Weightbelt on Vacation

[Robbo]

I have brought my own weights before but wont do it again. Too much of a hassle and was very close to the 70# weight limt.

I am going to Little Cayman next April and "Island Air" who is the charter from Grand Cayman to Little Cayman only allow 50# per person total including carry-on items. $.50 per pound over that.

 

[ScubaDawg2]

Lesson learned.

I recently went on a trip where the weights were provided. Good deal! Dont have to *lug* the with me.

We both have Zeagle Ranger BC's that support integrated weights. Since we were traveling and the dive operation would most likely have solild weights, I decided not to bring my weight pockets for the BC's. So I ended up taking nylon weight belts for both myself and my wife. This way if the had solid weights or shot weights we would be set.

Big mistake for the wife. She hated the belt. So, in the future, I will bring both weight pockets and a belt for myself. However, leave the weights at home.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I'd guess that somewhere aroung 5% of the divers I see on our boats have brought their own weights with them to Cayman. I wouldn't bother.

Surprisingly, it rarely seems to be people who use very little weight - the weights they are hauling around are usually substantial. More often it is someone who is experienced, and frequently they plan some shore diving and bring their weights to save rental charges.

And of those who use weight belts, I'd guess that about 25% of them bring their own weight belts. This usually makes more sense since you can be certain that the belt is precisely the right length.

 

[detroit diver]

Zept once bubbled...
I don't even own weights. I dive in Singapore and Malaysia, with occasional trips to other parts of SE Asia (Thailand last December, going to Bali this November). Everywhere I've been, tanks and weights have been included in the price of the trip......Zept

Although I don't dive where Zept does, I have found the same policies everywhere that I'be been. NEVER had to pay for weights or weight belt.

 

[thethumper]

I user a Transpac II w/integrated weight pockets. I live in Florida, so I usually take weights with. But flying is a different story. I use 10# in warm/salt water w/a 7mm suit.

 

[scorpionfish]

I have an integrated bc, but my best dive buddies use pocketed wt. belts. We always use the wts. provided by the dive shop. We have tried both wt. pouches and solid wts. and, in truth, cannot feel much difference.

With the airlines becoming much more demanding on the wt. of individual bags, it would seem a really unnecessary "luxury" to carry wts. One experience I recently had on an international flight was to have my dive bag weighed and be told that it was one pound overweight. That one pound would have cost me $70.00! So, I removed an u/w flashlight and put it in my carry-on. The rational is not just total wt in the airplane, but the wt. of each bag: presumably that is to protect the backs of the guys and gals who have to heft our gear.

One more thing that has now happened numerous times to me: I carry on all my camera gear, including strobes and rechargeable batteries, and about half the time I have had to open my carry-on and have it searched. The only time I had a problem with this was when they would not let me do the handling of the gear and the security person scratched my Subal housing. A pain, but not life threatening!

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish

 

[zboss]

I ended up buying a weight integrated BCD anyhow. Again - should I bring along shot weight or should I assume that the dive shops would have them?

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I bring my own for my integrated weight BC. Since the shops usually have 5 and 2lb weight, you end up having to triple or quadrupling up in weights in odd combinations, which frequently won't fit in the pouch.

I didn't go over weight limit of the airline because my scuba gears were so heavy that the weights went into another bag.

 

[diverkim]

Yikes!
This is the first time I have heard that some dive shop operators charge for weights. That sounds awfully bad for the dive business. Equipment is heavy enuf as is without lugging lead around on vacation.
Luckily I'm slim so I don't have a problem finding a belt which fits.

 

[astrofunk]

zboss:

Don't assume that shot weight will be provided (or available, for that matter). The best thing to is to call and ask... I generally bring my own weight; fortunately, it doesn't amount to much more than 14 lbs or so, and I travel light in other respects.

Occasionally, I've been bummed because I lugged 10 extra lbs on board, only to find out that weight was provided (e.g. in Kona). But I've also experienced the reverse situation, and I found myself lending out weight to divers who were scrounging to fill their integrated pouches (e.g. in Monterey)...

- astrofunk