Intergated Weights

[David Wiggins]

I would appreciated hearing views on the best balance between carrying weight in a BCD or on a belt?
I can get all my weight into my BCD but is that the best way to go?
Should I split the weight with some on a belt and just trim for equipment set and salt/fresh water with my integrated weight system?

What experience/advice can anyone offer.

Thanks for your help.

David

[GLOC]

Moved to the correct forum David.

[RubberD]

I stick all mine in my jacket. Spit into thirds, one third in each quick release pouch the other third in pouches built into the jacket either side of the cylinder.
I find this has several advantages.
I have more flexibility without a belt.
You could never find my belt when worn under my BC as the Velcro and straps hid it and made it difficult to get to. Far easier to dump weight now if someone had to.
A read of the BSAC accident reports lists lots of instances of lost weight belts resulting in rapid assents. Even if I did pull some weight off by mistake I would only lose a third.
Can’t think of any disadvantages. A dive buddy of mine thinks that when he tries this configuration he has too much air movement in his dry suit and now wears a belt with no weight on but I do not find this a problem.

[nigelH]

I carry all the lead integrated unless I'm RIB diving when I move stuff to a pocketed belt.

For me it's the balance between having it securely attached and still leaving the rig possible to get back aboard without a crane.

[Scubee]

Originally Posted by RubberD

Can’t think of any disadvantages.

Except, perhaps, when you need someone else to take the weight of your kit. If you can't take all the weight out of your BCD, then try and hand your kit up to someone on the boat, they are lifting a lot of unnecessary weight.
when i am diving on a single/BCD, i have my weight in pouches on a weight harness. The releases can be placed in a position where they can be easily seen to ditch, but you won't lose them all in one go like a belt. Plus, with a harness, you take the weight on your shoulders, not your hips.

[Lazlo]

My preference is a weight harness with dumpable weight pockets. One of these in fact. I don't like weight belts because they're uncomfortable once you get past about 6 kilos or so. Then I tried using the integrated weight pockets in my BC, but the downsides are that 1) the weights take up so much room you lose your pockets and 2) the BC is blumin' heavy to carry around (and put on).

It seems to me that a harness gives you the convenience of integrated, plus the comfort of having the weight on your shoulders rather than waist. Whether you want dumpable weights or not is up to you - both options are available.

The other thing about people losing their weight belts probably has something to do with those people who have, ahem, no waist... But that's just a guess.

I've wondered about the theory of splitting the weights up - some on a belt or harness, some in the BC, some dumpable, some not - but I've never been bothered to try it out.

[Houseplant]

Always integrated and in some cases (i.e. twinset), non-ditchable. When RIB diving, I clip my equipment to the side of the RIB and haul it out of the water myself, unless someone else absolutely insists

[RubberD]

Originally Posted by Scubee

Except, perhaps, when you need someone else to take the weight of your kit. If you can't take all the weight out of your BCD, then try and hand your kit up to someone on the boat, they are lifting a lot of unnecessary weight.

I hear what you’re saying that’s why I pop the weight pouches in last when I’ve got the BC on. I only carry two kilo in the back that can’t be taken off so it’s not that much heavier when passing into the boat.

[RubberD]

Originally Posted by Lazlo

Then I tried using the integrated weight pockets in my BC, but the downsides are that 1) the weights take up so much room you lose your pockets

The other thing about people losing their weight belts probably has something to do with those people who have, ahem, no waist... But that's just a guess.

Storage in the pockets is reduced a bit but I don’t find that a problem. I suspect that different BC’s will be different in this respect.

As for the waist…

[teddybeardiver]

I wear a Harness, like Lazlo's, in the UK when diving in a dry suit and the integrated weight pockets when diving in wet suit abroad. The integrated weight pockets are not recommended to take the weight I need for a dry suit so I find the harness a better option plus you get a few more D-rings for hanging bits off!