sporasub weight vest

[sjurba]

Anybody tried it, is it any good? It comes in three sizes,how large is xl?

 

[Broseidon]

I know the Mares one is good quality, comfortable and well priced. Myself and quite a few friends use it.

The Mares version uses normal, 1-2kg dive weights - the Sporasub one requires big weight plates which are much harder to get and lot more expensive.

 

[sjurba]

It is a fair bit cheaper than the mares vest, and I figured I could make the weights my self,got a large bar of led in the barn.

 

[Tody]

Hei sjurba

I have both the Mares and the Sporasub. The Sporasub is much more comfortable and seems to be safer - only one buckle. Made the weights by myself for both.

I prefer the Sporasub.

Tobi

 

[sjurba]

Thats just the kind of info I wanted

 

[martin366]

Can someone tell me Sporasub weight plates measurements ? I want to do plates myself
Thickness
Width
Height

Big thanks !

 

[skygear]

Can someone tell me Sporasub weight plates measurements ? I want to do plates myself
Thickness
Width
Height

Big thanks !

Well, Now I'm interested also.... I'll look around online.
How were you planing on melting the lead? A torch and a pot? then a wood log with a die carved into it?

That would be my setup. or something similar. Would I need a flux of some sort? Borax?

EDIT:->
Silicone mold

On the stove.


So we could go to the local cook shop and find Chocolate BAR Molds!

 

[skygear]

For the finishing touches, rubber coat them with tool dip! http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions
Theres a color for everyone.

My personal favorite is the HOT PINK! No one steals my pink coated tools and I tell everyone its the "Breast Cancer Awareness" color - 'cuz I'm all bout saving them boobies!'

 

[kwtony]

My personal favorite is the HOT PINK! No one steals my pink coated tools and I tell everyone its the "Breast Cancer Awareness" color - 'cuz I'm all bout saving them boobies!'

love the boobies!!

 

[martin366]

My self-made plates:


Original dimensions: 140 x 57 x 8mm
I did about 150 x 55 x 8mm

Made mould with aluminium sheet, easy, mould must be precisely leveled

Good luck!

 

[TheBob]

Reviving this thread with another question: Has anyone tried using soft scuba weights in this vest? (The 'soft' weights are basically flat mesh bags filled with shot.)

I don't know if these would stay flat or 'ball up' in the Sporasub vest's weight pockets, but it sure would be a convenient way to make this vest a lot cheaper to populate with weights.

Bob

 

[Mr. X]

...Has anyone tried using soft scuba weights in this vest? (The 'soft' weights are basically flat mesh bags filled with shot.)

I don't know if these would stay flat or 'ball up' in the Sporasub vest's weight pockets, but it sure would be a convenient way to make this vest a lot cheaper to populate with weights...

Yes! I have those rectangular mesh bags loosely filled with lead shot in my camo Mares weight vest & it works very well

It actually produces an "organic" looking lumpy "6-pack"-shape on your back like some piece of rock, debris or the back of some huge sea turtle - better than I make it sound. And it is quite soft & easy to handle. On the other hand, I suppose it is not quite as close fitting as flat lead plates; close enough though.

Another option would to be cut flat lead plates from sheet flashing lead. I did this to ballast my float recently. You can cut it with strong scissors. For the vest you might needs 3-6 sheet plates to substitute for each flat lead plate, as sheet is only a few millimeters thick but that would also allow you to fine-tune your buoyancy and the weight distribution.

BTW You can use regular dive weights in the current Sporasub weight vest. I particularly like the realistic camo and the 1-point full-release safety feature (some day soon all spearfishing vest will/should be built this way!). [And I expect they'll eventually build a Tommy Maas style emergency buoyancy system into them one day too. But spearfishing can/should be simple & inexpensive IMHO]

 

[denmyos]

anybody knows what size will fitt me.

i'm 181 cm 86-88kg with a "broad" back and shoulder.?
Not tall and skinny, I use XL5 in wetsuit.
I was gonna buy a used one online size XL, but the guy was 188cm 84kg and he said the XL was to big for him. So I back out.

 

[Danny.c]

Is it necessary to were these.Are they good enough to make a difference? having to take extra kit.

 

[NoFair]

I wear large, but I'm 190 cm and 80 kg. Big chest though... It should fit a somewhat larger person as well.

 

[NoFair]

Is it necessary to were these.Are they good enough to make a difference? having to take extra kit.

I have some back injury issues so it better balances the weight between my hip (belt) and torso (vest). I have 5 kg in the vest and 2-4 on my belt depending on conditions

 

[Danny.c]

I notice I had lower back pain last time I jumped in as well.My belt was to high,so I lowered my belt really low on my hips and tigh'n it up a lot more so it would not creep up as much,seem to help.Just watching the guy in the video looked like his belt was way to high,not good on the guts or back for me,but that might be were most people were it.

