My LDS owner/instructor who has over a thousand dives uses ankle weights. I've found that with light plastic fins and a drysuit they are kind of nice to help with trim, but with jet fins the extra weights just tire my legs out unnecessarily.
I find when we go on diving trips in the tropicals (In my case Philippines ), the DM ignores weight check most of the time. We rush to jump in the water ,descend immediately rushing. Sometime I had ear issues because of that and was forced to ascend many times during the dive. I struggle later with my buoyancy and the DM starts to add more weight or remove some weights during the dive, or sometime shift my tank up or down. I learned from watching you and other youtube channels to check my weights before any dive and I insist on it now. I know now where to place my weights and how much do I need. I also find that during PADI training they don't tell us much about buoancy and weights and that should be addressed. I'm still working on my frog kick now and things are getting better with every additional dive. I now could stay 55 minutes during dives thanks to all your tips about breathing, trim, and weights. That worked well for me. Thks again.
I'm very happy that these videos are helping you be a safer and happier diver. Logging all your weights, gear, comfort in a dive log book makes sure you're not guessing whenever you move to another location (assuming renting gear). Open Water certification is just the start of a long and enjoyable learning process. Lots more to learn and share with others before an injury happens. A
My family has learned so much from you. Thanks for the videos. We would love hear about FULL FACE MASKS! We are going with this option in order to talk to each other under water, but know little about them. Thanks!
Another great vid. I like the idea of splitting weights between belt and bc for both comfort and the potential of getting snagged or needing to separate yourself from the bc during a dive, I tend to wear most on the belt and trim with the bc for this reason.
I followed your advice Alec. I recently brought a new drysuit plus the under suit made me pretty buoyant. So I had to carry a lot of weight. Splitting the weights between BCD & belt makes getting gear on so much easier . Good job I had some weight on the belt as the bungee cord from my camera got inadvertently caught around the pockets quick release handle. Yanked the cord out came the pocket. Good thing I caught the pocket but even if I hadn’t it would not have been a accidental sudden ascent as I had weights in the belt etc. You give great advice. Thanks heaps Alec. Cheers, Sarah
I have the same BCD for my wife made down here in FL it’s a great company and made in the USA. You didn’t tell people about the two trim pockets by the tank one on each side. You might be able to get ride of the weight belt that way as well. Also you didn’t say anything about salt water vs fresh water weights. I know there’s a lot to cover. I love you stuff keep it coming sir Thanks Will
Love your videos! Salt water diving i wear aboutv18 lbs integrated weights, two 1lb weights in my upper back pockets and the rest in my pockets. I am wearing a 5mil suit, works well but i feel like i have to keep moving my arms to keep me from touching bottom. Too much weight? Dive master suggested we try 16lbs and felt better and he worked on my form to lift my hips up a bit. Diving for over a year with 30 dives so still figuring what works or not. Learning so much from your videos, thanks for all your tips!!
All the 'rules of thumb' and guidelines even from very experienced dive leaders are exactly that - guidelines. The ONLY way to determine the right weight amount and placement is through practice. Good luck. Alec
Good video as always, i think you were talking about Trim in the water, my bcd is not weight integrated but i use a weight pocket in my upper cam band to assist with my trim and has helped a lot.
same here - I have an older BCD that's back inflated and I removed the unreliable dropable weight pockets (most issues I see even with modern BCD are people dropping weights by accidents so I don't trust those quick release) and use fixed small pockets for some of the weight, rest goes to a belt (easy to ditch into a kayak when surfacing). Might get some tank trim pockets next to move more weight up my back.
Thanks for the great videos so far. I skimmed through the selection but couldn't find a video about fixing self-inflating newer BCDs, not vintage ones. Perhaps you might make a video about it soon? Thanks again for your good work!
