Weight options with a crotch strap on hog harness....

[babs13]

while taking off my bp/w last night after my first night dive, i realized i need better weight options. or perhaps i've put my gear on in the wrong order- always weight belt first if there is one. in order to dump weight i would actually have to unbuckle my harness and slide off my crotch strap- otherwise the weight being dumped would caught in the crotch strap. realizing that this would a safety issue under unfavorable circumstances, i'm curious what most folks do here for donning weights with a hog harness- should i get some pockets for weight to integrate into the harness? or are there better options out there? thoughts?

[Sounder]

Nothing is stopping you from putting your weight belt on last, so keep that as a consideration.

If you're happy with a weight belt, then don't go running to the "more gear" well before you try your other options. Realize that there are some cases where you DON'T want your weight to be ditchable which is why you may have seen some folks wear their weight belt that way.

I recommend you try the belt on the outside first.

IF you hate that and simply can't stand it after several dives, then you can consider something like the DUI Weight & Trim (classic or the II model). This is what my wife and I both use with our bp/w set ups. It can go on first, but still be released.

Finally, there are other ditchable weight pockets designed for hog harnesses. I don't have any experience with these, but I know they're out there.

[Dusty2]

The DUI weight harness is a good option. It allows you to simply pull the ripcord and the weights fall free. It also allows more adjustment for position for trim

[Sounder]

Just don't fall into the trap of adding gear to solve a skills problem. I'd really recommend you try the weight belt option first if you like diving a weight belt. Then consider other options. If you'd like to try a DUI system, I could probably manage to get my wife's to someone who has more availability to dive with you than I do currently.

[lundysd]

I just put my weight belt under my crotch strap, and if I need to dump I pop off both buckles "shrugs"

I've honestly done an entire dive with the crotch strap unhooked, and it's no big deal. I'd almost prefer to have that extra safety, because to me it's more of a time-critical safety hazard to inadvertently lose your weight belt on a long dive or a deco dive. If I need to jettison weight, then 5 extra seconds probably won't make me or break me, but if I lose my weight belt then I'm probably going for a ride.

[BDub]

I just put my weight belt under my crotch strap, and if I need to dump I pop off both buckles "shrugs"

Ditto

[airsix]

lundysd and sounder have both hit the point I consider most imortant:
Losing your weights unintentionally is a greater risk than not being able to quickly drop them intentionally. At some point I went through a transformation where I realized that my weights are there to save me, not harm me. Initially I think we all fear the lead. It's trying to drag us to the bottom. So we don't trust it. In reality 99.9% of circumstances will benefit from their presence and only 0.01% of the time would I be better off without them. For this reason I WANT them to be a little sticky. I can still get rid of them (wearing under my harness), but I have to take deliberate action to do so.

-Ben

[Sounder]

If I dove a weight belt, I would wear it under my crotch strap too. I've just enjoyed the DUI system too, but am going back to a weight belt for diving doubles. I like having to think about ditching weight and having it not be overly-easy to do. It's a big decision. One that can save your arse, but still a big decision. Having that extra step gives you the moment to think "am I SURE I want to do this?" The same works with the DUI system - when you ditch, the weight then is in your hand. So first, you pull and release the weight so you're holding it in your hand, THEN you have to physically "let go" of the weight - that's the two step process.

[Nwbrewer]

I think a lot of it comes from OW calss to (at least my initial trepedation did). They drilled into us the importance of being ablt to dump weight, to the point of talking about the % of the number of bodies found with their weights still attached. Now that I've spent some time diving, and have really thought about it, I believe it's safer to have the weights under the crotch strap.

A while back when I was gettign ready to get back on the boat, I poped what I thought was my harness buckle, but was actually my weight belt buckle. (oops) turned out not to be a big deal, jut had to grab the belt, and then release the harness, but if it had been on top, it would have gone to the bottom. I like it underneath the strap.

[WylerBear]

Sounder,
Why are you going to a weight belt for doubles? I'm diving my DUI weight harness with doubles right now and there doesn't seem to be a problem. Although I'm wearing so little weight with them I'm considering a V weight so will have no ditchable weight. Just curious as to your thinking...

[Maverick]

I'm with goergia, i dive a dui harness and a v_weight with my doubles, why the weight belt Doug? I love My DUI Harness and Cuppie is getting one for her new BP/wing set up.

[lundysd]

My v-weight won't work with a halcyon plate/my doubles, so I use a weight belt instead. Not a whole lot on it, but I still prefer to have a few pounds ditchable and I like having an oldskool weight belt for sentimental purposes

[Sounder]

Sounder,
Why are you going to a weight belt for doubles? I'm diving my DUI weight harness with doubles right now and there doesn't seem to be a problem. Although I'm wearing so little weight with them I'm considering a V weight so will have no ditchable weight. Just curious as to your thinking...

