The Great 'Ankle-weights Debate'.

[Paul Bogle]

Hi,
I've been thinking of giving some ankle weights a go as I sometimes end up with my legs as my highest point making air there hard to dump.

Anyone aware of any potential problems I should consider? I don't really have a problem with finning so I'm not really worried about increased fatigue, etc. I expect I'm only going to have, at most, 0.5kg per ankle.

Thanks in advance,
Paul

[Dominic]

They're prone to falling off. Think about getting some heavier fins if you can.

Excercisey shops frequently sell useable weights for far less than dive shops.

You could also look at gaiters, which wrap around your legs and prevent excess air entering.

[Davey Willo]

Hi Paul

I agree with Dom, try and get some heavier fins, Jetfins or copies are great, also try to keep less air in the suit, using the BC for bouyancy control and just take the squeeze off of the suit to make you comfortable, this way you'll find much less air migration and you'll have a better CoG too as the cylinder is being supported by your BC and not by your whole body (if you are the type to use the drysuit as bouyancy)

Leg irons are not usually needed yet many wear them in the belief that they do.. more often than not it's the novice diver that requires them (or feel that they require them) and then never dive without them again...

HTH
Dave

[Pink & Fluffy]

Hi Paul I am fairly new to drysuite diving and have tried ankle weights, I found that they did not help at all apart from slipping down and making the problem even worse . the thing that really DID  help me was the sholder straps  inside the drysuite .I find they keep the drysuite in place and the feet in the boots ,if I foget to put  the sholder straps on  I now about it stright away . sug fitting fins will help with the straps over the retainers .
Fiona.

[Finless]

I have used ankle weights since I got my dry suit and have not had any problem with them at all (once I dumped the cheap crap I bought to start with and got a decent set).

I suspect that as I have a membrane suit this means there is more room for air to migrate as opposed to a closer fitting neoprene suit.

I have my doubts about gaiters as IMO air will still get past - although I have to say Dom appears to be very clued up on kit things so I will defer to his knowledge.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Leg irons are not usually needed yet many wear them in the belief that they do.. more often than not it's the novice diver that requires them (or feel that they require them) and then never dive without them again...

This may be true but take the weight off your ankle and you have to put it on somewhere else. I have good position in water so why upset my balance - it works for me so WTF, I don't find them any problem at all.  

Heavier fins are an option but ankle weights are cheaper to try first. Can you not borrow some from a long time user from your dive club and see how you get on with them?

[Lou]

Please, please, please will someone explain to me what is the nett difference between ankle weights and heavier fins - apart from "cool" factor?

You are adding weight to the end of your legs in both cases
This affects your trim almost equally in both cases (although heavier fins would have a greater moment about your CoG for equal bouyancy offset).

The weight you add at the ends of your leggies comes off from somewhere else in both cases.

It could be argued that the ankle weights, being closer to the pivot point cause less fatigue per kg than heavier fins (efficiency of fin perfromance aside).

I just don't get the difference in practical terms???

[Dominic]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I just don't get the difference in practical terms

Ankle weights are prone to falling off without you noticing.
Fins aren't.

I suppose you could make an argument for KISS - why have fins AND ankle weights when you can just have heavy fins?

But mainly, I'm against ankle weights because:
Most people I know who use them have had to buy replacements when they fell off.
Most people who use them don't need to.

If you need them, use them. But IMHO, they should be a last resort after all else has been tried, whereas I've often seen novices on their first ever drysuit dive wearing the poxy things..

[Dominic]

P.S. Gaiters - I've never used them, so can't realy comment. But some people report using them sucessfully.

I reckon there's a market to be made selling gaiters with lead pockets in them. Gaiters don't fall off, and adding weights to them will make damn sure your feet stay down

[String]

Im hoping to buy a pair this month.  Been semi-struggling with my suit since day 1.  I either have to mount my tank so im trimmed to walk across the bottom or im constantly squat tucking to remove air. Im sick of it so going to try some weights.

A question with these gaiters - granted they *slow* air migration to the boot but my fear is if/when air does eventually migrate to them wont they make corrective action harder or far more ineffective by preventing air moving back into the main part of suit ?

[Dominic]

They don't work by being a tight band that slows air migration - they work by covering your leg from knee to ankle and being tight over the whole area, thus preventing foot ballooning. No change in migration speeds occurs.