Darnold9999
Contributor
I think alot of this depends on how much weight you are carrying. In warm water a few # of lead integrated into a BC isn't much of a problem. However in cold water and a drysuit you can end up carrying a lot of lead. Integrate it all into the BC and you end up with an unwieldy system for alot of people. Hard to get back on the boat in heavy weather, hard to pick up and put on, also an issue if you have to separate yourself from it at depth for some reason as there will be a significant difference in boyancy between your BC/Tank and yourself.
I use a weight harness - if the buckle fails no problem the harness isn't going anywhere. Don't take it with me on warm water trips.
The weight is distributed across four separate pouches so if one fails and the weight drops out I have lost only 1/4 or less of my lead. Not a velcro system so unlikely to fail anyway.
The only significant down side is that I can't take it off on the surface easily like a belt. The harness has to come off after the BC - I can ditch easily, but the weight is then on the bottom or I have to MT the pouches one at a time removing the individual weights. Not the best solution in rough seas as Leo said. However I can take the tank and BP off - pass it up and then take the weight off - assuming the drysuit is not flooded of course
In that situation I am buying new lead and happy to do it!
I use a weight harness - if the buckle fails no problem the harness isn't going anywhere. Don't take it with me on warm water trips.
The weight is distributed across four separate pouches so if one fails and the weight drops out I have lost only 1/4 or less of my lead. Not a velcro system so unlikely to fail anyway.
The only significant down side is that I can't take it off on the surface easily like a belt. The harness has to come off after the BC - I can ditch easily, but the weight is then on the bottom or I have to MT the pouches one at a time removing the individual weights. Not the best solution in rough seas as Leo said. However I can take the tank and BP off - pass it up and then take the weight off - assuming the drysuit is not flooded of course
In that situation I am buying new lead and happy to do it!
