Yet another DIY Soft Weight suggestion

[ChimarraoMate]

I have read through all the posts on this subject and am a little surprised no one has figured out the simplest approach. At Walmart, Ross, TJ Max, and on-line you can pick up ankle/wrist weights with removable bags or solid weight sticks for about $1 a lb. Each stick/bag will already be weighted to some exact weight. My favorite are the ones I often find at Ross with solid .25 lb sticks. You can throw them in a zip lock bag and get really precise on your weight. Also, I saw this 20 lb ankle weight set at walmart.com, which can be purchased on-line and shipped to any wal-mart store for $18 (at time of post). They have the weight in 10-2 lb sealed removable plastic bags which can be used right out of the product:

CAP Barbell 20 lb Adjustable Ankle Weights - Walmart.com

---------- Post added July 9th, 2014 at 08:55 AM ----------

If you have the space in the pocket, you can even leave the weight in the ankle/wrist bag and stuff that in your weight pockets.

 

[TN-Steve]

Neat idea. When I was looking at doing some DIY soft weights, the problem for me was that by the time I bought even recycled shot the bags, and had it shipped, my cost per pound wasn't much off what the pre-made ones were.

I'll have to take a look at those. Thanks

Steve

 

[Sonnylynnvick75]

The problem with those is, they have to be used with integrated weight systems in BCs. Not everyone uses integrated weight systems and if they do, those sand bags are rather bulky, you run the risk of the sand coming lose, etc. Using the steel bars however is a very good alternative when using integrated. I suggest searching ebay and craigslist. On ebay you can get 16lbs for around $20 (I believe). I bought a used weight belt with 20lbs soft weights for $20

 

[TN-Steve]

Are they sand or lead in the weights? If sand, I can see how they can be so cheap. For some reason I just assumed that they were lead shot, but at that price point probably not?

The problem with those is, they have to be used with integrated weight systems in BCs. Not everyone uses integrated weight systems and if they do, those sand bags are rather bulky, you run the risk of the sand coming lose, etc. Using the steel bars however is a very good alternative when using integrated. I suggest searching ebay and craigslist. On ebay you can get 16lbs for around $20 (I believe). I bought a used weight belt with 20lbs soft weights for $20

 

[Sonnylynnvick75]

Are they sand or lead in the weights? If sand, I can see how they can be so cheap. For some reason I just assumed that they were lead shot, but at that price point probably not?

They are indeed sand, I asked a walmart employee if I could take them out of the box to check. They are definitely sand.

 

[ChimarraoMate]

I have read through all the posts on this subject and am a little surprised no one has figured out the simplest approach. At Walmart, Ross, TJ Max, and on-line you can pick up ankle/wrist weights with removable bags or solid weight sticks for about $1 a lb. Each stick/bag will already be weighted to some exact weight. My favorite are the ones I often find at Ross with solid .25 lb sticks. You can throw them in a zip lock bag and get really precise on your weight. Also, I saw this 20 lb ankle weight set at walmart.com, which can be purchased on-line and shipped to any wal-mart store for $18 (at time of post). They have the weight in 10-2 lb sealed removable plastic bags which can be used right out of the product:

CAP Barbell 20 lb Adjustable Ankle Weights - Walmart.com

---------- Post added July 9th, 2014 at 08:55 AM ----------

If you have the space in the pocket, you can even leave the weight in the ankle/wrist bag and stuff that in your weight pockets.

I had a chance to look and try the product from Walmart. I do NOT recommend that one. I am sorry for posting that link. It is sand, and not lead shot, like I thought it would be. That makes the volume of the weight too high for scuba use. I also found the plastic bags the sand is in to be cheep and they do leak, so at that point, if you wanted sand, you would be better off building your own inside vacuum sealed plastic bags, except they will still take up way to much room for a small amount of weight.

My original recommendation on the removable sticks/bars from adjustable weight still stands. Those are heavy metallic weights that do a better job in a weight pocket than the standard bags of lead shot and the solid belt weights. The shape of them make them incredibly easy to fill and remove from a weight pocket. Because of their small size and weight accuracy, they allow very fine tuning of your buoyancy. Plus outside of weight pockets, they can be left in the tough wrist/ankle pouches and strapped to just about anywhere as hard to ditch trim weights . They are also a lot cheaper than scuba weights. At Ross prices you'll pay about $7 for a 5 lb set. At full retail they run from $10-$15 for a 5 lb set. So, even at full retail, they are cheeper than typical scuba weights.

---------- Post added July 11th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ----------

They are indeed sand, I asked a walmart employee if I could take them out of the box to check. They are definitely sand.

Yes they are, and they are junk. Stay away from those. I am sorry for posting that link. However, take a look at the wrist weights with the removable metal sticks. Those work Great!

 

[stoneshirt]

I have read through all the posts on this subject and am a little surprised no one has figured out the simplest approach. At Walmart, Ross, TJ Max, and on-line you can pick up ankle/wrist weights with removable bags or solid weight sticks for about $1 a lb. Each stick/bag will already be weighted to some exact weight. My favorite are the ones I often find at Ross with solid .25 lb sticks. You can throw them in a zip lock bag and get really precise on your weight. Also, I saw this 20 lb ankle weight set at walmart.com, which can be purchased on-line and shipped to any wal-mart store for $18 (at time of post). They have the weight in 10-2 lb sealed removable plastic bags which can be used right out of the product:

CAP Barbell 20 lb Adjustable Ankle Weights - Walmart.com

---------- Post added July 9th, 2014 at 08:55 AM ----------

If you have the space in the pocket, you can even leave the weight in the ankle/wrist bag and stuff that in your weight pockets.

 

[stoneshirt]

Hi.
Beware of Ankle Weights and such.I bought some and they use Sand,but on closer inspection(reading the fine print) the makers(Chinese) use "IRON SAND "...stoneshirt

 

[Benjamga]

Try using lead shot for shotgun reloading, 10 lbs of lead shot for 17.99+ shipping. #8 Valu-Lead Shot 2.29mm (10#/box)-ballisticproducts.com

 

[Nathan Doty]

Pre Obama you could get 20lbs of birdshot for about$10. You could also get lead wheel weights from most tire shops for about free. I used to reload a lot, it got too expensive after a while and I quit doing shotgun shells.

If you really want to go out of your way to do your own you can get lead from old car batteries, but TBH for the amount of work and risk involved it's not going to be worth it.