Buying a belt?

[LiveOnEdge]

Hey guys, I avidly dive at my local spring and it's 72 year round. I was diving in nothing but swim shorts but recently invested in a 3mm 2piece. Holy hell I float like a ball! I can still dive to my usual depths but it's hard to duck dive and I can feel my kicks aren't the same. Extremely frustrating. I've only been diving for about 2 months. I can hit about 65ft (spend most time around 30-45) so I'm not sure if I should invest in a belt. Ideas?

 

[J Campbell]

Weight belt rule of thumb - the weight should make you neutral at about half the depth that you expect to be diving.

 

[oldfather]

Weight belt rule of thumb - the weight should make you neutral at about half the depth that you expect to be diving.

Yes. get a belt and some weights. Well worth it. Do make sure though that you are correctly weighted.
Keep in mind that you would idealy like to weight yourself in order for your airways to be clear of or at the least level with the water surface when you exhale all your air.
This aparently is a safety feature which help in the event of a blackout. What happens when one becomes unconcious is that your muscles relax and the air is forced out of your lungs and if you are weighted too heavily you will sink even if you blackout with your head above the water.
Diving with lungs jam packed full of air would make you very boyant and not help you for relaxed dives.
getting comfortable diving with passive exhale, or less than a full breath of air would help your duckdive down easily, yet correct weighting shoudl still return you to the surface when you stop kicking, but not like a cork.

 

[LiveOnEdge]

Thanks guys! Yeah I would definitely experiment with low weight and add some if needed. Firm believer in common sense. Is there anything I should watch out for in a belt/weights?

 

[J Campbell]

Also, check out this thread on measuring and cutting a weight belt.
https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/mako-rubber-weight-belt-question.106738/
https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/mako-rubber-weight-belt-question.106738/

 

[NoFair]

Rubber belt and many small weights (making it easier to remove/add weight for adjusting buoyancy) Try with 2-3 kg at first and add if needed.

 

[Eyesreach]

Get a Mako with Tinman weights. They are the best.

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6560 using Tapatalk

 

[cdavis]

ditto NoFair. Diving in a wetsuit with the right weighting can be a joy, no weights is awful (as you discovered). Rubber belts are more expensive, but they are incredibly better than scuba belts. The first time somebody told me that I could replace my old but completely serviceable nylon belt with a good rubber one for only $50 bucks, I just laughed; the idea was too ridiculous for words. Then I tried one, and immediately coughed up the cash so I did not have to give it back.