Self-Inflating? There are several designs that have been or could be called self-inflating although the term is not accurate. What exactly are you referring to? Alec
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter my dive team has experienced a more modern BCD that keeps inflating on its own. We suspect that the perhaps the inflating button was jammed somehow and we fixed it but the issue keeps returning. I was wondering if you could make a video related to the issue or lead me in the right direction if you already made such a video. Does this information help?
I think I might know why the difference between the label weight and the actual weight. When talk to Lamar at Diverite I mention that their weight plate didn't have enough weight for me and a thick wet suit. He said that their published weight limits are based on soft weights, and that if you use hard weights you can fit more. So perhaps the BC makers, other than Diverite, are using the most efficiently sized hard weights to establish their pocket limits. Or it might simply be the maximum weight that the attachment system can keep the pocket in the BC.
I think you are onto something. Hard weights are much more compact and I can fit the supposed BCD limit without any problem (which I don't for other reason).
To my knowledge weight pouches are filled with stainless steel pellets to make them more environmentally friendly. Stainless steel is per volume lighter than lead, so the pouches have more volume per weight than (plastified) lead blocks.
@@DavidV328 I'm pretty sure they are lead still (like gun shots used to be) but treated to not leak/react to water (unlike the old fashion lead blocks). They not as dense still because of all the space between the beads.
I also think putting some weight in the BCD and some as a belt is the way to go - because of that you really don't need to pay extra for quick-release weight integrated BCD no ? those cost $$ and known reliable issues. And as you said when was the last time you had to drop weights intentionally in the last 60 years ? compare that to how many times people release by mistake their BCD weights. Very easy to tug on that handle by mistake, or have velcro/clamp come undone...
Have you tried Pocket Weights? While probably not the most elegant way to do it, I managed to cram 24 pounds of lead into the drop pockets of my Tusa Sigma II and it was actually workable. No issues stowing or ditching them. 6'1" and about 190#, with a 7mm hooded steamer I really did need all that lead. Anyways the Pocket Weights are curved nicely and designed specifically for bc pockets, frankly I love mine.
I love Pocket Weights. I have one 10-pounder and one 6-pounder in the quick-ditch pocket on each side of my BCD, and while they're VERY snug, they do fit. I then use soft weights in the trim pockets and ankle weights as needed for balance. An added bonus for me is that my BCD is black with red trim, and the red coating on the Pocket Weights matches. ;-)
In a 7mm wetsuit with hoodie and gloves, it takes me 8 pounds to get down with a Steel 80 in salt water. For those that are similarity lean, do not listen to whatever rule of thumb people tend to give (10 percent plus 7). I was so overweighted as a newly certified diver that I couldn’t equalize fast enough because I descended so rapidly and, when it came time the ascend, I had to fin like mad just to keep buoyant with a near empty tank.
I wear a full 7ml wetsuit and a 7ml shortie with an intregrated hood over that for my core. I have 8lbs in each integrated weight pocket on my BC and 14lbs on my waist, in BC Canada.
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter No drysuit I dive wet all year around in BC. I'll admit my dives in Feb this year were shorter than the rest of the year, but I'm pretty hearty generally. Most people dive dry here but I didn't want to make the investment in the course. We have plans to head to warmer water soon so I saw it as an extra expense I didn't want to incur.
When I balance my waitbelt its importen WHERE to place the lead. To compensate for a heavy tank I place the waits on the stomack. Othervise I have to compensate during the dive not to turn belly up. Nobody told us about that!
I like the concept of splitting up the weights between a weight belt and the weight integrated BCD. It just seems like a natural fit not to put all your eggs in one basket so to speak.
It really depends on the persons body type. The more body fat a person have, the more buoyant they are. The more muscular, they sink. I only need 2 lbs when diving fresh water, wearing 3mm wetsuit, 5mm gloves, 3mm hood, and 3mm booties. The more weight you carry, the more you exert energy to glide through water - faster air consumption.
