Is a weight belt worn under a BP/W really "ditchable"?

[Litefoot]

I posted this question at the tail end of another thread, but decided to make a new thread. I know proper weighting is essential, but as a new diver, I like having the option of easily ditching weight in an emergency. To me,"ditchable" means quickly and easily shedding ballast. So, in my mind, having to unbuckle the harness, drop the crotch strap, and then unfasten and remove the weight belt wouldn't be quick nor easy for a distressed diver.

I really would like to go with a weight belt, but that aspect is a bit worrisome for me. Maybe it's something I need to try and practice to get more comfortable with it. What are your thoughts?

Edit: The other option I;m considering is the Subgravity Paragon system.

 

[lowwall]

Why would you need to quickly ditch weight?

 

[grf88]

I have a quick release on my crotch strap that makes it easier. I certainly don't want to accidentally lose my weightbelt at depth and since I always carry redundant buoyancy I don't see a need to ditch weight except at the surface in an emergency.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If you are properly weighted there is no need to ditch the entire belt. I have pockets on mine from which I can ditch one or two weights if necessary.
Wearing it on top of the harness greatly increases the risk of it coming off when you don't want it to. As well as making it a royal pain to put on and not struggle with. Unless you do it in the water in a horizontal position.
A weight belt under the harness also shows that you understand proper weighting and realize that only in a true emergency do you ever need to ditch it.
And should you need to do that AT THE SURFACE, you undo the weight belt buckle and the waist belt buckle. Takes no time at all and the belt will just drop. Then you can refasten the waist belt and deal with the issue.

 

[boulderjohn]

There has been some very good advice in this thread already. I will weigh in on it with more of a generic concept. If you have to wear a weight belt (not my personal first choice) with a BCD with a crotch strap, there are good points to be made for wearing it over the crotch strap, and there are good points to be made for wearing it under the crotch strap. People can cite emergency situations for which one choice is better, and they can cite situations for which the other choice is better. What it comes down to is making a choice based on probabilities and consequences.

Let's take a catastrophic BCD failure, for example. I have experienced BCD gas loss 3 times in my life, and they are the only 3 cases I know of. In two cases, it was a slow leak from an incompletely screwed on dump valve, and it was easily fixed during the dive. In the third case, I had borrowed a very old wing, and when I pulled the rear dump to lose some air, the plastic tore and the whole thing came off in my hand. No problem. I was able to finish the dive by keeping my shoulders a little higher than the hips so the air would stay in the top portion. I have never heard of a sudden catastrophic loss of BCD buoyancy, so I am guessing it is pretty darn rare.

So let's say I did have a sudden catastrophic BCD failure. Would I sink so rapidly that I needed to do something quickly? That could happen if I were on a tech dive in steel doubles, which is why I always have redundant buoyancy on such dives, but on a single tank dive? Nope. Being properly weighted, I need very little gas in the BC, so that loss of air would be annoying at worst. I would have loads of time to act.

So having concluded that a sudden loss of air int he BCD is highly unlikely and also not likely to be dangerous, I compare that to the potential to lose a weight belt. Having taught students for years using weight belts, I have seen it happen more than a few times. Losing your weights at depth would be a serious problem.

I therefore conclude that comparing those scenarios, the likelihood of losing the weight belt accidently far outweighs the likelihood of suddenly losing all air in the BCD, and the consequences of losing the weight belt are far more serious than losing the ability to drop it quickly. Consequently, I would wear the weight belt under the crotch strap.

 

[RyanT]

You are correct, that is not "easily ditchable." Just put the weight belt on top of your harness.

 

[rongoodman]

Just put a couple of pockets on your harness belt, giving you the option of popping out one or both pieces of lead.

 

[Nemrod]

I posted this question at the tail end of another thread, but decided to make a new thread. I know proper weighting is essential, but as a new diver, I like having the option of easily ditching weight in an emergency. To me,"ditchable" means quickly and easily shedding ballast. So, in my mind, having to unbuckle the harness, drop the crotch strap, and then unfasten and remove the weight belt wouldn't be quick nor easy for a distressed diver.

I really would like to go with a weight belt, but that aspect is a bit worrisome for me. Maybe it's something I need to try and practice to get more comfortable with it. What are your thoughts?

Edit: The other option I;m considering is the Subgravity Paragon system.

There are reasons to wear a weight belt under the harness but for your purposes (making a few assumptions reading between the lines) it would be better over the harness as is traditional.

If you wish to integrate weights into your harness, assuming warm water travel diving, I prefer these, this is the 12 pounds set, they have a pull tab that is QR:


Then get some cam band non-QR pockets for trim weights.

 

[lexvil]

Lots of ways to deal with either but I just put the weight on the rig, I have my own system but the SG one looks fine.

 

[inquis]

My view is a properly weighted, single-tank diver can be positively buoyant (or near enough) on the surface without ditching weight with breath control alone. Taking an extra 3 seconds to loosen the crotch strap shouldn't be an issue if you need even more. (Perhaps try it to see just how easy it is.)

Is there a particular scenario you find worrisome?