Ditchable weight with a BP/W: What to buy, how much on the belt?

[filmguy123]

If I go DSS BP/W - say an SS BP, and say I need 28 lbs total with my drysuit (200lbs, 6'1 atheletic build male):

HP100 Steel Tank
5lbs BP
6lbs(?) trim pockets on cam bands? (or bolt on plates from DSS)

How much on my weight belt?

What should I buy for my weight belt system?

DUI Trim & Harness system (used, $75)?
[local]

DGX Dive Rite weight harness system - $70, DGX
Dive Rite Weight Harness | Dive Gear Express®

OMS Simple weight belt
OMS Soft Weight Belt | Dive Gear Express®

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

I'm sure you will get some excellent advice from the members of this forum about how much lead you should wear on a belt.

Another option which you may want to consider is the use of a rubber (elastic) freediver weight belt. This type of belt will not slide around on your body or slip up or down like a typical belt will do. It will automatically compensate for slight changes in the dry suit (or wetsuit) thickness during the dive.

Also, since it is elastic, you can wear it down low across the butt (if you want) and this tends to reduce low back pressure. this belt LOOKS different and we are slowly getting the word out to the scuba community that this is a very practical, comfortable and safe alternative to nylon belts.

It is also extremely easy and fast to ditch and if you ever have to ditch it in an emergency - I will replace it (and your MAKO weights) for free. See our website for more details.

This video explains a little about the belt.

Freedive Weight Belt | MAKO Spearguns

 

[Nemrod]

Not a super experienced dry suit diver myself, but, I will say that you need to have enough weight that can be jettisoned that you can establish significant positive buoyancy in a worse case circumstance. You can determine what the worse case might be.

N

 

[RainPilot]

If your rig is balanced, then the usual rule of thumb is to carry ditchable equal to the weight of the gas carried, so for example an AL80 would be around 6# of gas so 6 # on weight belt, rest can be distributed on the rig as required e.g. trim pockets etc etc

 

[diversteve]

If I go DSS BP/W

I'd ask Tobin - because...he owns it (DSS).

DeepSeaSupply

They have a forum here also and he's cool_hardware52

 

[Colliam7]

If I go DSS BP/W - say an SS BP, and say I need 28 lbs total with my drysuit (200lbs, 6'1 atheletic build male): HP100 Steel Tank 5lbs BP 6lbs(?) trim pockets on cam bands? (or bolt on plates from DSS)

I am curious - you describe yourself as an athletic build male. Is the 28lbs an actual determination of needed weight, or an estimate from some formula or table? Or, is that what you need before going with the SS BP and steel cylinder? To me, 28lbs seems to be a bit much, with a SS BP, AND a HP steel cylinder. I may be missing something in your description, however.

How much on my weight belt?

Ordinarily, I counsel against placing too much weight on a weight belt because, for many divers, that creates a trim problem, and puts them in a 'foot low' position - the weight is 'below' their physiologic center of list (thorax) and pulls their lower body down - when swimming underwater. For drysuit divers, the situation is a little different and weight on the waist may help offset the floatiness of the legs (even with gaiters). So, using a weight belt with a drysuit is not necessarily a bad idea. As to how much on the belt vs the rig, that is best determined by evaluating your trim in the water, in your drysuit, with your plate and steel cylinder. Distribute the total weight, between a) the BP / trim pockets and b) the waist, to provide for good horizontal trim.

What should I buy for my weight belt system? DUI Trim & Harness system (used, $75)? DGX Dive Rite weight harness system - $70, DGX OMS Simple weight belt

I have a DUI W&T harness, which I purchased to use with my drysuit, and haven't used it in years. I just haven't found it to be particularly useful, and ended up using a simple weight belt. I have used web belts, and I have used rubber belts (and I have a Mako, among others, which I do like quite a bit), and I personally prefer the rubber belts for drysuit diving. In my experience, I haven't found the soft, pocket belts to be of particular use, but then I don't have a need to use soft weights on my waist.

You may notice from the comments above that there is a lot of personal preference associated with the choices you asked about, and you will probably need to find out what works best for you, through some element of trial and error.

 

[filmguy123]

Good points!

Yeah a huge part of my question I realized is... I don't even know the options.

I would choose a Mako rubber belt over a standard nylon webbing belt. That sounds pretty good.

I've also heard of the trim and weight harness systems which seem nice but for an athletic build on BP/W perhaps overkill and add clutter?

Next I have heard of backplate bolted pockets with a rip cord??

Finally in answer to your question, good catch on 28lbs. That was in a nice fluffy BC jacket in my OW class in a 14mm wetsuit (7mm farmer johnn + 7mm jacket). And i may have been slightly overweighted.

 

[filmguy123]

Also heard it mentioned that a weight belt could be hard to release/ditch as it would go under my BP/W harness system? And is thus not ideal with a BP/W?

 

[icechip]

I use Zeagle pockets on my SS wing for some ditchable weight. They work great.

 

[BreeAbyss]

I prefer a DUI weight harness with my dry suit. I find a weight belt needs to be uncomfortably tight over all my thick undies and suit to stay in place and not drop to my ankles. The harness makes sure it doesn't slip down and is nice because I find I need my weights a bit lower in my drysuit and the harness lets me position the weight on my hips, where a belt needs to be above my hips to stay in place. I do like a weight belt in a thin wetsuit though.