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weight vests

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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very god point wishbone, thats what puts me away to getting one but later i raelized i need one after putting 10kg lead on my weight belt. Actually this does not bother me much even after 4-5 hour spearing but i know i am not hydrodynamic that way and loosing pervormance on the surface etc..etc...

Unfortunatelly our OMER importer does not get them since he thinks it may be dangerous for some newbies etc.. But as Mark said if you use it in shallow water less than 50 or even 60 feet with less weight on it so you can be positive with belt off, there should be minimum problem. No doubt it would be great if OMER improve the design and one buckle or button on the center so it can be droped easily...
 
I've had a chance to try out my vest a few times. Very comfy and of course helps with keeping the front end down.

One problem is if you are cruising on the surface for much distance - the weight on your back tends to push you down just a bit and the added pressure makes inhaling laborious. This is not a problem if you are primarily just breathing up because you can draw in our legs and get some added bouyancy - but if you are snorkeling along much it's a disadvantage. (all the vests I've seen would have this problem.

If I were to redisign it I'd probably make it a bit longer - and distribute the weights more along the sides and front. I'd also work up a single quick-release buckle - possibly by putting stays along the sides in front to enable the vest to pull together without multiple buckles - in any case some design that could be more quickly shed though it is not bad now - and you can just do the bottom fastener if you want.
 
Reactions: Alison
I was lurking around and saw this one too...

Fondueset, those are good observations, the same ones I made to them as well but those Italians won't listen to anyone! Marco Bardi the 3 time Italian National Champion who designed it whom is one of the strongest shallow water hunters in existence, came out with the neoprene vest like design after looking at the more simple harness designs out there such as the ones mentioned. While their bare bones nature was a virtue.... for the reason Ivan mentioned they posed some problems: no possibility to add more or less weight, noise induced from rocks coming in contact with the harness, adjustability. It's neoprene construction allows it to stretch and be more comfort fitting if all 6 weight pockets are full, it stretches considerably.

I agree the design could be improved by making a single buckle connection instead of three mainly to address emergency safety and making the one size fits all a bit bigger to fit those bigger than say 200lbs. I'm 6'4" 200lbs and its as big a size as it will fit.
Marco Bardi by contrast is of smaller stature and thin so I guess it fits him well
 
Has any one used the Seatec weight vests as I feel they would distribute the weight evenly and I could still use my weight belt and this would take some pressure off my back.
dave@spearo.co.uk sells them but I have seen no comments from anyone using this vest.
I feel that the omer vest has to much neoprene for my needs and will need even more lead, I am using 10KG with 5mm suit.
 
How easy are these vests to get of single handed when trying to keep a casulty on the surface and give ressus?
 
I can ditch all my weight inc Seatec vest in about a second, one handed. As the Seatec vest has no buckles, and doesn't fasten at the front, it is just a matter of slipping on hand back through the arm hole and letting it fall off. Taking it off an unconcious casualty would be just as quick. On an unconcious body with Seatec harness and no belt, the harness actually helps keep them floating face up
I find a vest and belt so much more comfortable than just a belt. Just getting that 4kg off my waist makes all the difference. In most (if not all) situations, dropping the belt alone would provide plenty of positive bouyancy anyway.
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk
 
Reactions: Alison
I agree about the advantages of the Seatec vest. But I've really been liking my omer. I just have a couple of 1 lb weights in it no and it really helps keep the upper body down when taking pictures.
 
Does the Seatec vest require more weight to be added due to buoyancy ?
 
Hi Fondueset, are you using a belt as well...or just the gilet?

The Greek Apnea vest looked sleek -- except that belt hook at the bottom -- presumably to hold the harness down on ones back when diving; that worries me. Merou (ref: www.roballeneurope.com) have a similar product but it uses a ball on a rope ...which should increase the likelyhood that a freed belt would fall free of the vest, rather than stay attached (which could be fatal).

I also like the look of the Seatec design too; what stops it it falling over your head when diving though? Looks like there is some sort of belt strap involved. Is the vest permanently attached to the harness (I hope not)? (Dave already mentioned that it can be removed quite quickly).

The Omer design makes more sense to me now. The main thing seems to be making sure you float with the vest on but no belt. Then use a belt to get you down. Presumably that is why most harnesses carry less than half the weight you'd typically need (e.g. 3 or 4 Kg...rather than say 10 or 12 Kg/22-24lb).
 
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Yes, I Have 8lbs on the belt (also the omer rubber belt with the plastic buckle - cheap an very nice) and either 2 or 8 in the vest depending on which suit and location. I'm diving freshwater but also going for neutral at a relatively shallow depth. Haven't tried any of the other vests but I agree the spora looks cool. FYI - somewhere on here a fellow made a very nice one using lead shot and a bicycle inner tube. Looked really comfortable.
 
Reactions: Mr. X
Mark Laboccetta said:
I'm 6'4" 200lbs and its as big a size as it will fit.
Marco Bardi by contrast is of smaller stature and thin so I guess it fits him well
Click to expand...
Hmm, so it probably would not fit 6' 230lb. Guess I will need to check out the competition then!

Here a reference for the Merou -- as well as the ball, it is a single back plate design (not as sleek as some designs but bonus points for simplicity! colour & camo options): http://www.europeanspearfishingsupplies.com/downloads/Merou 2005 catalogue.pdf
http://www.merou.fr/en/Shoulder_belt.html

Here is yet another: http://www.subprof.com/tienda/product_info.php?products_id=4632

Many here: http://www.subprof.com/tienda/index.php?cPath=58_142

The Seatec looks pretty nice though. Camo might be a good option. Black is good though.
 
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I'm 6'1" 160 and the Omer vest just fits. It is not real large and comes in only one size. Mark Labocetta uses one though and he's 6'4" or thereabouts.
 
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