Weighting question

[Kronek]

So, Ive been lurking for awhile, and finally decided to post. Not some big astounding holy crap moment. But a weight question.

I picked up everything but my wetsuit last week and my store said I needed close to 50 pounds of weight to sink in a 7mm wetsuit. 25 is in my BC and 25 on a belt. Now in my pool I was toolin around the other day in it, and I found 25 to be a little to much, maybe 5 pounds extra. Is a 7mm full wetsuit + gloves, hood boots REALLY 30 pounds to sink? That cant be right because people here are saying they use like 8-10 pounds to sink in a full wet suit.


Or am I just a noob and missing something?

 

[tracydr]

How much did you use in your class? Who told you this?
50 lbs sounds like a crazy WAG. Don't believe everything everybody at the dive shop tells you. Sometimes, they are not even Advanced Open Water divers. Just somebody's kid, helping out at the front desk or something.
I asked about drysuit undergarments at a local shop recently and was shown 1mm skins. (definitely not the same thing, at all)
Am I misunderstanding, and you haven't even had a class yet? Because if you haven't had a class, get out of the pool before you drown yourself and wait for some instruction!

 

[Kronek]

I took OW 7 years ago, this class is just more of an indepth refresher. I was using 25lb in the pool, and felt a little over weighed, but again, no wetsuit, etc. When I took my class, I was 100lb lighter then I am now. The guy that estimated me was the manager, and tech diver so I figured he knew what he was talking about.

So again, is 205-30lb as crazy as I feel it is for a 7mm wetsuit?

 

[mala]

I took OW 7 years ago, this class is just more of an indepth refresher. I was using 25lb in the pool, and felt a little over weighed, but again, no wetsuit, etc. When I took my class, I was 100lb lighter then I am now. The guy that estimated me was the manager, and tech diver so I figured he knew what he was talking about.

So again, is 205-30lb as crazy as I feel it is for a 7mm wetsuit?

why estimate.

go and do a weight check in the pool with full kit.

 

[Dr Dog]

including the weight of my SS bp/w. which is 6 pounds, I typically will wear another 12 pounds in lead, with my 7mm wetsuit gloves boot and hoods

I normally have 20 pounds in the car, just you just never know

 

[DivemasterDennis]

You body weight and type, as well as equipment worn, will impact the weight to use. In a 7 mil in fresh water, start at about 10% of body weight. If you have a higher than normal percentage of body fat you will use more weight. Remember that if you do a weight check with a full tank, add another 3 lbs as the tank "lightens" as depleted. No one, regardless of credentials, can look at you and tell you what weight you will need in exposure gear you have never dove in. At best they can give you an estimate or a ballpark guess. There is no substitute for a proper weight check.
DivemasterDennis

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The 50lbs sounds crazy high, but yes, a new 7MM in XXL with hood, gloves and booties can easily take 20lbs to sink. If you need 20lbs in a pool sans wetsuit, then maybe they might not be that far off.

I would definitely do a weight check to minimize weight and seriously consider if you are in good enough physical shape to handle the load of lead+gear. A lot of diving deaths are due to cardiac issues brought on by heavy gear, overheating and over doing it by people in poor physical condition.

 

[catone]

50lbs of lead sounds insane for wet diving. I use less than half diving dry with undergarments in 40F water. I dive a new 3XL 7mm, hood, gloves and booties with a steel HP100 tank and I only need about 9lbs of lead.

 

[eelnoraa]

I was using 25lb in the pool, and felt a little over weighed, but again, no wetsuit ..

This is just so wrong. No wetsuit and still 25lb in pool (fresh water) just doesn't make sense. Sounds to me you are not a little over weighted, you are very over weighted.

You need to do a proper weight check.

50lb for 7mm wetsuit is also extremely high too, very uncommon. Again, weight check is your answer

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Tell them you are not buying any lead until they go into the pool with you and do a real and proper weight check. None of this "the book says you need this percentage of lead" crap. That is what shops do when they want to sell. If indeed this guy is a tech diver tell him you want set up with a balanced rig. If he seems confused or disappointed get away from that place as fast as you can.

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