You are largely right although I've seen some strange ones over the years. We had a small man, wiry and thin, once. When he jumped into the pool, he sank to the bottom and had trouble getting back up. On the other hand, a very good swimmer who had a smooth but pudgy body with quite a bit of obvious body fat, not obese at all but certainly large and he could skin dive down to 60' with no weights. Everyone is different and 'rules of thumb' about how much weight to use are often very wrong. Take care. Alec
Alec Peirce Scuba Yes, I agree. 👌🏼 But I was told, to learn to be able to use less weight over time so that you don't have to carry all that weight in and out of the water for knees and back sake haha but be very careful towards the end of dive when doing safety stop and with less air in the tank because it'll be difficult to stay neutral without a line to hold on to.
Same here. I actually had to buy two, 1 pound weights because no dive shops I’ve been to carries anything less than 2 pounds or 1 kg. With no wetsuit, the weight of the tank is enough to overweight me. I have to fin to keep buoyant during my safety stop.
Alec. I love your videos. I have been diving since 1994. But I am still having issues finding a good place for custom wetsuit. Specially for short and heavy people. Sure we all can drop a few pounds but finding short wetsuit like for someone that is about 5.5 and 230LB is hard to find the perfect wetsuit
LL. Here is a link to someone who makes custom wetsuits. They are handmade to order. Her work is great. www.terrapinwetsuits.com. If you do not want to go complete custom she can alter one that needs to be shortened. Strength the arms and legs to make it fit better.
Love your video’s Alec. For sure, those heavy wt belts killed my back for years before they came out with integrated BCD’s. I actually preferred using just the wt harness which had decent pockets for all your weights especially if you’re drysuit diving here in Canada. Since the wt harness is solely supported by your stronger shoulder muscles, I found it less a strain on your back muscles. Make sense?
As a big man, my whole scuba kit weighs a ton only because my wet suit gives me more + buoyancy. I had a total 24lb weight to sink me under. One time, I forgot to inflate my BCD and I was swimming afloat like it was nothing.
Alec! Wife and I really enjoy your informative videos. We have a supplied air system and do not wear a tank or wetsuit, just hose and 2nd stage, wife weights 130lbs, I weight 150lbs, we only dive to a max of approx. 10’. How do we estimate amount of weight to try as a starting point?
Suggest starting with no weights and add until you just start to sink. Won't take much for you light weights and not sure if fun diving shallow or working on a boat. A
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter Thanks so much for the quick reply, I didn’t know what to expect, we tried yesterday to get on bottom just sight seeing fish etc., eventually lobster harvesting in the Florida Keys, we found it very labor intensive getting down close to the bottom and staying there for more than a second or two. We bought the Brownies 60’ hose a Y splitter and 2-20’ hoses, the length is more for distance than depth, the tank stays on a small flats boat, we live near Jupiter Fl. Should I just order 2-5 lb weights for each of us and try again or should we start with more? Maybe strap a cinder block to our backs in place of a tank? …ha ha!
Quite right Felix. Not only does the placement of weights from the front to the back affect the dive but from the top to the bottom as well. That is, the weights need to be spread around your middle in order to prevent you from rolling onto your back repeatedly, but also attached to the top of the tank or the bottom so you can keep your legs up when finning. I have used small weights attached to my tank strap sometimes to get just the right trim. It takes lots of practice to get it just right and any change can screw it up, a different wetsuit, changing fins, etc and you have to start over. However, once you find the correct set-up for your dive, it's like going to heaven. You never want that dive to end. Good luck. Alec
I watched this whole video without knowing what a pound is, and I'm not looking it up either. Still some good points though. I never thought cold water would require more weight than warm water though.
