Type of weights available?

[Big Tillie]

My wife and I will be diving in Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan on our upcoming cruise on the Legend. We will be bringing our own equipment, except for the weights. Do most dive operators have the intergrated weights you can use in your BCD or just weight belts? We are fairly new certified divers and have never used a weight belt before.

Thanks,

Alan

[Laurie S.]

They will take the weights off the belts so you can put them in your bc. You should have your own weight pockets, however. I prefer the soft weights, but it's not very often that they are available.

[Kryssa]

Usually dive ops have hard weight, but they fit into my weight pockets in my BC just fine.

[J&KCruiser]

My wife and I will be diving in Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan on our upcoming cruise on the Legend. We will be bringing our own equipment, except for the weights. Do most dive operators have the intergrated weights you can use in your BCD or just weight belts? We are fairly new certified divers and have never used a weight belt before.

Thanks,

Alan

 

Welcome to the underwater world. I am still new (cert oct 2010) and wish I could do more clear open water.

 

Never used a Weight Belt :confused:! Since so many dive shops have them your going to use one sooner then later so try them.

 

Would have expected your dive instructor to insist you try them because they are used in the shops. I found it much easier to remove a single dive belt when requested before getting back into a small zodiac boat.

 

John

[Laurie S.]

Why would you wear a weight belt when you are wearing a weight-integrated bc? I've dived all over the Caribbean and all the operators had weights available. In a couple of cases, they needed additional weights of a certain size and simply removed them from one of the weight belts.

 

It makes it even easier to get into a zodiac when you remove your whole system. ;)

[J&KCruiser]

Why would you wear a weight belt when you are wearing a weight-integrated bc? I've dived all over the Caribbean and all the operators had weights available. In a couple of cases, they needed additional weights of a certain size and simply removed them from one of the weight belts.

 

It makes it even easier to get into a zodiac when you remove your whole system. ;)

 

And some of the dive shops request you keep regulator in mouth until safely back on board the boat.

 

So if you remove your whole system and fall back in and under the water, what system are you breathing from?

 

I am just saying why not be experenced with weight belt because every shop as some querks and what if you develop issue with your BC and need to switch to another system without the integrated weights.

 

IMO.

[Laurie S.]

I've never had a shop say to keep the regulator in my mouth until onboard anywhere (Caribbean, Mexico, Polynesia). If you're worried about falling back in the water, your snorkel is atttached to your mask, and you don't remove that until you're in the boat. There's no way I would be breathing off my regulator while trying to climb into a boat.

 

If my bc has a problem, then I'll either fix it or won't be diving that day. I carry a fix-a dive-kit with me. I won't use rental equipment and I won't use a weight belt.

[AntiHamstr]

There's no way I would be breathing off my regulator while trying to climb into a boat.

 

 

Just curious... why not?

 

I honestly don't remember if any shops requested I keep the regulator in my mouth. If the water is calm and/or it looks like it might be a while before I get back on the boat I often switch to my snorkel, but I think I always switch to my regulator before getting on the boat especially if its rough. If I'm busy fighting the ladder and the waves, and trying to get my fins off, having the regulator in my mouth is one less thing I need to worry about in case I find myself a foot or two underwater.

 

 

Dennis

[Laurie S.]

Primarily because I almost always remove the system before climbing onboard. It's much easier for me to climb a ladder, especially a bucking ladder. If the situation demands it, I just hold my breath until I'm onboard. Very easy to do.

 

Now if I'm having to wait for everyone to climb on, and there are larger waves, then I do stay on my regulator until it's my turn to dump the fins and system.

[CaribKng]

Why would you wear a weight belt when you are wearing a weight-integrated bc? I've dived all over the Caribbean and all the operators had weights available. In a couple of cases, they needed additional weights of a certain size and simply removed them from one of the weight belts.

 

It makes it even easier to get into a zodiac when you remove your whole system. ;)

 

 

I agree with this. We have done a ton of diving all through the Caribbean and never have had to use a weight belt. Any good dive op will have the equipment you need.

[packyourpixiedust]

Either way, weight belts are easy. I always rent all of my equipment, just travel with my mask and sometimes my wetsuit. I enjoy less luggage. You will have no problem getting weights. And if you have to use a weight belt, they will show you how. Have fun!:o

[ScubaCruiser54]

Most dive shops use solid weights. They can be inserted into integrated pockets. We do that on all of our dives. We have had to strip the weights off of belts at times, but we have never been told not to do it. In fact a couple of dive operators carry weights on belts for ease of transportation.