week, and was wondering on yalls opinion of going totally wi, or partial wi and partial weight belt? I'm a new diver, and I'm thinking wi with no weight belt! I'm a "fluffy" woman, and use 26 lbs. weight. Any opinions?
weight intergrated bc?
- Thread starter grits61
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O2BBubbleFree
Contributor
I have an integrated weight BC and think its the way to go takes a lot less time to set up and all, release is super easy also, I'm currently diving a DUI w.i. BC for reference
A couple points to keep in mind aways unload pockets when switching tanks and such as it makes it a lot easier to heft around and pockets (at least mine) have a 30lb capacity on each side so you should be fine with room for more if need be.
A couple points to keep in mind aways unload pockets when switching tanks and such as it makes it a lot easier to heft around and pockets (at least mine) have a 30lb capacity on each side so you should be fine with room for more if need be.
H2Andy
Contributor
normally, if you go weight integrated you ditch the belt (that's what's so great about
WI)
3dent's post (his link) is very good. i would also suggest the Oceanic Probe. very solid
wi pockets, with very secure latches AND easy to pull off (they managed to do it)
WI)
3dent's post (his link) is very good. i would also suggest the Oceanic Probe. very solid
wi pockets, with very secure latches AND easy to pull off (they managed to do it)
Finnatic
Contributor
I have a weight integrated BC, but often dive using the weight belt instead of the pouches on the BC. Instead of one weight belt, you will have 2 pouches to keep track of and hand up to a rocking boat. On my model, the Sherwood Genesis, the weights are very hard to load when the BC is set up on the tank and the pockets are practically useless because the weight pouches take up most of the pocket room. DMs do not like to lug around a loaded BC, so there is a lot of loading and unloading. Sometimes it's more trouble than it's worth and a good ole weight belt loaded with soft weights seems easier.
marcurts
Guest
After having a weight pocket come out on it's own I switched to a DUI weight & trim harness. If for some reason I have to get out of my BC at depth I still have the weight on and I don't risk acsending out of control.
My 2cents
My 2cents
prplunicorn
Guest
I have the Seaquest Eva, and I like it a lot. It has wing pockets on the back, so that I can even out my weight if I need to.
I started to answer without reading the whole question, let me just add this now that I've read the whole of the thread.
For a newer diver, going to do alot of learning and diving in shallow ow at first, there is nothing better IMHO than a WI bc. Weight integration is nice in many ways, and still provides the safety factor of a weight belt in that it's ditchable.
There are some problems experienced with the WI bc however. Sometimes the weight is not positioned well on the body and it leaves you out of trim. (Imagine trim as being able to hold any position in the water when you're still, if you stop moving and your body goes head up/head down/side down/butt down/etc, you're not trimmed out) Some WI bcs have pockets too small to accommodate cold-water divers. I dive 30#s in my DR TransPac with a drysuit when I use a bc. That is barely comfortable and I try to get some moved onto my ankles, tank, etc.
A WI bc will allow you to put all or none of your weight in your BC. A non-WI bc will force you to put all of your weight elsewhere.
For a newer diver, going to do alot of learning and diving in shallow ow at first, there is nothing better IMHO than a WI bc. Weight integration is nice in many ways, and still provides the safety factor of a weight belt in that it's ditchable.
There are some problems experienced with the WI bc however. Sometimes the weight is not positioned well on the body and it leaves you out of trim. (Imagine trim as being able to hold any position in the water when you're still, if you stop moving and your body goes head up/head down/side down/butt down/etc, you're not trimmed out) Some WI bcs have pockets too small to accommodate cold-water divers. I dive 30#s in my DR TransPac with a drysuit when I use a bc. That is barely comfortable and I try to get some moved onto my ankles, tank, etc.
A WI bc will allow you to put all or none of your weight in your BC. A non-WI bc will force you to put all of your weight elsewhere.
Charlie99
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26 pounds is a lot of weight for WI pockets. You may still find it useful, though, to get weight integrated and split the weight between the various pouches and a weightbelt.grits61:
For tropical 3mm and 5mm diving I love my weight integrated BC.
YMMV. If at all possible, try out the various BCs to see how they feel and how they affect your trim in the water.
You might consider renting for a while, and making careful note of the various BCs you try.
ScubaGoddess1
Guest
I just purchased a Genesis Athena - a weight integrated BCD for women. I love it. It has saved me the hassle of dealing with weight belts that kept on falling off. I would highly recommend going in this direction.
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