I continually forget about my backplate. I'm using 24lbs including the plate with my 100g garment. HTH
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My instructor echoed most of what was said here in the forums about this, but in the end, I didn't use my BCD much anyway because relieving the squeeze was for the most part, keeping me neutrally buoyant.
I think what I want to do is practice getting air out of the DS as much as possible, so I will probably stick to the DS-only method until I feel I've got it.
---------- Post added May 7th, 2012 at 08:56 AM ----------
My instructor is going to see what he can do to fix (He owns a shop as well) it. The problem with sending it back is that I have nothing else to wear, and the dive season has just started. I'll probably be out of a suit for 8 weeks I am guessing. I think you are right TSandM, it will likely be a small application of aquaseal that will do the trick. It was a slow leak for sure and the water seemed to be coming in at my toes.
Part of me wants to send it back to the MFG though, on the principal though. No brand new drysuit should be leaking..
Mind if I ask what kind of suit this is ... or perhaps what type of boots you're using? I had a similar issue with my Santi suit when I got it and couldn't trace down where the leak was coming from. Turns out it had to do with how the seams were sealed at the toe of the boot. They couldn't fix it at the factory either, and ended up replacing the boots. The replacement boots have been working fine for over a year now ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
My suit is an Edge drysuit. It's got soft boots on it. I got the suit back from my LDS. He was able to easily find it by inflating the suit while plugging the seals, and then using some soapy water in a spray bottle. Aquaseal over the hole... done.
I've decided to not send the suit back until I see how it does on the weekend. I think the fix will hold up, and I just don't want to be out of a suit waiting months for a new/fixed one. Mind you if it leaks this weekend, it's going back right away, and I am giving up on drysuits altogether.
So far, i'm not impressed with diving dry. I hope it gets better.
My instructor seemed to think that 28 lbs was enough. I felt the buoyancy was right, and I had enough weight to keep me down at 10 ft, with an AL80 tank at ~500 PSI. I think it's close to right, but i just feel a bit vacuum packed.
I am using a 2-layer polartec fleece garment 250g each layer, and my drysuit is an Edge drysuit (bilam shell type). I'm also not using a BP/W setup. It's just a regular back inflate BCD.