Black Diamond Wieght Pouch coming out

[belairbrian]

Was diving today and we were around 30ft when I felt a tug on my left side. Looked and my weight pouch had come out, BUT the velcro was still completely attached.

It seems like the plastic reinforcement built into the pouch had flexed and the pouch slid out. Put it back in and continued the dive. Happened again and tucked it in again. At the safety stop it had started to work it's way out again. The velcro was still attached. The end of the pouch was still inside but the pouch was u-shaped.

Couldn't figure out why but I swapped weight pockets from side to side during the surface interval. On the second dive i kept an eye on it and the problem moved to the right side. Never came out but was u-shaped and trying to.

While we were cleaning gear I noticed the single row pockets on my son's Balance have ridges molded in them to prevent this type of flex, but the 2 row pouches on the Black diamond do not.

Anyone ever seen this or have a solution?

 

[Splitlip]

I had a Malibu with velcro pockets, but never had an issue, I use a belt these days, but heard horror stories about velco weight pouches. When I picked out a BCD for my kid, I got her one with mechanical means to secure the pouches.

I know this is no help for your OP, but I just don't care for velcro but for storage pockets.

 

[micklock]

Try putting a dowel rod or something in there to keep from flexing.

edit: a dowel might slip out, a plate would work better

 

[emoreira]

I had the same problem with my BCD. Now solved.
Two solutions :
1) I made two solid lead weights of the same size of the pouch and covered them with neoprene. In my case the weights were 18 cm x 10 cm x 1.3 cm. Each 2.5 kilograms. This is useful if you travel with your car and you have no weight issues. The neoprene was a Netbook cover.
2) To travel by plane where weight is an issue, I made 2 plates of 316 stainless steel 1 mm thick also 18 cm x 10 cm that fits very tight inside the pouch. Insert the SS plate and a solid or soft weight, and it wont come off.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...72-weight-integrated-bcd-pouches-falling.html

 

[belairbrian]

emoreira,
Read through that thread and at least I know this isn't an isolated issue.

I was using single soft weights so they may well have been falling from the back of the pouch when I went horizontal. Curious why you covered tehm. Was it to prevent abrasion of the pockets.

Funny the othere thread mentioned the problem could be with lower cost units. My black diamond MSRP $695. My sons balance is MSRP $525 but has much better stiffiners.

I have 3 BCDs that have the same single sleeve weight pouches. The newest (Balance) has much improved stiffiners. The older ones have just a sheet of thin plastic like my Black Diamond. The Balance has thicker stiffiners with two ridges molded in which will prevent flexing. Makes you wonder if AquaLung realized teh issue and made a design change.

Like the idea of better stiffiners. Guess I'll need to make 4 as each of my pouches has 2 sleeves.

 

[Willar]

With over 100 dives on my Black Diamond I've never had this problem. Mine have the stiffener that seems to work fine with my normal 10-16 lbs total (5-8 per side, depending on gearing).

How many pounds in the pouch?
Soft or hard weights?
All in one channel or top and bottom?
Do you use the divider straps in the pouch?

Mine have the stiffener that seems to work fine with my normal 10-16 lbs total (5-8 per side, depending on gearing). I load hard weights on the bottom section toward the front (when standing).

 

[belairbrian]

With over 100 dives on my Black Diamond I've never had this problem. Mine have the stiffener that seems to work fine with my normal 10-16 lbs total (5-8 per side, depending on gearing).

How many pounds in the pouch?
Soft or hard weights?
All in one channel or top and bottom?
Do you use the divider straps in the pouch?

Mine have the stiffener that seems to work fine with my normal 10-16 lbs total (5-8 per side, depending on gearing). I load hard weights on the bottom section toward the front (when standing).

Typically ( and this day) 7 pounds per side
soft weights
4 lower 3 upper

I don't have divider straps in my pouches. Each pouch has 2 distinct channels.

As I mentioned the problem is with one pouch. Does not happen with the other. When that pouch is moved to the other side the issue follows. That pouch has more flex in its stiffners than the other so I'm betting it is simply worn. Can't give an exact count on dives but it's between 150 and 200 on it.

I have 4 sets of the single pouches used in the Balance, Latitude, Diva and Malibu. Two sets have stiffners essentially the same thickness as my Black Diamond. The others have ridges molded in to increas the stiffness. Both of those are from newer BCDs.