Weighting

[Bobb]

I am curious to see how much weight people use... I realize that it depends on body weight/fat/muscle etc. But a lot of people I spoke with, use 12 - 14 - 16 pounds of weight... I normally use 6# and sometimes 5#. I have been diving with a 3 mm exposure suit, flashlight, knife, Bc (non weight integrated) full foot fins, and gloves...
just curious..

 

[Warhammer]

Vastly depends on where I'm diving and with what protection, tank, and etc. But for quarry diving, my most frequent, I use 6lbs with a 3mm shorty and PST HP100. With the same system, I'll generally carry 12lbs in salt water, sometimes 10.

 

[large_diver]

As WH said, it varies....

My statistics --

I wear a 7mm farmer john and jacket (resulting in 14mm around my torso) for salt water diving here in New England. I weigh 260 pounds -- pretty muscular and some fat ;-)

I typically use 40 lbs if diving my LP steel tank and 35 if diving with an AL 80.

 

[large_diver]

DOH -- sorry! I meant to say I use 35 with the LP steel and 40 with the AL 80.

 

[buff]

when I was young and lean I could scuba dive in Cozumel with nothing but my speedo and 2 lbs. of weight........now I need 4 lbs. just to get me underwater when I'm snorkeling....AAAHHHH age-and fat.

 

[TexasMike]

for me, 12 lbs for full 3/2 one peice wetsuit, AL80, gloves, Zeagle Ranger, and beanie (want to try 10 next run).

And I add 3lbs when I am wearing my 2mil hooded chicken vest.

 

[joewr]

Bobb,

My stats: 6' 200 lbs--aged athlete (i.e., lots of the former muscle has softened).

I always dive in warm salt water--but some of the stuff I have read here is making me rethink that commitment.

Dive gear:

3mm Henderson Gold full wet suit w/ add on hood,and full booties---9-10 lbs.

3mm Henderson Gold full wet suit w/ 3mm Henderson vest, add on hood and full booties---11-12lbs.

ca. 2.5mm O'Neill Fleece w/add on hood and full booties---8 lbs.

I have other exposure suits, but rarely use them any more.

I usually do the first dive of the day with the greater wt. and then drop a pound. I try to use as little wt. as possible and very rarely have any air in my bc while underwater. The only "problem" with this approach is that once I am back at around 10' with about 1000 lbs of air or less, it is hard to redescend.

Joewr

 

[socaldiver]

Being a little on the chunky side 5'8 190lbs I will use 20 lbs with a 7 mil wetsuit, diving with Scubapro 71 steel tank, booties, gloves and beanie hood.

When I use my farmer john 3 mil I drop down to 12 lbs and a thinner pair of gloves, but all other gear is the same.

 

[mlove]

I use 12 lbs in warm water with 3mil suit. Went on cold water dive last week in 7mil two piece and alum tanks,wore 28 lbs. I like relaxing at safty stop, not fighting to stay down.
Mike