Weight placement

[Ozwald]

Hi there

I am curious what your thoughts are on placing weight on the cam straps. I dive the Halcyon BPW . I have removed the weight pockets to make room for my canister light. I purchased the small weight pockets that mount directly on the cam bands. i also have the 6lb weight for the tank adapter.

I'll be diving salt water in a 3ml full down in Playa.

I am wondering if I should just resort to a weight belt rather than placing weight on the cam straps.

I am thinking I'm probably going to need roughly 12-14 lbs. The cam pockets are good for 2lbs each x 4 (two on the top strap and two on the bottom) plus the 6 lb weight, 14 lbs. My concern is that none of it is "ditchable".

Thoughts

 

[Doc Harry]

For tropical diving I use:
6 lbs on the upper cam straps
4 lbs on the lower cam straps

Concerned about no ditchable weight? At the start of a dive, drop to the sand and dump all of the air out of your BC. Then see if you swim up without too much effort (without adding any air to your BC). If you can swim up with an empty BC, then you don't need any ditchable weight with that configuration.

Write everything down in your log book for furture reference.

 

[helimvee]

Have you tried releasing the weight from the pouches? I would think that you would be able to reach the bottom ones.

I use XS scuba pouches that will take up to 5lbs each. Down south in a 3mm I use 4lbs on each band with an AL plate.

 

[Tortuga68]

I'll be diving salt water in a 3ml full down in Playa.

I am wondering if I should just resort to a weight belt rather than placing weight on the cam straps.

I am thinking I'm probably going to need roughly 12-14 lbs. The cam pockets are good for 2lbs each x 4 (two on the top strap and two on the bottom) plus the 6 lb weight, 14 lbs. My concern is that none of it is "ditchable".

Thoughts

My thoughts are that seems like a lot of weight for a 3mm - are you using alloy or SS backplate? What tank, AL80? Maybe you're just buoyant, I don't know

Is the 6# weight in the STA?

As far as ditchable weight goes, it doesn't bother me not having any per Doc Harry's post

I hate weight belts

 

[Ozwald]

It's an aluminum STA and yeah....the 6# will be in the STA. The tank will be whatever they rent....probably AL80.


May be just the 6# ?

 

[Tortuga68]

Impossible to say from here, but 12-14 is more than most people would need for that setup

I use 6# with an alloy plate and a 3mm steamer, but that's just me

I would suggest you could put a weight on your waist harness - easy to take off mid-dive that way