weight belt

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Yep. Just get divin' and you'll figure it out! :D

True. Weight is one of those things that I'm still messing around with after more than a few dives, and the only way to get a handle on it is to dive as much as you can.

Oh, one other thing that I was not taught, and didn't think of, but when somebody brought it up it made perfect sense: as you dive, learn, and experiment with weight, LOG IT! write it down, keep track of it; not only how much weight was on your belt, but what suit you wore, and what cylinder you used. I put all that info on every dive in my log book now, and I'm glad I do. It's come in real handy to estimate how much to start with. I still do a weight check at the beginning of a dive, but having a starting point based on past experience is priceless.
 
True. Weight is one of those things that I'm still messing around with after more than a few dives, and the only way to get a handle on it is to dive as much as you can.

Oh, one other thing that I was not taught, and didn't think of, but when somebody brought it up it made perfect sense: as you dive, learn, and experiment with weight, LOG IT! write it down, keep track of it; not only how much weight was on your belt, but what suit you wore, and what cylinder you used. I put all that info on every dive in my log book now, and I'm glad I do. It's come in real handy to estimate how much to start with. I still do a weight check at the beginning of a dive, but having a starting point based on past experience is priceless.

Great advice!

I need to do a better job of this, because you're right: you can use all the tools and tricks in the world, but the only way to truly know how much weight you need is to experiment with it yourself.
 
As posted above, you'll definitely need to experiment with different amounts of weight. The other guy your size could have a greater portion fat or muscle in his body, and that will make a huge difference. Also, I've found that bigger people actually overweight themselves, even to a greater extent than the skinny folks. I've had a 300+ lb student with an AL80 with no back plate and no weight neutral in the pool. Make sure you exhale, and keep control over your breathing. That and making darn sure your BC is empty on a dive will likely dump 15+ pounds from your belt.

Having said that, you might not realize but you're doing something very right. You are distributing the weight. Diving a worthington 130 should be about 7 pounds heavier than an AL80, a backplate should be 6lb, and if you add the 8 pounds to the plate you've already added 21lb. IMHO you shouldn't need much beyond that if your BC is truly empty and you have control over your breathing. If you space 4x 4lbs out evenly on a belt, that makes 35lb total and you have a normal looking belt. That should be a good starting point, then add or subtract lead to your liking.

The only downside is the dry weight of your gear will probably be around 75 pounds, compared to my singles setup at 55. And my lower back does not like my choice of career. Also consider that the larger your total volume (you, suit, tank, all combined), the larger the difference between fresh and salt water weighting. You may need to add/subtract as much as 12 pounds. Good luck, and remember to stay calm and keep your breathing under control!
 
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