Well, I'm finding that my DUI harness is a bit restrictive in reaching my valves in doubles, but I've always been able to reach my valve in a singles rig. Not impossible, but not my favorite.

Do note, however, that doubles is very new for me as my back injury has prevented me from using them until now... this could VERY well be a comfort/training issue and not a gear issue.

I'm also looking at the possibility of losing weight belt at all together with the dubs like you mentioned with v-weight options.

Lots to learn... I'm the newb again.

[Grateful Diver]

I just put my weight belt under my crotch strap, and if I need to dump I pop off both buckles "shrugs"

Same here ... it's not that hard to remove if needed.

The only time I've had to do a weight-belt removal is when getting out of my rig for a small-boat entry (don't forget to remove the weightbelt BEFORE shrugging out of the harness).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Grateful Diver]

Just don't fall into the trap of adding gear to solve a skills problem.

LOL - this coming from the biggest gear junkie in the PNW ...

Dude ... you don't need that new Cuda ... just learn to swim faster ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Sounder]

Just don't fall into the trap of adding gear to solve a skills problem.

LOL - this coming from the biggest gear junkie in the PNW ...

Dude ... you don't need that new Cuda ... just learn to swim faster ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Wait a minute... just because I'm a gear junkie doesn't mean I use gear to solve training/skills problems.

...and just because I have two X1's, a 50w Salvo, a Cuda, and more tanks than I know what to do with, doesn't mean that I am compensating for anything. :naka:

[Nwbrewer]

That's not what Mrs. Sounder said.....

[Maverick]

You have a Cuda? Must be on borrow or one of the test Cudas loaned out, Right? Don't call a loaner yours Doug, very mean for those of us waiting for ours that are paid for and ordered.

[Sounder]

You have a Cuda? Must be on borrow or one of the test Cudas loaned out, Right? Don't call a loaner yours Doug, very mean for those of us waiting for ours that are paid for and ordered.

Not a loaner, and I don't have it yet... but will very soon.

[Sounder]

That's not what Mrs. Sounder said.....

I'm going to fart into the intake while filling your tanks for Wednesday.

[Nwbrewer]

That's not what Mrs. Sounder said.....

I'm going to fart into the intake while filling your tanks for Wednesday.

[babs13]

thx for the suggestions....so curious- as another option- then would it be okay to wear it on hog harness wiht xs scuba pockets....? or would this be a big "no no"?

[Nwbrewer]

You mean slide it onto the waist strap of the harness? I've seen lots of people do that. I don't like it there cause I feel like it takes up too much realestate on my harness for the canlight, etc. If you look at your rig I'll be that the waist strap and lower camband and waist strap are more or less in the same place along your torso, I just threaded mine on the cambands. puts it in the same place along my body, without being in the way.

Jake

[LCF]

Babs, you're going to find that your VERY short waist belt is going to get REAL crowded if you start putting weight pockets on it.

Really, if you sit down and think about it, for those of us who dive cold water with lots of exposure protection, the biggest risk is losing your weights. Having finished a dive hanging onto kelp stipes to avoid corking, because a five pound weight fell out of my weight belt pockets, I'm acutely aware of this. I've also lost a weight belt once (just once, because after that, I replaced the cheap ineffective plastic buckle on it) and I was extremely glad my crotch strap caught it.

Ditching weights is primarily going to be necessary during a rescue, on the surface, and there it is not a big deal to open both buckles to ditch the belt.

[CaptnJack]

Babs, you're going to find that your VERY short waist belt is going to get REAL crowded if you start putting weight pockets on it.

Really, if you sit down and think about it, for those of us who dive cold water with lots of exposure protection, the biggest risk is losing your weights. Having finished a dive hanging onto kelp stipes to avoid corking, because a five pound weight fell out of my weight belt pockets, I'm acutely aware of this. I've also lost a weight belt once (just once, because after that, I replaced the cheap ineffective plastic buckle on it) and I was extremely glad my crotch strap caught it.

Ditching weights is primarily going to be necessary during a rescue, on the surface, and there it is not a big deal to open both buckles to ditch the belt.

Lynne's on the money here. Ditching the weight is 99% a surface rescue issue. And not a big deal with the belt under the crotch strap in this situation. Inadventent losing of weight is really bad news, cause its not like its a 6lb tropical belt, its ~24lbs of something like that. Can you say Polaris missle embolism? This is the big reason why relying on velcro for holding large amounts of cold water weight is questionable IMO.