Dynamic weight belt

[cmaxb]

I just thought I'd post an idea for creating a practical weight belt for the neck. I ordered the velcro ankle weights from Fill Your Own Set of Ankle Weights Up to 3 LB. Each from LeisurePro.com. Then I ordered about six lbs from Tungsten Shot. The tungsten is very heavy, heavier than lead. I could fill one sack with 7 lbs. I spread it across both weights, and chain the two together. Convenient clasps for the neck.

 

[chrismar]

Sounds great, except for the cost. I would need 3.5kg for my current neckweight, so nearly US$200, excluding shipping to NZ

Floaty buggers like Dave would be in the hole somewhere around the US$500 mark and probably need more than two of the buggers. Nice idea though!

 

[ILDiver]

I did my neck weight using an old soft weight I had laying around. Then I bought some plastic clips, an innertube for a bicycle and a patch kit for patching the innertube.

Edit: Added a pic. This is a road bike innertube and weights about 1.75 - 2 pounds.

 

[Bill]

I found a tube at the local 'cycle shop that's 3-4'' (7-10 cm) in diameter and holds up to 5 kilo (11#). Also I'm uncomfortable with the plastic clip releases so I just leave it open at the bottom.

 

[B-J]

I bought a downhill tube from Maxxis with the dimensions 24x2.50/2.70. This is a very solid tube! The entire tube weighs 420g. I now have a neckweight that is very tight around my neck and it is 5,6kg. I had to inflate the middle part of the tube just a little bit to get all the lead in. I`ve had quite a few neckweights that break in time but I`m confident that this will last

 

[flying_spanner]

My Neck Weight is simply 2oz ball sinkers threaded onto a shoe lace like a pearl necklace.

I found that my local Burnsco have sinkers in stock with a good 3mm hole through the middle of them. Even though these sinkers were a few cents per each dearer than other sporting goods shops, the bigger hole saved me the job of running a 3mm drill through them all (I did this with the previous one I made, but it was a bit lighter using smaller sinkers).

I the shoe lace is long enough to slip over my head and I do it up tight around my neck with a cord clamp like what is used on a sleeping bag.

there are 21 sinkers, and it weighs just on 1.2kg. All up this owes me $25.

When Fran Rose came to Nelson to run a dive course a couple of weeks back, she didn't even realise I was wearing a neck weight. As at a glimpse it just looks like the kind of necklace someone would purchase at a local Surf shop with Ripcurl (or other suitable brand) stamped on it.

 

[cmaxb]

Just out of curiosity, how do you all decide when enough weight is enough. Do you go down, and if you neither rise nor sink, that is it? Or do you swim at normal rate, and see how it feels.

 

[azapa]

push out from the pool wall, horizontally, attaining your desired depth as though you were starting your dive. as the push energy dies out you will either rise of fall in the water column. adjust as needed. its quite hard (and maybe not too necessary) to get it perfect.

 

[BennyB]

Exactly as Azapa said, but at the end when you've almost stopped you should be rising to the surface. You never ever want to be negative in a dynamic.

Cheers,
Ben

 

[apneaboy]

Depending on where the negative weight and positive buoyancy is may depend on whether your top half floats or whether your feet float or whether your can float horizontally. You could be negative and appear to be floating to the surface if you have a heavy fin touching the floor and wear weights around your waist and your lungs create positive buoyancy for example.

So to truly know if you are neutral nothing should touch the floor or surface.

 

[cmaxb]

It appears as if they are sinking with each stroke.

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