Tropical diving: correct amount of weight versus trim (correct weight distribution)

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The question is why can't one set up their gear such that the weight distribution is correct and trim is effortless?

Why would I want to tweak my position or alter my natural breathing pattern?
Because diving isn't supposed to be fun and relaxing? :poke:
 
Hp100 and board shorts for me in in warm ocean = Plombo? No mas por favor, gracias.
What's plombo?
The tanks we had in egypt and the Med were 12l steel. They hold about 95 cuft at 3300 psi. So not quite like HP100 but pretty close, I reckon.
Shorty, 3mm and 5mm are more common than board shorts though. Mostly the bigger guys were rocking the board shorts.
 
Plombo = lead in Spanish
 
The question is why can't one set up their gear such that the weight distribution is correct and trim is effortless?

Why would I want to tweak my position or alter my natural breathing pattern?
Of course you can do that.
It's just that, if you can trim out with the trim weights, you likely can do it without them too. That's all I'm saying.

When I started out diving dry, my shop sold me ankle weights. 1 lbs per ankle. After a while, I lost one of the weights on a dive and didn't even notice it. One extra pound per leg sounds like a lot but turned out it didn't make any difference.
Many dive shops and instructors try to sell you lots of crap but you can be a great diver with great trim with old gear off of ebay.
 
Hp100 and board shorts for me in in warm ocean = Plombo? No mas por favor, gracias.
Twinset with steel cylinders and I'll probably be balanced or slightly head heavy (even with my titanium BP). But definitely overweighted. Aluminum would be better. But that's OT. I'm talking about a single cylinder with a single strap BCD w/o trim pockets.
 
Most things have been figured out before in simpler times. Just learn from your elders.

This man be having the whole trim weight thing sorted!
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Salt water corrosion resistant, and also solves travel issues like forgetting your wallet, customs cash limits, and currency exchange.
 
Twinset with steel cylinders and I'll probably be balanced or slightly head heavy (even with my titanium BP). But definitely overweighted. Aluminum would be better. But that's OT. I'm talking about a single cylinder with a single strap BCD w/o trim pockets.
I think neoprene wetsuit pants would be easy to pack and give you lift for the legs. Also 6 mm booties.
 
I think neoprene wetsuit pants would be easy to pack and give you lift for the legs. Also 6 mm booties.
It wasn't really possible on this trip. Next winter getaway will be different (i hope)
 
To me, moving the lead is the first way to fix a mass vs volume center imbalance. Good resting frog pose (knees at 90) lets you fine tune it, but may not get you there by itself. And why not make the neutral balance point be at that 90 pose, instead of some over tucked or extended pose. (Not saying you need to use frog kick to move, but it is a good resting pose. And not 'superman' pose as that is legs straight out, which gives you only one direction to adjust.)

But moving the lead takes realizing you need to have gear that supports that, and actually getting that gear.

Traveling, I think the desirability of a balanced weight distribution vs the common dive op reality means carrying tools to fix the BC you may get. Bungee at least. Bungie or (tested) velcro mountable pockets very likely, so no one freaks about you tying weights on. Some small weights if possible, as the dive op may only have big ones. You own gear and small lead ideally.

I would trade a bit of overweighting to have a balanced weight distribution. Being easily in trim gives me more and easier control. I'm less overworked. So more aware of my environment and can handle a bit larger air bladder volume. It took me a bit to realize I think that in the right trade off. Up to a point; but it shouldn't take that many pounds tropically with a single tank.

Glad you got to dive Cuba!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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