Just how bad of an idea is this

Have a us divers calypso bc that is close to fifteen years old and in great shape
Long time of no diving while stored well kept it that way, I am a big time budget
diver and seeing newer models of bc that not only have trim wieghts but weight
pockets built in. So my really bad idea is to hang soft weight pockets on belt at waist. Figure if I have to do an EA I will be needing to ditch bc anyway. And figure it should bejust moving weight off of belt that will still be on because as my wife says I am full of something that floats way to well. So just how bad of an idea is this???

I actually don't understand what your idea is but what is wrong with a standard weight belt? Also, you can add pockets to any tank band with only a little money Xs-Scuba Quick-Attach Single Weight Pocket

And why would you ditch your BC for an emergency ascent? I understand there may be situations where you'd need to but I don't think it's considered standard procedure

wilds42:

Have a us divers calypso bc that is close to fifteen years old and in great shape
Long time of no diving while stored well kept it that way, I am a big time budget
diver and seeing newer models of bc that not only have trim wieghts but weight
pockets built in. So my really bad idea is to hang soft weight pockets on belt at waist. Figure if I have to do an EA I will be needing to ditch bc anyway. And figure it should bejust moving weight off of belt that will still be on because as my wife says I am full of something that floats way to well. So just how bad of an idea is this???

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I think you wife is quite perceptive. Get a freaking weight belt?

wilds42:

.... Figure if I have to do an EA I will be needing to ditch bc anyway....

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Why in the heck would you do that?

Have wieght belt, can't get heavy enough, thinking that like some of the newer gear putting some weight on bc waist belt, not a lot but moving six to ten pounds off belt to bc, and I will be able to add more to belt. The reason I would have to ditch is if I move too much off of belt to bc and it becomes to heavy or bust the bladder, and I have looked at adding weight to bottle strap and probably will as well.

Get a stainless steel back plate on your new PB/W. I have a US Divers Calypso that's 20+ years old, works perfectly well, but doesn't hold a candle to my BP/W. Throw a steel cylinder on your back and you won't need much, if any, weight at all.

Wish I had the green to spend on modular bc just don't right now figured steel tank and two five pound trim weights on tank strap should help out greatly and still keep bc light enough that if I have to drop weight belt I won't have ditch the rig. Have been using al60 cylinder last three dives will try new configuration next weekend.

I think we need to know more about your weight needs, which appear to be a bit extreme. How big are you? What kind of exposure protection are you wearing? How much lead do you use?

On another note--you do not have to have all your weight ditchable. You can do all sorts of things to distribute your weight. If you are carrying a lot of weight it will be especially valuable to get some of it off your hips and farther up your body to help with your trim.

220 lbs. 5'10" .5 mil wet suit, with one layer of polar fleece platinum under if water temp is in low sixtys and another layer of polar fleece gold if colder, taking at least 18 lbs to stay negative in lake, and 20 would have been better at end of dive with an al60 was way way light., The next weekend at underwater wedding had fifteen on belt and still had to add six more pounds in pocket so I could stand on bottom of pool and only had the half mil on then with another al60 tank. Figure I will go ahead and put pair of three pound pockets on lower tank strap and another pair of two pounds bags on top tank strap, that will move some up and level me out and will be able to keep ten on each side of belt, and a three in center of back of belt. Should keep me heavy enough with the lighter tanks and when I use st80 or st100 I should be able to get rid of at least the four pounds up at top of tank and at least four off of belt. Will know more soon will have new(used eBay gold mining trip) regs set up and checked out and have a dive shop down the street from work that will let me come in on my lunch hour and try to work it all out in pool. Figure most of my problems were the aluminum cylinders, when I dove the rigs in Gulf I would always have st120 and didn't have to have more then ten pounds on with no protection other then jeans and t shirt. Planning on trying to make a polar bear dive next month and figure I will take st80s on that trip, figure I will not be down too long at all, with gear I have anything colder then fifty and I am in trouble.

Is it really worth saving money for the extra risk? I'd probably refrain from dives until I could afford proper safety.