Quality Plastic Buckles? Want to Switch from SS to Something Lightweight

[annasea]

I'm trying to get my BP/W as light as possible for travel. I've 'upgraded' to an ultralite Oxycheq BP and 18# wing so notable weight savings over the previous set-up. The last place I can find to trim weight is the buckle. I know the SS buckle is less than a pound (just tried weighing mine), but I'd like to whittle it down further.

The best I could find via ScubaToys, Piranha, Divers Direct, and Dive Gear Express was this one here. Has anyone found anything more durable?

 

[RJP]

Crewed on a dive boat for years. Saw lots of broken plastic buckles. Never saw a broken metal buckle.

PS - you could save nearly as much weight by getting a haircut and clipping your nails close.

 

[tomfcrist]

Plastic buckles suck...there is a reason we use metal. If you are willing to sacrifice durability and reliability for literally less than 8 ounces of weight reduction, do what you please. There is no plastic buckle in existence that will be as reliable as even the cheapest POS metal buckle.

 

[KDAD]

What? I paid 150% more for the same thing from the lds. Well, at least they threw the webbing in for free.

Consensus has it that a majority of the weight belts found have a plastic buckle. It appears that the small savings in weight may not be worth losing the belt while diving. You might want to look elsewhere for weight savings.

 

[spectrum]

The best I could find via ScubaToys, Piranha, Divers Direct, and Dive Gear Express was this one here. Has anyone found anything more durable?

There is a SCUBA PRO plastic buckle (or there was 10 years ago) that is much sturdier that the model you cite. I have a few floating around on weight belts and they saw 100's of dives. Still plastic but if you want to take this route it's not unreasonable. The sturdier plastic may nibble into your savings.

Pete

 

[annasea]

There is a SCUBA PRO plastic buckle (or there was 10 years ago) that is much sturdier that the model you cite. I have a few floating around on weight belts and they saw 100's of dives. Still plastic but if you want to take this route it's not unreasonable. The sturdier plastic may nibble into your savings.

Pete

Thanks, Pete! I'll google about in search of one...

---------- Post added August 22nd, 2015 at 08:18 PM ----------

What? I paid 150% more for the same thing from the lds. Well, at least they threw the webbing in for free.

Consensus has it that a majority of the weight belts found have a plastic buckle. It appears that the small savings in weight may not be worth losing the belt while diving. You might want to look elsewhere for weight savings.

I don't wear a weight belt; it's for my harness.

 

[buddhasummer]

I don't like to use plastic either, someone puts a tank on it and it's broken. As others have said the weight saving is negligible. The weight saving to risk of being broken is just not worth it to me particularly when doing liveaboards. The only time I use a plastic buckle is to secure my canister light as metal buckles tend to gouge the canister. I use the plastic one sold by DGX, it's pretty heavy duty plastic. I have a titanium harness buckle on my travel rig made by ScubaPro, I bought it on an auction, have no idea as to its current availability or if it was just sold on the Japanese market. Best of both worlds it's lighter and unlikely to break. Maybe you could ask ScubaPro over on their forum. Good luck.

 

[eelnoraa]

I wonder what is the weight of a metal buckle. Even if you completely eliminate the buckle, I really doubt the weight saving is noticeably at all. I will weight a metal buckle tomorrow and let you guys know.

 

[kwinter]

No plastic buckle would be worth the swap. Maybe a delrin buckle would hold up ok. If there is such a thing, it would probably cost double what the stainless one does and weight almost as much. Give it up.

 

[divad]

WEIGHT (LBS)	0.3500

$3.25





The plastic one weighs 0.1000, so by weight, the plastic one is a little more expensive.