Heavy feet in a wetsuit

[siltmonkey]

Hi

On holiday not long ago I noticed that I had 'heavy feet' syndrome.

I was using my thin wetsuit, an ali 12 litre tank, my steel backplate and I needed no other weight, which was great.

However, in the water my feet slowly dipped down and my natural position seemed to be sitting (not so bad in a current, but annoying at other times), whereas in my drysuit horizontal is a doddle.

I understand trim and positioning, bringing your feet up as far as you can etc., the tank was as high on my body as was practical and the only weight I carried was directly under the tank.

If I added any more weight I would have been overweighted.

So...I concluded my jetfins were a bit too heavy, and I think I'll experiment with my old floatier fins.

Has anyone else found this, or am I missing something obvious?

:-~

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by siltmonkey

Hi

On holiday not long ago I noticed that I had 'heavy feet' syndrome.

I was using my thin wetsuit, an ali 12 litre tank, my steel backplate and I needed no other weight, which was great.

However, in the water my feet slowly dipped down and my natural position seemed to be sitting (not so bad in a current, but annoying at other times), whereas in my drysuit horizontal is a doddle.

I understand trim and positioning, bringing your feet up as far as you can etc., the tank was as high on my body as was practical and the only weight I carried was directly under the tank.

If I added any more weight I would have been overweighted.

So...I concluded my jetfins were a bit too heavy, and I think I'll experiment with my old floatier fins.

Has anyone else found this, or am I missing something obvious?

:-~

Could you try an ali plate then cam band the other 2kg higher to the neck of the cylinder? Works for me that way other wise I'd have the same issue as you.

Rgrds
Mal

[milldog]

i had the same problem swapped to TUSA fins rather that the scubapro jet fins problem sorted

[ardhill]

Even with my 7mm semi dry in the UK if I wear Jet Fins my feet are too heavy. But they are great in a drysuit with air in the legs.

[siltmonkey]

Nice posts, thanks for the suggestions, particularly camming the weights to the top of the tank. I was wondering if there was a strictly honed-to-the-bone and well-thought-out dir approach to this, but maybe this sort of thing doesn't happen to the 'elite'!


>:-)

r

[Ken]

Originally Posted by siltmonkey

Nice posts, thanks for the suggestions, particularly camming the weights to the top of the tank. I was wondering if there was a strictly honed-to-the-bone and well-thought-out dir approach to this, but maybe this sort of thing doesn't happen to the 'elite'!


>:-)

r

The DIR elite have the advantage of clear, warm water only minutes from their doorstep to sort things out. Also, full access to everything under the sun! Nice living near the warm springs in Fla. Me, I have to drive, drive, and drive!

On a helpful note I use Mares Quattros to trim me out with a wetsuit into the preferred swimming position + the stage strapped - bailout I carry negates the heavy feet.

[Howard Payne]

I use a pair of weight pouches from niknaks on my top cam band (Halcyon Eclipse) when I'm diving in a shorty and then spread the weight between a belt and the pouches (ie: 2kg at the top - 2kg at the bottom on a belt) works great. Have tried using quattro's as well and they are lighter, but if you're used to all the DIR finstrokes - it's hard switching back - they feel cumbersome. HTH

[siltmonkey]

Thanks for the replies!

I'll try cambanding small weights to the top and take it from there...

cheers

:-)

r