Ive got a weight belt And am having some trouble with it .. Its a Rubber seatec With d weights 1. Do i tap the weights on to the belt to stop them sliding around . 2. When i do it up the clip doesn't bite in and opens if i even tap it . I might not have the clip threaded on properly?? Any help would be great.
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Weight Belt
- Thread startergone_surfing199
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
You may read this to solve the buckle trouble:
http://forums.deeperblue.com/hunting-equipment/75883-belt-help.html
then please ask again if it doesn't help
http://forums.deeperblue.com/hunting-equipment/75883-belt-help.html
then please ask again if it doesn't help
Yep thats great for the buckle searched but couldnt find that thread . The only thing i don't get is the weights slipping on the belt . and should they all be bunched at the back area or spread around the waist and fixed in place ?
Help me understand: is it the belt to slide around your waist, or just the weights sliding along the belt?
In any case: if it's an elastic belt, wear it tight enough to keep everything firm. Weight keeprs could help, but if the belt is properly tightend, they're not necesssary.
For the distribution of weight, it is no good for your lower back to keep all the weight in the same place. In the long run it will hurt. However, if you hunt "belly crawling" style (crawling on the bottom), it would be more technical to keep on the back of the belt everything that could make noise (weights, knife, buckle, stringer, everything).
In any case: if it's an elastic belt, wear it tight enough to keep everything firm. Weight keeprs could help, but if the belt is properly tightend, they're not necesssary.
For the distribution of weight, it is no good for your lower back to keep all the weight in the same place. In the long run it will hurt. However, if you hunt "belly crawling" style (crawling on the bottom), it would be more technical to keep on the back of the belt everything that could make noise (weights, knife, buckle, stringer, everything).
Most people would not want their weights to move around. After a while of chucking your belt into the boot of the car, dropping it on the rocks etc then the weights tighten up and often the soft lead that they are made from gets almost welded to the belt. When new you can give them a tap and they deform enough to tighten up. This problem is not so bad with H weights as they have more belt friction but D weights are better IMHO. You can get weight keepers from any scuba shop. They are little plastic things that fit on your belt to stop weights slipping. I arrange my weights on either side of me and as near the front as poss. This helps a face down posture when swimming but not so good when on dry land. However one of the best things I have ever bought for diving was a weight vest. I now use 14 lb on the belt instead of 21lb. The missing 7lb is in the vest. i sometimes use ankle weights as well.
Dave
Dave
Agreed with dave. I too split weights in belt, harness and ankle straps. But as I reckon you're quite new to the sport I don't think you'll bother to buy so many different pieces of kit by now....
RE. weight keepers. Go get 'em. If you don't have easy access to dive shops in your area, I have a few nice weight keepers that I'm not using and I could send to you via mail at no charge for you (but let me check first if the international mail fee won't kill my finances...).
RE. weight keepers. Go get 'em. If you don't have easy access to dive shops in your area, I have a few nice weight keepers that I'm not using and I could send to you via mail at no charge for you (but let me check first if the international mail fee won't kill my finances...).
All good advice up there from the pros.
The only point I'd add is that I like the weight on the belt to be towards the front. Too much weight on my back makes me turtle when at the surface. Also place them right in front (if you're going to), not at the sides, as they can hurt your hip bones.
I do wear a backpack and a belt too.
The only point I'd add is that I like the weight on the belt to be towards the front. Too much weight on my back makes me turtle when at the surface. Also place them right in front (if you're going to), not at the sides, as they can hurt your hip bones.
I do wear a backpack and a belt too.
Thanks for the advise i might get a weight jacket which leads me on to my next question i have two options the omer changeable weight i think or a seatec one 4kg. Ive managed to keep the weights in place with a tap so hopefully wont need the weight keepers but thank you for the offer spaghetti.
I use the seac sub vest. Cammo, adjustable weight, one size fits all and fits well plus excellent value. Here's a thread about buying it and some info about other vests including a link from Erik 
. http://forums.deeperblue.com/hunting-equipment/75704-assorted-questions.html . If you use search button and look for weight vests you'll learn more than you ever wanted to know. Good old DB.
Dave
. http://forums.deeperblue.com/hunting-equipment/75704-assorted-questions.html . If you use search button and look for weight vests you'll learn more than you ever wanted to know. Good old DB.Dave
Its very useful thread never knew this much about weights... i am using rubber belt with H type weight coverd with a material and it is keeping it tight 100% i am spreading them two at side and two at back side i use like 16 lb...
