Losing your weight belt--Let us count the ways.....

[Akimbo]

Never lost a belt in 56 years, but I rarely used cam buckles. I started with a wire buckle held closed by the edge of a weight.

Then I switched to a commercial diver's buckle; basically conveyor belting with holes held by a pin. I use a freediver's buckle on a rubber belt most of the time now.

 

[hammet]

For all the crap integrated weight BCDs get, the ability to spread the weight over two to four separate pockets is definitely a safety benefit.

 

[zimm17]

I had one of the first weight integrated BC's. I can't remember the brand, but it was a tech diving wannabe rig with velcro weight pockets and a lot of d-rings. It was cool as you could get in 1998. I was down off La Jolla cove near San Diego and I started slowly floating up. What the heck? I dumped all air from the BC and was having to slowly kick downwards. Then it was getting worse. I was grabbing rocks to try and stop the assent. I drifted upwards and ended up in an out of control assent. I remembered my training and arched my back and spread my arms and legs out to slow the rate. Regardless I rocketed to the surface as i was exhaling the entire way up. Popped up on the surface with a bloody nose. Both weight pouches were gone. They later recalled the design, but I just cut off the pockets and used a weight belt from then on. Now I dive a backplate and wing and don't need a weight belt unless I'm using a 5 or 7mm wetsuit.