Originally posted by Uncle Pug
1) Diving warm water weight requirements will be minimal...
2) Weight on the rig means the wing needs to be bigger... smaller wing = less drag...
3) SS backplate (6#) removes weight from belt but you still need some ditchable IMO...
4) We use mesh weight belts made by Heath that have slip in weight pouches and are very comfortable plus Heaths' belt doesn't slide down as the mesh grips the suit... however a Soft-Sides weight belt for use with a 3 mil suit and a SS backplate would be small and comfortable too...
5) I dive cold water dry and my rig is balanced so that the wing can support it and my weight belt can keep me down. I have had to add 4# to the belt to make up for the CF200 but still use a #27 wing with a Steel 104. Something new comes this way however and I will post it in a different thread... I was going to wait until Shane got up here with the camera so I could include a picture but I'll just add that later.
6) I don't like the ACBs as they take up too much room on the waist strap, add drag, put the canister light out further, make the rig harder to don, add extra expense, have plastic buckles holding the weight in.... need I go on???
1) Depends on what you mean by 'minimal'. I use 10lbs with an AL80, and that's including the SS plate.
2) Valid point usually, but not when the choice is between Halcyon 27# and 36# wings.
3) Yup, but that goes in my ACB pockets.
4) Hadn't heard of that type belt before. Have had bad luck with neoprene belts and nylon belts shifting and sliding.
5) I'm not certain why that would be seen as either superior or inferior to pockets.
6) Good point about the canister light and extra expense. OTOH, I've never seen a weight belt without a plastic buckle, either. If it goes, you lose all your ditchable weight, vs. one-half of it. Theoretically, that could be the difference between a controllable ascent (or even recovery) and an uncontrollable one.
As for drag, the ACB profile is blocked by the arms and shoulders when in a horizontal attitude. As for donning difference, I disagree 100%. Donning a heavy weight belt is a royal PITA, one which I loathe.
I've recovered two weightbelts at depth before (one slipped off as I watched), but haven't heard or seen any accidental pocket releases. Yes, it's anecdotal. YMMV.
