Making Steel Doubles as Buoyant as Possible

[CaveSloth]

Looking for ways to reduce the negative buoyancy of my LP85 doubles rig so that I could swim them up from the bottom if need be in a wet suit.

I can switch to an aluminum backplate to save 3 lbs.

Can I switch out the bands, bolts, d-rings, buckles, etc... to save some weight?

Is there any permanent, unobtrusive way to add buoyancy like some kind of air bladder in the space between the tanks which cannot be punctured?

I will get a drysuit eventually!

 

[runsongas]

sidemount

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Switch to aluminum tanks. At depth, your wetsuit may have little to no buoyancy. Using a wing or liftbag to ascend is asking for an embolism.

 

[MichaelMc]

The photographer folks use crush resilient (expensive) foam as buoyancy in their camera rigs. I'd look at options that they use. You could put it between the tanks. OMS makes anodized aluminum D-rings etc. Or go to sidemount with a dual bladder BC....

 

[CaveSloth]

crush resilient (expensive) foam...You could put it between the tanks

NOW WE'RE TALKIN!!

 

[northernone]

A redundant bcd is a better solution but specifically to do what you're wanting... Strap on a capped section of ABS septic pipe like a pony bottle. Each litre is +2.2lbs buoyancy.

Another option is honestly looking at how much you can realistically swim up in case of a complete bcd failure early in the dive.

Cameron

 

[CaveSloth]

Definitely planning to upgrade my wing to dual bladder.

 

[Doc]

Empty them?

 

[bamafan]

I would recommend a drysuit but if you are set on something else this is what some are using on video lights etc.

Very Low Density buoyancy material – deepwater 1000 m | BMTI

 

[JohnnyC]

Heliox! And you’ll never get narc’d either!