Wow, that's a lot of weight!!!

[SparticleBrane]

Most of the people who say they need that much weight are usually in a 3mm with an Al80. That's why I said it's laughable.

 

[Dark Wolf]

I am also a new diver. But, being in Missouri for my first dives, I was wearing a farmer john 7 mil with light and backup light (plus all the other odds and ends), AL80, gloves, boots, and hood. I wear about 30 pounds of weight.

Some of this weight may eventually come off as I get more experience, but if it doesn't then I am not really concerned about it. It is what it is.

For the record, in my pool dives W/O wetsuit, I used 8 pounds.


Dark Wolf

 

[almitywife]

buy steel tanks!!!!!!!!!!!!

i only touch aluminium when im in the tropics diving in lycra (which isnt a pretty sight btw )

 

[Darin]

Weighting is always an interesting topic. Yes, the goal is to have as little as possible, yet still maintain your 15' safety stop with 500 psi in the tank an still be 'just' neutral. Of course, there are other ideas but most would be arguing semantics.

Basically, we want to stay down. Most would agree that being a few pounds (2 or so) over-weighted is ok, provided you can still maintain good buoyancy.

I remember way back in my OW checkout dives, I was told to use 38(!) pounds, in a 7mm, hood and gloves, basic cold water setup. I think the suggestion was based on my body size. I'm no little guy, but I am physically dense (and mentally!). I dive in a pool with no weight at all, in a swimsuit, and I might still be over-weighted. Now, the fins I use and the BCD I use are slightly negative. I now dive cold water in a drysuit, heavy wooly, gloves and hood with 26lbs. I bump it up to around 28 or so if I'm in a class, just so I can slow down corking students a bit easier.

It is interesting how some people can be skinny as a rail and still need 10lbs in a swimsuit, in fresh water. But it does remind me that everyone is different, and never make assumptions about the weight they “should” need. Most published recommendations are just that, recommendations. There is no set in stone rules about weighting.

Darin

 

[booth22]

Ah Hah!! I think I've just had my light bulb moment :lightbulb :lightbulb :lightbulb !! LOL So when I see that much weight mentioned, I can safely assume we are talking drysuit diving? Sheesh.....crawling back under my rock. :babycrawl Don't I feel like a dork?

Not really related to your thread but reminded me of a story... our DM in Costa Maya told us about a guy who took 45 lbs of lead with no wetsuit and logged a 14 minute dive. When we asked if the guy was a "fat american", the DM just gave us a

 

[almitywife]

...... But it does remind me that everyone is different, and never make assumptions about the weight they “should” need. Most published recommendations are just that, recommendations. There is no set in stone rules about weighting.

Darin

yep

only yesterday i was diving with a small slip of a young woman..... tiny sized and i easily had 70lbs on her and she was diving with 20lbs while im down to 12lbs

 

[mobster75]

I tend to dive with a bunch of weight because I'm 6'0" and 245 lbs and I live in New England (and haven't gone to drysuits yet).

Looking through my log book, my final dive of last season was in a full 7mm wetsuit + 3/2 hooded vest + AL80 and I had 32lbs on, 39 ft bottom, bottom temp of 55f w/ 12ft viz.

Sadly, a few times I found that even w/ the 32lbs of lead on, I'd need to swim on my initial descent instead of just float down.

Of course, on my trip to St. Croix last summer, with just my 3/2 shorty on, I was down to 15lbs (75 ft viz, 90 ft bottom, 80f bottom temp... sigh..... ).


Ultimately, it boils down to: BIG PERSON + COLD WATER DIVING + SALT WATER + AL TANK= A *LOT* OF LEAD

 

[PerroneFord]

You guys are killing me.

I was in the pool last monday, in my drysuit, 300g XXXL Thinsulate undies, twin AL80s with about 800 psi in them (meaning they were floaty), and 11 pounds on.

I'm 6'0" 250.

With a single 80 and a 3mm full, I wear no weight. With a full 5mm I wear 6 pounds.

 

[ianw2]

I tend to dive with a bunch of weight because I'm 6'0" and 245 lbs and I live in New England (and haven't gone to drysuits yet).

Looking through my log book, my final dive of last season was in a full 7mm wetsuit + 3/2 hooded vest + AL80 and I had 32lbs on, 39 ft bottom, bottom temp of 55f w/ 12ft viz.

Sadly, a few times I found that even w/ the 32lbs of lead on, I'd need to swim on my initial descent instead of just float down.

I'm 6'2" + and about 250#. I dive in Southern California with a 7mm suit, 5mm boots and gloves and a hood. When I pop these goodies in my rinse tank, 22 pounds of lead on top won't push them to the bottom. That's fresh water, too.

In salt water, on 32#, I have to work at getting down. I'm OK once I'm below 20 FSW, bit I do work to get down.

As others have said, weight's weight. If that's what it takes to get you down and you've checked it, then that's what it takes. So what if I need 32# and you can get by with 4#.

Ian

 

[Brandon Belew]

With a 50cf tank, 3mm wetsuit I use 16lb's in the pool. I'm 6ft 3 250lbs.

16lb's isn't really enough for me, but I haven't got around to getting my trim weights cleaned up after casting them.

I should be using a 80 tank but some skinny guy in class always steals it before I can grab it!!