To Weight Belt or not...

[paddler3d]

I dive wet (a variety of wetsuit combos with the most bouyant being a 3mm, with 5mm, with hooded vest, and yes I know this is a lot but I do stay warm to 38-40 degrees), SS PB/W.

I just switched to a steel HP 130 (an underfill at 3000psi give me something like 119cuft of gas, so on so forth) and added a 40cuft 'pony' bottle. Yes I'm an air hog.

Before the switch to a big tank and big pony, I could dive a steel 80, my BP and 4#'s of lead. After I figured out how to crush dive, I bet I could have droped a couple of pounds of lead still be fine for a SS.

So, now I've added more non-ditchable weight to my rig. I'm real sure I really don't need any lead.

My old rig was weight intergrated and I practiced a ditch and don in 20-30ffw and remember having to wrap my legs around a rock or something to stay down. I decided that was a bad idea and to not try that one again. Something about feeling like a cork.

However this is my question, should I wear a weight belt with a few pounds of lead on it in the event of a ditch and don situation or just do without it?

You guys have been great so seeking your collective thoughts!

 

[do it easy]

I wouldn't add any more lead than you need- maybe you could switch to an AL BP and then wear the difference on a belt. Or just remember to hang on when you HAVE to do a ditch and don. I'm sure others will chime in about that ditch and don.

 

[Kangy]

The question is how often are you really going to be doing a ditch and don? If for any reason underwater you had to take your rig completely off you'd either be still breathing from it, hence holding on to it closely to fix something so it would still keep you down, or well ditching it for some reason, which if that is the case you'd most likely be going for the surface anyways.
But yes I do know that ditch and dons, bailouts, buddy breathing gear exchange, etc, all those fun skills are a pain in the *** when your bouyant and you let go of your gear, haha my first time for my DM course I was in a 2piece 5mil no weight belt, and getting back down to my gear was a blast anyways, back to the question at hand.
I'm not a fan of weight belts, what weight I need depending on tanks and exposure suite, I put into pockets on my waist strap that buckle, I'd rather not have them ditchable, than have them fall out on there own. Not sure that your asking about ditchable weights though, hmm
I guess my opinion would be although it's a pain when doing skills without your gear on, I'd stay away from the weight belt unless you really do need the weight, that and if you know going into the dive that your going to be doing a ditch and don, pop on a weight belt to use for the skill, but incorporating that into your everyday rig is a little overkill. That and with practice, gear removal and replacement can be done without a weight belt, with a negative rig. I demonstrate it to students all the time, you just have to get used to how to balance yourself and gear while doing it.

 

[Nitrox50]

Hi

I don't think you should ever add weight just for the sake of adding weight. If you need it to stay down by all means use it - otherwise no.

Remember...... the most likely situation where you would let go of your weight belt is if you have lost all lift in your bcd/wing - and then i will not help to be over-weighted anyway.

Nitrox50

 

[adza]

After I figured out how to crush dive, I bet I could have droped a couple of pounds of lead still be fine for a SS.

Sorry for the ignorance, but what's a crush dive?

 

[SwimJim]

Of course you want to be properly weighted, but my personal preference is to keep some weight on me and some integrated. I hate weight belts though, especially if I'm wearing a neoprene wet suit. The solution for me was to go to a DUI weight harness. No need to readjust the thing once you get down fifty feet. It doesn't trap air in the drysuit and its way more comfortable.

Jim