 

[Mr. X]

Is it necessary to were these.Are they good enough to make a difference? having to take extra kit.

No it is definitely not essential, especially when just starting out. However, I find it easier to carry/wear for walk-ins as well as providing better distribution in the water than carrying 22-25lb of lead on my belt. With less lead the belt is also more comfortable & easier to deal with. (However, your legs will still float up!)

If you have back problems, a weight vest might well help - although you would carry more weight further up your back when walking in, which might not be so good - depending on where your back problems are. In shallow water, with just a heavy weight-belt your belt wants to stick to the sea bed but your body & legs want to float up, bending you backward into a U-shape but with a weight-vest your body no longer floats up, at least not to the same degree; that might provide some relief.

Yes, it is another item of gear that needs to be rinsed and dried and mine uses bags of lead shot, which take a long time to dry out. You can dive with it wet of course.

The Mares weight vest has one size that fits most - I am quite wide shouldered 46"/XL-XXL and it fits me but with not much more room to spare, I suspect it might be too small for some very large/wide-shouldered folk. It has no catch, so quicker & therefore presumably safer than a quick-release buckle -- actually I question the use of the phrase "quick release" for those plastic rucksack buckles. They are quite fiddly, require quite a lot of finger dexterity (which may be lacking if your hands are cold) and they do not always set or release cleanly - I think they were designed for rucksack closures & straps, not for safety-critical quick-release. They are also quite small & might prove difficult to locate & release in some situations. That said, I would be inclined to release my belt first before worrying about the vest - unless the vest is snagged on something of course . But I think the Sporasub design makes up for that by releasing the shoulder straps too.

 

[Danny.c]

No it is definitely not essential, especially when just starting out. However, I find it easier to carry/wear for walk-ins as well as providing better distribution in the water than carrying 22-25lb of lead on my belt. With less lead the belt is also more comfortable & easier to deal with. (However, your legs will still float up!)

If you have back problems, a weight vest might well help - although you would carry more weight further up your back when walking in, which might not be so good - depending on where your back problems are. In shallow water, with just a heavy weight-belt your belt wants to stick to the sea bed but your body & legs want to float up, bending you backward into a U-shape but with a weight-vest your body no longer floats up, at least not to the same degree; that might provide some relief.

Yes, it is another item of gear that needs to be rinsed and dried and mine uses bags of lead shot, which take a long time to dry out. You can dive with it wet of course.

The Mares weight vest has one size that fits most - I am quite wide shouldered 46"/XL-XXL and it fits me but with not much more room to spare, I suspect it might be too small for some very large/wide-shouldered folk. It has no catch, so quicker & therefore presumably safer than a quick-release buckle -- actually I question the use of the phrase "quick release" for those plastic rucksack buckles. They are quite fiddly, require quite a lot of finger dexterity (which may be lacking if your hands are cold) and they do not always set or release cleanly - I think they were designed for rucksack cl

Ok.I want one now

 

[Danny.c]

No it is definitely not essential, especially when just starting out. However, I find it easier to carry/wear for walk-ins as well as providing better distribution in the water than carrying 22-25lb of lead on my belt. With less lead the belt is also more comfortable & easier to deal with. (However, your legs will still float up!)

If you have back problems, a weight vest might well help - although you would carry more weight further up your back when walking in, which might not be so good - depending on where your back problems are. In shallow water, with just a heavy weight-belt your belt wants to stick to the sea bed but your body & legs want to float up, bending you backward into a U-shape but with a weight-vest your body no longer floats up, at least not to the same degree; that might provide some relief.

Yes, it is another item of gear that needs to be rinsed and dried and mine uses bags of lead shot, which take a long time to dry out. You can dive with it wet of course.

The Mares weight vest has one size that fits most - I am quite wide shouldered 46"/XL-XXL and it fits me but with not much more room to spare, I suspect it might be too small for some very large/wide-shouldered folk. It has no catch, so quicker & therefore presumably safer than a quick-release buckle -- actually I question the use of the phrase "quick release" for those plastic rucksack buckles. They are quite fiddly, require quite a lot of finger dexterity (which may be lacking if your hands are cold) and they do not always set or release cleanly - I think they were designed for rucksack closures & straps, not for safety-critical quick-release. They are also quite small & might prove difficult to locate & release in some situations. That said, I would be inclined to release my belt first before worrying about the vest - unless the vest is snagged on something of course . But I think the Sporasub design makes up for that by releasing the shoulder straps too.

Bugger stuffing around with quick release.Another way to do this.A recovery vest with pockets full of lead shot ,best of both worlds.