Hooded Vest - How much more weight?

[dougmatic]

After some trial and error, I've dialed in the weight I need with a 7mm + hood & gloves - 26 lbs. Warmth-wise, this generally works okay in the summer/fall but I'm going to be trying some deeper dives coming up (e.g., wreck alley in San Diego down to 90-100 ft). Also, I do get chilly in the winter/fall. Therefore, I'm thinking about swapping out my hood with a 5/3mm hooded vest. How much weight additional weight do you fellow cold water divers need when adding a hooded vest under your wetsuits?

 

[The Undersea Aviator]

Personally deep dives I like to do with a dry suit because the neoprene compresses quite a bit, but that's not the answer you're looking for here. If it were me I would add no more than 6 lbs.

 

[rsingler]

Take a peek at this tool:
Buoyancy, Balanced Rigs, Failures and Ditching – a comprehensive tool

 

[broncobowsher]

Often a hooded vest doesn't require any changes to my weighting. But if I am really close, takes a bit to get that last bubble out of the wing and maybe a little kick to start descending, add 2 pounds. If you are one of those OCD that thinks that you should absolutely dive without a single ounce more weight then you really need, you will need weight.

I know that southern California water. I try to make the road trip and get there a few times a year. After I went dry it got a lot better. Yes, the 7mm is warmer and simple. But you are still wet and will be cold soon enough. Yes, I have done what you are going through (anyone want to buy a Seac 7mm that only has a few dives on it?) Can't fault you for going that route. Just don't be stubborn when it comes to trying a drysuit. I didn't want to do it for a long time, but once I did I converted really quick.

 

[socaljohn]

I dive So cal and don't add anything when switching between good and hooded vest.

 

[kablooey]

I often switch between a hood and a hooded-vest for diving here in So Cal.
I agree with broncobowsher and socaljohn. The weight change is usually minimal.
Zero or +2 lbs will do it.

The only exception is if your hooded-vest is off-the-shelf brand new.
That means it hasn't been crushed down from diving, and will be a little more buoyant.
In that case I'd play it safe and add 3 lbs just to be on the safe side for the first dive.
My hooded-vest is old and well crushed, so I'm only speculating here.

Include gear changes and weighting info in your logbook.
Eventually you'll build some pretty useful reference material.

.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

Take a peek at this tool:
Buoyancy, Balanced Rigs, Failures and Ditching – a comprehensive tool

Thread highjack for question. Is there a spot on the tool to switch between fresh and saltwater?

 

[rsingler]

Thread highjack for question. Is there a spot on the tool to switch between fresh and saltwater?

Nope. I didn't want to pretend to a degree of precision that we just don't have. Since most humans are between 2 and 3 cu. ft. of seawater in volume, the standard correction of 4 to 5 pounds seemed adequate.

Calcs:
Fresh water: 62.3 lb/cu ft at 70F
Sea water: about 2.7% more dense, depending upon salinity.

62.3 x 2.5 cu ft = 155.75 lb
155.75 x 0.027= 4.2 lb

 

[dougmatic]

Thanks all. I think I'll start with +2 lbs and see from there. And will look into getting a drysuit and learning how to use it for next season.