How reliable are weights?

[Juz]

Originally Posted by Padowan

Perhaps if lardy blokes have this problem, they should look at getting a harness system - unless they have no shoulders either - that would be a really funny shaped guy!

They don't come much more lardy than me, and I don't have a problem with a weight belt, and find it much more comfy than a harness system.

Juz

[Rod]

In the Red Sea my buddy lost his Scubapoo integral weights 3 times in 4 days.

[Helen F H]

Originally Posted by Juz

They don't come much more lardy than me, and I don't have a problem with a weight belt, and find it much more comfy than a harness system.

Juz

I spose it is just personal preference. (unless you have secret hips....)

[frisky fraser]

first boat dive,and on descent at about 8 mtrs knew something was wrong,looked down,and my belt was at my knees. with some assistance, surfaced. after that I tried lying on the deck with buddies boot on my belly pulling the belt as tight as poss!! it still slipped on descent. So I invested in a harness,and to date,I've only lost a pouch once, and the only hassle I had with that was that I eventually surfaced sideways, or as the Scots say,all to one side like Gourock!!
cheers
Fraser

[Fiji Dave]

I lost my weightbelt twice diving abroad in Fiji. Both times it happened when I was rolling of the dive boat. Weight belt on, checked buckle - ok fine, roll off, try to descend, not happening, look down and find no weight belt!

The belt had a crappy plastic buckle and the 'teeth' on it had almost no grip on the belt, so any movement was likely to cause the buckle to pop open.

What really annoyed me was that the first time it happened my girlfriend dropped down to grab the belt at about 20m and lying asleep not 2m from the belt was a six foot Leopard Shark. I've never seen one and I'd love to see one, and when my girlfriend came back up with my belt and told me I cursed that weightbelt for the rest on the day. I've still never seen a leopard shark and it's something my girlfriend takes great delight in reminding me of.

The buckle was replaced but now I'm an integrated weights kinda guy.

[Darren27]

Dont have any first hand experience of a lost weight belt, other than ones dropped while handing them up to the boat crew before getting back into a rib.

I usually have to adjust me belt once I get near the bottom, due to the neoprene suit compressing. But its just part of the routine, get in the water, get to bottom, get comfortable, get diving.

Darren

[MattS]

Quite a few years ago I was diving on the Wapello off the IOW. Typical club dive in that we arrived, the echo sounder broke and we were well into slack by the time we snagged the wreck with the anchor, set and shot and descended. So off we go down towards what I presume was the bow - this is another of those pitch black dives that the Solent is famous for. Just as we go into deco the tide turns and we start heading back to the shot. Soon we are having to haul ourselves up the wreck as the current picks up. We cross the deck and I come out from behind a bit of cover and get slammed against the hull. I am still holding on but find my legs are restricted. So I reach back, thinking I am going to find a line or something, and pick up a 'heavy rope' from over the back of my legs. What the hell is that....ahhh my weightbelt. Seems the buckle popped when I hit the hull.

Never had a problem with a belt previous or since.

[Mr T.]

I've only had a weight-belt come loose once (in the Cave in Capernwray), but never lost one or had it come off in the water.

I've seen weight-belts ping off other divers (and had to retrieve a goodly many) umpteen times both in the UK and in the far-flung.

In my experience, this happens for two reasons:

1. The person wearing it (or has had it put on for them - e.g. a newbie under instruction) has not put it on correctly, with the result that it either pings off on entering the water, or works its way loose in the water during the course of the dive.

2. The belt has a fault: ususally a frayed belt or a plastic belt buckle which should have been retired years ago - this is very common at dive centres abroad in the Blue.

[Digger]

Seen it happen to plenty of others, but then working with groups where the majority of customers are newly qualified or dive rarely means I'm probably at the worst end of the scale for witnessing problems.

I've never had the problem with losing belts, and I've got a reasonable gut going on (I'm festively plump right now), I find there's a lot more girls who have problems because of the shape of their hips they don't like to position their weights right or don't tighten them like they should.

Weight belt has now been ditched, because I don't need any weight in the suit I'm using now. No space for air you see...

[Finless]

Originally Posted by Porg

I think blokes with no hips should be very wary of belts. Women have something to stop them from falling down ........

I was going to start into a joke about arses BUT, in retrospect, I think I'll shut up before I get into trouble.

Instead, I would like to revert to pedantry and ask: is it possible for a weight to be reliable?

Porg, what is "buff"? I originally thought it was the colour of my office envelopes or, maybe, nakedness. Now I have those two thoughts in my head I will never "lick to stick" an envelope again (unless someone can guarantee my envelopes are ALL girl envelopes).

[EDIT]I nearly forgot. I lost my weight belt whilst swimming up through Crack Cave off Gozo. It came undone and as I felt it slip I bent my legs and caught it on the back of my calfs/calves. I can't remember and can't be bothered to look it up - it's the bit of leg between the knee and ankle.