Location of Weights on Weight Belt

[TSandM]

I wear a 20 lb weight belt, composed of two shaped 10lb hard weights. Each sits over the top of my pelvis, slightly to the front of a line straight down my side. That way the weights aren't under the tank, and also don't interfere with me reaching my buckles.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Thanks for the inputs. I've got 9lbs on my belt right now for 50 degree water, but the 4lb'ers are on the hips. When I rotate to vent my drysuit I am unstable. I will move them forward of the hips and see how that goes. The 1lb'er is center of the back, but is unnoticeable. May just throw it on the belly button. Belt is under the crotch strap (flame on...).

 

[drbill]

I used to put my weights on evenly across my belt with the heaviest weights resting on my hips or a bit lower near my Buddha belly. Then when I started using a pony bottle years ago, I added a 2# weight to the side opposite the pony mounted on my main tank to prevent rock and roll!

 

[CT-Rich]

I have two molded six pounders on either hip, I keep them both slightly forward. I have an additional 12 in my BCD and 2 x 3lb in the tank pockets. The weights on the belt are easier to manage if they are in front and they shift a bit and need to be adjusted. With the integrated weights already in front, you would probably be pretty stable, but as others have pointed out, a lead getting under your tank can be pretty annoying and might catch while ditching. For me the biggest problem is not side to side, but the belt sliding up my torso. I am pretty slim and when poking around on the rocks tend to orient in a slightly head down position to look under rocks and such. The belt tends to shift up my torso more. I usually stop and tighten my belt when I get some suit compression to prevent unwanted sliding. The same principle applies with the belt moving side to side. The belt will shift naturally if you don't pay attention. I have seen divers swimming with the buckle all the way behind them. Since the tendency is for the weight to shift from gravity, just make it simpler and have them towards the front to start.

 

[scubastingray]

Michael,

Most critically, any weights between your tank and your back can impede your dropping your weightbelt (e.g., in an emergency). I was taught to never place weights between my tank and my back.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

The belt is still likely back there though, so unless that additional 1" is the issue the belt will still catch.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

I think I get the concern about a weight getting pinned between my back plate and body. Since it's under the crotch strap I don't see how it will get tangled in a tank unless I were inverted. With such a small weight (hard 1lb'er has a very low profile) I'm not real concerned but will probably move it to the belly.

Not tracking on the concern about the belt. What is the belt going to catch on?

 

[rx7diver]

The belt is still likely back there though, so unless that additional 1" is the issue the belt will still catch.

A scuba diver will likely wear his/her weight belt on his waist (rather than on his hips). So, weights can sit reasonably comfortably in the small of his back, under his tank (since all but the shortest tanks will rest on his derrière, leaving an open space between the tank and the small of the diver's back). However, when the diver attempts to ditch his weight belt (or, just as critically, when someone else attempts to ditch another diver's weight belt), these weights can get hung up in this location preventing the weight belt from dropping away. You trip (or someone else trips) your weight belt buckle, and you believe the weight belt has fallen away, but unbeknownst to you, the weight belt is still pinned to you, keeping positive buoyancy from being established—a potentially huge problem during an emergency!!

You can easily demonstrate the problem for yourself by using your own weight belt.

If you've ever attempted to don your weight belt after you've donned your scuba kit, you probably already know how much more you have to "struggle" if the weight belt has a weight sitting in the middle of the belt.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[Michael Guerrero]

So is this really an argument to wear a harness system or weights on my rig instead of a belt?

Part of the reason I wear my belt under my harness it to keep it where it is and prevent accidental loss. I expect effort to be used when removing it.

 

[rx7diver]

So is this really an argument to wear a harness system or weights on my rig instead of a belt?

Part of the reason I wear my belt under my harness it to keep it where it is and prevent accidental loss. I expect effort to be used when removing it.

Michael,

Sorry, I honestly don't know squat about weight belt harnesses. I don't use one.

And I don't use a crotch strap (because of safety and comfort reasons). When I'm diving dry (and, hence, wearing significant weight* on my weight belt), I use the old-school approach: I use two (SS) buckles on my weight belt. The buckles are next to each other and the tongues of both buckles face the same direction (right-hand release). If I'm diving with a buddy, I make sure he/she knows to trip *both* buckles if an emergency warrants.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

* ~16 lbs with PST HP 80, ~20 lbs with Steel 72 in fresh water.

 

[Goodtime Adventures]

With a standard weight belt with no trims/integrated etc we normally recommend students to put even numbers on each hip, and odd ones at front centre with the buckle slightly off centre. Its not ideal for pool/skills sessions at it does pull them forward slightly if the hip placed weights are not far enough back. But out in open water it does help with having the correct horizontal swimming position - especially with newer divers who tend to want to be a bit more upright - as well as keeping balance even.