Sorry Carsten but the majority of my viewers are in the USA and I'm still old school imperial with a slight metric tilt! I try to do both but do forget about the great metric users around the world, like Canada. I measure distance in KM, temperature in F (not C), weight in pounds and volume in litres. I'm a half and half guy. A
Another reason to get a backplate and wing or sidemount. No need for these giant pockets or other nonsense. You can slip the weights through your webbing wherever you want such as along the spine, on the crotch strap, or shoulder harness.They are "non-ditchable," but any tech or cave diver will tell you about balanced rigs and how you should weigh yourself according to that principle. If you're a new diver, avoid these "recreational" jacket BCDs as there is no reason why you can't use a backplate/wing from the start. Also, they are the only way to mount twins, deco bottles or a rebreather so its "buy once, cry once."
My instructor for my PADI AOW course used ankle weights to help with her trim. Her explanation on why some ladies needed a little extra help with the legs was nuanced. As in, a combination of bone and muscle density, even for the fittest of women, can be distributed differently. Add to that the legs of a ladies wetsuit will still have a proportionally greater amount of neoprene surface area to leg mass ratio. To be 100% crystal clear, she was not claiming that ladies leg tended to float more because they are overweight. If you some how take that meaning, please read the statement again. Some further reading on muscle mass www.livestrong.com/article/355987-female-male-muscles/
so I use a thin fabric drysuit with neoprene socks (very floaty, not heavy boots) and seawing nova fins (again float unlike most fins) and I don't feel like I need ankle weights even though I need a lot of weight to sink (32# with drysuit, 26# with 7-10mm wetsuit, steel tank). Sure if I'm upside down I can feel my feet inflate with air and it's more of a struggle to rotate back (drysuit issue with air moving around), but rest of the time I think it's how you hold yourself. having weight adds unnecessary sprang weight to your movement which can really add to the effort... Alec had an entire series on light weight fins (after which I purchased the seawing nova, which are indeed great!)
@@AlecPeirceScuba_SeaHunter if they don't get wet, then they have air between the beads, which makes them much less efficient negative buoyancy. I only use solid because they are much more compact, cheaper and don't take on water when climbing back on a boat!
I have an aqua lung " Rogue" BCD, including 2 dumpable weight pockets, 2 trim pockets and 2 tank bands weight pockets. I am going to wear a 7mm wetsuit most of the time, Can u give me a suggestion of how to distribute my weights? Thank you
It's a very personal thing and requires lots of trial and error - emphasis on error. I suggest working in a pool first but the best way is to try and evenly distribute the weight around your middle axis (belly!) - some in front, some on the sides, some in back. Then jump in and see how you float - face up or down, and adjust accordingly. You want to be upright on the surface with little or no air in the BCD and without having to fin constantly to stay upright. Good luck. Alec
I was wondering about weights in tank bands. Seems like an option to add enough weight, though I can see that you may need little weights on the tank as that is further off middle axis. Maybe requiring as much weight as possible in the front to offset small tank weights? I’ll see.
Hey Alec, thank you so much for this video. I recently bought my first BCD (Scubapro Glide X) and I was wondering about proper weight management. Is there any chance in the future you could do a video on rebreathers? In any case, I’m always happy to watch all your videos! Greetings from Puerto Rico, here’s hoping you come enjoy the water here!
would be cool but unlikely as Alec focuses on recreational divers. I had plans to demo a few a couple weeks ago, but never got a chance. Expensive little toys, but would be so cool to have a dynamically adjusting O2 nitrox to totally maximize your time underwater without deco (or just long deco dives). And then there is tri-mix....
@@alaind831 Yeah, I understand you. I'm a rec diver myself, it's just I have no clue about them and his insight might be nice. But I understand, it's out of his usual topic base. Thanks for the reply.
some still do. I have the best HP steel tanks (worthington) for boyancy and my setup still required me to have 32# (6'3" 200lbs) with my drysuit - part could be I have very light weight gear. and little more built in flotation than when I was younger :)
@@scubamystic8860 "...aluminum will shift from positive to negative buoyancy is the air is consumed." Other way around. All tanks get lighter as the air is consumed, never heavier.
