6'3", 220#. I use the same as I did with my wetsuit, 16#. I only add enough air to my suit to relieve the squeeze.
Drysuit cold water divers.....How much weight?
- Thread starter Jaksonbrown
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I'm 120 lbs, and diving in the same water you are. I use a laminate suit and several layers of undergarment, including a White's MK3 (thick, warm and quite buoyant). With a single steel 95 (-1 empty), I use a total of 29 pounds of ballast, in the form of an 18 lb weight belt, a five pound backplate, and 6 lbs on the cambands. This has been formally weight checked on several occasions, and is correct weighting.
It takes what it takes, and a lot around here depends on what you are doing to stay warm.
It takes what it takes, and a lot around here depends on what you are doing to stay warm.
OP
Jaksonbrown
Contributor
Thanks for all the great advice. I think I am about right with the 35lbs... I am moving to a BP/W system in the near future and I believe that will help alot with getting the weight off my hips and onto my back for a more even placement...
Funny story,.... I was being told alot that I must be keeping air in my suit somehow because 35lbs of weight was huge..... So I was determined to get the air out of my suit to be sure.... I went to about 40 feet and was achieving neutral boyancy quite easily, however, I was not adding any air to my suit.... I only went down with 30 lbs.... the moral of the story was that upon surfacing and removing my suit,.. I had such a squeeze going on that I had bruises on both legs! Hence the addition of the 5 more lbs.....LOL!
Samson-
Funny story,.... I was being told alot that I must be keeping air in my suit somehow because 35lbs of weight was huge..... So I was determined to get the air out of my suit to be sure.... I went to about 40 feet and was achieving neutral boyancy quite easily, however, I was not adding any air to my suit.... I only went down with 30 lbs.... the moral of the story was that upon surfacing and removing my suit,.. I had such a squeeze going on that I had bruises on both legs! Hence the addition of the 5 more lbs.....LOL!
Samson-
Yeah, and the other thing about working TOO hard to minimize your weight is that you can't keep any gas in your dry suit, and you get COLD.
Massive overweighting is bad; underweighting is extremely uncomfortable at best. Correct weighting within a couple of pounds is ideal, and it just takes what it takes. I think there are very few people who really NEED 40 lbs around here, and very few who can dive with less than 20; most of us fall in the 25 to 30 lb range with steel tanks. If you are diving aluminum, you of course have to add about five pounds for the difference in tank buoyancy.
Massive overweighting is bad; underweighting is extremely uncomfortable at best. Correct weighting within a couple of pounds is ideal, and it just takes what it takes. I think there are very few people who really NEED 40 lbs around here, and very few who can dive with less than 20; most of us fall in the 25 to 30 lb range with steel tanks. If you are diving aluminum, you of course have to add about five pounds for the difference in tank buoyancy.
mikerault
Contributor
With 100CF Steel on a SS STA and aluminum BP using a bilaminate BARE Nexgen with the stock fleece that ships with it in 55 degree seawater (Point Lobos) I used 24 pounds of weight.
In fresh using the same suit/fleece and a single 80 CF aluminum with the SS STA and Aluminum BP I used 13 pounds
Using double 80's with a SS BP I drop to 10 pounds of weight (the SS BP is about 6 pounds worth)
I am 5'10" and 240 pounds.
Mike
In fresh using the same suit/fleece and a single 80 CF aluminum with the SS STA and Aluminum BP I used 13 pounds
Using double 80's with a SS BP I drop to 10 pounds of weight (the SS BP is about 6 pounds worth)
I am 5'10" and 240 pounds.
Mike
matnik
Registered
100 CF Steel, SS STA / Backplate, BARE Trilam, Superhigh loft Polar fleece, 24 total pounds, 6 SS STA / Plate 18 in the weight pockets, very cold water 33/34F
divingdesigns.com
Contributor
I happen to dive with 14 lbs. of lead and I weigh 115 lbs. There are many factors that are considered when deciding how much weight to use such as, the type of tank your using, how much insulation you are using, what type of auxillary gear you're using, etc.
Hope this helps. Nikki
Hope this helps. Nikki
NudeDiver
Contributor
When I certified, they put me in 50 pounds. I was fairly overweighted, to say the least.
Over the next few dives in the same conditions and same gear, I slowly managed to take off some weight. 40 pounds felt pretty good, esp. relative to 50 pounds.
On my last dives in the same conditions, in the same gear, except using a steel tank rather than an AL80, I used 36 pounds and felt like I should try 34 the next time. So, next time I go, I will try 34 pounds.
On that note - I'm no longer going to use an AL80 when I go drysuit diving. It's steel tank, or nothing.
Over the next few dives in the same conditions and same gear, I slowly managed to take off some weight. 40 pounds felt pretty good, esp. relative to 50 pounds.
On my last dives in the same conditions, in the same gear, except using a steel tank rather than an AL80, I used 36 pounds and felt like I should try 34 the next time. So, next time I go, I will try 34 pounds.
On that note - I'm no longer going to use an AL80 when I go drysuit diving. It's steel tank, or nothing.
Only saltwater dives in my drysuit (Med size snug fitting Flex 50/50) were for class
180lbs
Knighthawk BC (maybe 1lbs pos.)
XS HP100 (neg 2lbs empty)
340g/sqm fleece
21lbs .. I believe this will be adjusted down some as I get more dives (I had plenty of air in suit at safty stops .. nice warm air
)
... Or adjusted up when I use a thicker double layer undergarment
180lbs
Knighthawk BC (maybe 1lbs pos.)
XS HP100 (neg 2lbs empty)
340g/sqm fleece
21lbs .. I believe this will be adjusted down some as I get more dives (I had plenty of air in suit at safty stops .. nice warm air
)... Or adjusted up when I use a thicker double layer undergarment
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Id like to add all the supposed formulae are completely useless. There are so many variables:- suit type, undersuit type, amount of underlayers, tank size, tank composition, bone density, body mass and so on you simply cannot calculate it.
The good news is a simple, proper weight check is very quick to do and is guaranteed to get you the proper weighting.
Most people here tend to use between 11 and 14kg (24-31lbs) in salt water with "usual" UK thermal gear. For single tank (ALWAYS steel), I use 12kg (26.4lbs) in my Weezle and 15kg (33lbs) with my SubXero so even changing undersuit alone can have a massive difference. And i weigh 62.5kg (136lbs).
Agree with TSM too - avoiding getting into a "lower is better" mindset. ITs quite possible to have too little weight which although wont leave you buoyant will mean too little gas in the suit to provide warmth. In winter i quite often add an extra 2-3lb purely so i can have more gas in the suit to keep me a bit warmer.
...and diving an Aluminium tank at any time strikes me as silly, diving one with a drysuit so requiring even MORE lead is bordering on insane.
The good news is a simple, proper weight check is very quick to do and is guaranteed to get you the proper weighting.
Most people here tend to use between 11 and 14kg (24-31lbs) in salt water with "usual" UK thermal gear. For single tank (ALWAYS steel), I use 12kg (26.4lbs) in my Weezle and 15kg (33lbs) with my SubXero so even changing undersuit alone can have a massive difference. And i weigh 62.5kg (136lbs).
Agree with TSM too - avoiding getting into a "lower is better" mindset. ITs quite possible to have too little weight which although wont leave you buoyant will mean too little gas in the suit to provide warmth. In winter i quite often add an extra 2-3lb purely so i can have more gas in the suit to keep me a bit warmer.
...and diving an Aluminium tank at any time strikes me as silly, diving one with a drysuit so requiring even MORE lead is bordering on insane.
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