neckweight or weight belt in depth disciplines?

[aris ioannidis]

Hi, i am trying to decide which is better for depth disciplines: neckweight? weightbelt? or a combination of the two.

I think neckweight gives you a good streamline but find that puts pressure on the chin and may cause you to loss your mouthfil. I have a 5kg neckweight which is great for dynamics but is probably too heavy for depth events.

Any ideas, comments or suggestions please?

 

[TRITON]

Yes....that might be to heavy...but it all depends of your body's constitution and also of the suit you're using....i use 2.5 kgs neckweight, and would never return to weightbelts...

 

[aris ioannidis]

I am 1.92m/96k (6.4, 210 lbs) and usually use 3mm suit for temperatures around 24c. I normally use 4-5kg and having trouble equalizing below 45-50m...

 

[Bill]

I experimented with the position of weights but I only wear 2.5 kilo. Let me suggest that you divide it in three equal parts; front of the belt, back of the belt and neck. It works well for me.

 

[aris ioannidis]

Dove 45m cwt yest - that was all the depth at the site - but not too comfortably... Used 2kg in neck and 2kg in belt with a 3mm suit seems about right - think neutral buoancy was at 20m.

 

[efattah]

Best bet is to dive with no weights at all. If you can start sinking at 40m or shallower with no weight, that's the way to go.

 

[sgnips]

in fresh water, i found myself extremely comfortable with 1kg on the neck (5mm suit) up to 46meters, i felt wonderfully streamlined!!

never tried neckweight in the sea where i usually dive wit 2 or 3 kg on the belt, but i guess i'd put all weight on the neck or something like 2/3 on the neck and 1/3 on the belt or something like that

 

[aris ioannidis]

Gabriele, so considerably less weight needed in fresh water - would love to try it sometime but not many deep lakes in Greece around! Think the 1/3 waist, 2/3 neck ratio u suggest sounds good.

Eric, thanks for the reply - I like your suggestion for no weights at all. I understand that most experts use very limited or no weight at all in deep dives.

Problem with myself is that i have trouble equalizing. I am much better in static and dynamic so my breathold is not an issue in my deep dives. So, my approach is to have weights on so that i can stay more relaxed going down - focusing on mouthfil and equalization and not to worry too much about going up. If i manage to overcome the equalization issues and improve my depth (best so far is FIM at 57) i will cut down the weights. What do you think?

many thanks

 

[Kars]

Taking a sub full lung breath of air, wearing a thin suit with vest for extra warmth on the chest will bring down the need for weights.

I don't diver very deep yet, just 65m, but with my 3mm High density suit and buoyant fin I swim down (medium speed) to 30m and drop from there.
Now a days I wear even less suit, no gloves and booties, and no weights, and focus on keeping the relaxation from the start by starting the Herbert Nitch way, slow. The Slower speed uses less O2 in the aerobic phase, and allows me to relax, get the dive response and equalise much more precisely and better.
When swimming up, I have much less weight to push up for many meters.

In order to get better in equalisation I recommend taking down less air - FRC. Because it's more time efficient and safer way of training: allowing for shorter dive times (less distance to swim), more dives (less energy and N2 build up).

 

[mermaidgirl]

Best bet is to dive with no weights at all. If you can start sinking at 40m or shallower with no weight, that's the way to go.

yeah Eric, you can attest to that since you forgot your neckweight on that 100m dive !
I wish I could get away with it but I am just too buoyant!

Carla

 

[aris ioannidis]

Kars, i have been practicing FRC and exhale dives in lack of depth (c20m bottom where i was) and enjoyed it a lot. Going down easily, sinking from the surface to the bottom without effort. Problem is that i found that i struggled when i switched back to full breath or pack dives.

I think Eric mentioned in another thread that training at FRC reduces your apnea capacity during a full inhale or pack dive. So i am confused if it actually helps or not...

Carla, i am buyoant too, so i am stuck with the weights for now at least...

 

[watts]

I think on frc a small amount of weight is needed on the neck to keep from using extra energy to keep good posture and prevent falling forward or back. I havnt used weight belts for years freediving only for spearing when i want to be horizontal on the bottom.

 

[cthopen]

i am 1.5 KG weigh and a vest at 5M depth .
neckweight for horizontal streamline .