Feet Heavy

[tbone1004]

@CPRC the video quality isn't great with all the particulate. Where is the waist belt in relation to your body? It should be right over the hip bones where you wear your jeans belt. If it's not that far down, then loosen the shoulder straps and tighten the crotch strap until it gets down that low and stays down that low.
Remember that trim/balance is dynamic since the center of gravity for the tanks shifts forwards as they are empty which makes it easier.
In a 3mm you also don't have a lot of lift from your legs and if you have muscular legs you will likely struggle with that in thin suits forever. Try wearing thicker booties to give you some extra lift in your feet. If you are balanced in the thick suits, then it is likely a leg lift issue.
Also keep in mind that the gas in the bladder shifts. If you start slightly head up, the lift will start in the top of the bladder, if you start slightly head down then it will be easier to stay flat since the gas is in the bottom of the BC.

 

[CPRC]

Yeah, around top of hips, like pants belt. I recall that tip a few weeks back from you. Didn’t think about pulling out my thicker boots. Will try. Yes - good idea about paying more attention to what little air I have in my bladder and where that bubble is. Thanks again.

 

[Blugold]

THis is a feet heavy trim issue…I think. So I’ve got myself down to 0 weight needed for buoyancy with my neutral 80s, 3mm full suit, no gloves or hood, 3mm boots, fins RK3’s that are positively buoyant. I’ve done plenty of weight checks with near empty tanks at the surface and at depth to feel confident that I need 0 weight to achieve neutral buoyancy. HOWEVER, I continue to feel “feet heavy”, making me want to get more weight at the top of my spine just to get my feet up. I have grabbed some small rocks and held them in hands in front of me and it feels suddenly “right” but that is not a normal thing to do. I have 4 spine pockets in my Katana2. I have recently added 3lbs to my top pocket and STILL feel “feet heavy” when in horizontal position. In other words, as I’m traveling in horizontal position and when stop to hover my feet sink, despite my natural arms forward position. Because of this feet heavy thing I find myself gently finning to keep horizontal. Any advice?

I’ve heard good things about Deep6’s tech fins, never used them but others say they’re neutral vs the Jet fins that are heavy.

 

[mdwalter]

Wanted to give an update. Still struggling with heavy feet. Got this video to show from last week. Basically, I'm zero weight needed for buoyancy in a 5mm or thinner. In this vid I'm in 3mm and cylinders are full. I've added 4 lbs to shoulders. Still not enough it seems. Heck, the unknown air in my rear bag and dsmb didn't even help. When I relax (in my goal to be able to hover with no movement and perform other skills) I almost immediately feel the drop and then start finning to keep legs up. Is my problem as simple as "keep adding weight to shoulders until I get it" ?

Upon viewing this video, it appears to me your problem is not feet heavy but shoulders light. That wing you have is way up at your shoulders. Try switching to a wing that just sits in the small of your back, or better yet can be slid up and down your back to correct your trim as the tanks empty and change their trim characteristics. Adding weight to your shoulders won't help much with that high wing, because if you need 0 weight for buoyancy and then add 4 lb (even at your shoulder), you need 4 lb of lift to compensate and that also goes to your shoulders with this wing you have. The key is to move your lift toward your "heavy" feet and then (only if still needed) add weight near your head.
I do not recommend adding weight or anything else to the neck of the tank, as this is not far enough forward to be of much help and will only make the "I now need more air in my wing that's too far forward" problem worse.

 

[gmerick]

removed

 

[gmerick]

Raise the butt pad a couple loops, and lengthen the shoulder straps. Without supporting the BC with the shoulder straps, hook the waist and crotch straps. Shorten the crotch strap until it holds the waist strap firmly on your hip bones. Now adjust the shoulder straps to a comfortable length that doesn't pull up on the crotch strap. You may have to reposition the tank bands, because the drop rings will now be further from your armpits. The result of this is to move the bubble in the bc down further toward your pelvis.

 

[FabletheRaven]

I agree with the above comments, you should be able to adjust the straps to lower the wing a bit by adjusting the shoulder straps

 

[CPRC]

I appreciate this advice about lowering wing. Got a bp/w, been focused on that all last fall, putting SM diving aside, but starting SM this week. Planning a couple dives with no add’l adjustments then testing this advice.

 

[SysGreg]

It can be related to the too short shoulder straps. The lift is closer to the waist then your butt. Try to extend the shulder straps like here below so your wing moves further down and helps to lift lower part of the body.

 

[halocline]

I appreciate this advice about lowering wing. Got a bp/w, been focused on that all last fall, putting SM diving aside, but starting SM this week. Planning a couple dives with no add’l adjustments then testing this advice.

I think in the first post you said something about neutral Al80s, is that correct? If so, that might be part of your problem. I believe 'neutral' AL80s are basically AL80s with extra weight down near the bottom of the tank. So it's as if you are adding weights down below your hips. Try a set of normal, everyday Luxfer Al80s and see what that does. If it works, you'll have to get new tanks but I bet you can sell what you have and not come out too badly. I would not want to dive with shoulder weights, it's too much clutter for my tastes.

It's a very common technique issue to let your knees drop while learning sidemount. I didn't watch your video, but if you are doing that, you would hardly be the first. Also, keeping your arms extended forward can help (someone else may have suggested that).