It's up to you. The only concern really is personal comfort/preference. I've always spread my weights around the belt - but they almost fill the belt now, so not much choice anymore.
I have two very large weights, which are roughly on my sides, that are fixed in place with a bit of stanless steel. the steel is screwed into each weight over the top of the belt which stops any movement. I also fix very small metal loops to the weights to attach my stringer to, and also my float line.
I dive with my float line attached to my belt ,if i spear a fish in a hole it is then a simple matter to transfer the line to the gun, i do not lose the gun or the fish. In Sussex the viz is often a problem this set up is designed to overcome this.
Kev
I dive with my float line attached to my belt ,if i spear a fish in a hole it is then a simple matter to transfer the line to the gun, i do not lose the gun or the fish. In Sussex the viz is often a problem this set up is designed to overcome this.
Kev
For me there is no advantage either way. Attached to the gun or to the belt, the floatline is always annoying.
It disturbs gun movement in a case or body movement in the other, it gets tangled on barnacles and everything, i's such a continuous hassle.
And however, the float and the floatline are necessary as a signaling device and for storing things (spare guns, drink water, grouper hook, car's key's...).
What can I tell you for sure is that in the Mediterranean, and in Euope in general, we don't have the habit to attach the floatline to the gun. It has to do with the average type of guns (manouverability is the main quality of european guns: an attacched floatline would impair the handyness) and the type of hunting (seizing smallish fish behind or under rocks, into the kelp et cetera). You will rarely, if ever, find a Med spearo with the float attached to his gun. I have never seen any at all.
The habit of attaching the floatline to the gun is more typical of areas where the do moslty blue water hunting, on bigger fish, with heavier guns and generally in open water.
Of course I'm talking general, you may come up with exceptions and different specifications, but that's it.
I find it easier to use that way with the line attached to the belt. Its out of the way until you need it but handy when you do. The other thing is that when attached to the gun there is a danger that the movement of the the float will effect your aim at that crucial moment. It is a system that is very useful in sussex where most of my diving is done because the viz is often poor.
kev
kev
Hadn't thought about transferring the line like that, interesting. Body attachment seems to be the most popular approach on the south coast from comments I've read. However, a SA spearo told me how to set up the line to the gun when I started out with and that seemed (and still seems) a good idea for a beginner to me: less clutter on your body & therefore less risk of your getting tangled & stuck underwater, less risk of loosing your new speargun, & simple.
Kev's right though, it can tug the gun in your hand, so I normally keep a loop of line in the other hand, to so that it absorbs any movement, rather than the trigger hand. I really should try Kev's approach but I've been using the SA approach (well described in Len Jones's excellent & inexpensive booklet on spear fishing - along with a lot of other good tips) and have got used to it. Either way you tend to adapt. For example, I now have two float lines, one about 8m which suits most of my shallower dives and one a little longer, 12m, for my deeper dives -- not much difference actually but it means I no longer drag an unnecessary 30 feet of tangling line with me. I also have 5m x 2.5mm mono extensions "ghost leaders" (RA term) which I can use to extend them if necessary. I've also made my own, smaller, low profile line winders to suit the shorter lengths - less drag, less conspicuous, lighter & smaller to carry.
Thanks for your replies. My float line is made of 15m of aquarium tubbing so it doesnt really get tangled very easily (Its cheap and strong enough for the usual bass and mullet we have around here). I've using it attached to my gun but that doesnt work that well with strong currents/swell and i'm keen on exploring other possibilities, such as use of a float anchor or even attaching it to the spear shaft. Does anyone have any insight on this?
Cheers
Cheers
Anchor is carried on float for when needed. The other way to do it is to have the line attached to the anchor and carry that in your other hand ( not the gun one) Most commercial float anchors are too heavy, we make our own out of stainless steel. No added weight at all just the steel.
If you need to mark a spot quickly, and there is not too much tide transfer the float line to the gun leave it on the bottom for when you next dive, useful method for marking a cave etc with a bass inside that you cannot get on the first attempt.
Kev
If you need to mark a spot quickly, and there is not too much tide transfer the float line to the gun leave it on the bottom for when you next dive, useful method for marking a cave etc with a bass inside that you cannot get on the first attempt.
Kev
Interesting ways of spearfishing!!! I have tried both ways having the line attaching to me and to the gun in both ways it is not comfortable at all most of the time i was having the rope wrapping on my hand or to my fins (I am not blaming this way maybe i dunno how to set it up properly or i am using the worng rope). Add to this i am not facing really big fish and the reel is more than helping in my case maybe thats why i prefer using reel instead of line.