Recipe for Custom Integrated Weight BC

This is a story about a stingey man who doesn't quite want to throw out his old BC just because all the new ones are weight integrated. I did alot of thinking and alot of asking around on this project and believe I have come up with a solution to those weight belt blues.

INGREDIENTS

1. Two wetsuit material Billabong pencil cases aprox 200 x 100 mm with zip

2. 6 x 2kg (or larger your choice) lead belt weights

3. 2 x peices of nylon cord

4. 2 x peices of 50 x 100 mm velcro with male and female matching peices

5. 1 old non-integrated weight BC with side pockets

6. 1 local Tailor with a gentle hand

RECIPE

1. Place three of the weights evenly spaced on top of each pencil case making sure the belt holes are vertical

2. Mark the gap on either side of the centre weight with a visible line from the zipper down to the base of the pencil cases

3. Take the pencil cases to a tailor and have them sew along the marked lines careful not to slice the material or go onto the zip itself

4. Place the weights into the now segmented pencil cases with weight belt holes still vertical and zip up.

5. Place pencil cases with weights inside BC pockets rounded side outwards

6. If BC has no velcro under flap then this can be added by The Tailor which will prevent the pocket from sagging open with the weight

7. For added safety you can sew directly into the corner of the pencil cases a thumb cord of your choice for quick removal of weights from pockets

BENEFITS

1. No more sticky weight belt problems jamming under your tank when removing

2. No more uncomfortable dives with problem weight belts

3. No more weight belt problems for bigger boys with big belly's

4. No more riding up of BC at front or sides when decending

5. Better Boyancy control

6. Less restriction and hassle when kitting up

7. No back pain which can be associated with weight belts

8. No pain in your wallet from forking out for a new integrated weight BC

CONS

Some may feel this is a little dangerous but really, compared to the trouble with conventional weights I think it is more safer. I've crash tested these and they slide out with ease - not that you will be dumping your weights every dive or even every year but they work if you want them to. Hell, you can just reach in and grab them and throw them down if you like - no dramas.

A sequence of example photo's follows;

This may be the start of a religious discussion, but I personally dont agree with "5. Better Boyancy control". I use a weightbelt, because I think it gives me much better control. I can put the weights exactly where I want, instead of flopping around in some large static pocket. I have a weight integrated BC, and used it for a while, but I really dont like it.

Cor

All my weight goes on the back by the tank for "5. Better Bouyancy control" it's whatever works for the individual.

But lets face it if you don't put it on the back near the tank then your wrong !

I like the effort gone in here, but how is this more weight integrated than just putting it in your pockets .. there is no quick release ? All it needs for a quick release is a hole sliced in the bottom of the pocket and then have a cord threaded through with a pull end that when ripped away lets the weight fall out.

Oh but Billabong pockets look cool !

Good effort and creativity with materials used !

Dude's we don't need to get religious - it's just an idea ok?

Searched high and low for the right shaped and sized pencil cases and could not find anything except in a surf shop near where I live. I couldn't have cared less if they were Billabong or not - they just needed to be the right size and material for the belt weights otherwise they would slop around inside a larger pencil case and plastic was is not an option. The weights needed also to be protected from wearing any holes into the BC.

The quick release is as I said, just rip them out of the pocket with the thumb cords - no need to go overboard and cut holes on your BC -although you could quite easily do it I supose.

If weight belts don't give you any trouble - that's cool, continue with your belts but I know alot of guys who curse them - mainly blokes with a bit of a tummy that is.

My issue with weight belts lies in that I use the Halcyon MC system, so I have a crotch strap to contend with. If you put your weights on before the BC, then they are trapped und your harness if they need to be removed. If you wait until after your into your BC, you'll have a hell of a time getting into your weights because of the tank, but once you cinch it tight it pulls your harness up into unfriendly waters.

I delt with it for a while, but then I just shelled out the dough for some weight pockets.

I do like the idea and honestly, i dont see a less invasive method of inegrating your BC. So long as you and your buddy know how to opperate it your golden, though I suppose in the unlikly even that you were separated and needed saving another diver may have some problems just due to it being uncommon. Though I personally dont see it being any harder than scubapro, halycon, deepoutdoors, OMS, and every other company that uses big plastic squeeze locks clips to opperate (particularily with big thick coldwater mits).

Perhaps replace the smaller 'rip-cord' with a bigger T shapped handle? Red yellow or orange to make it more idenitfyable. That way in the unlikly even that it need be used by someone unfamiliar with it, the little string wont be glanced over as say a flashlight.

Just my 2 cents

_Mike

Yeah your right, letting a buddy know of your weight setup is a good idea although who does this these days? But yeah - bright coloured cords or plastic easy grabs should do the trick.

Good work Donga.

Personally I don't want anyone dumping my weights for me, especially not in seconds. Much prefer them to take a little effort and thought as to whether a controlled lift is the right way to go. Think the easy access provided by a stonking big release handle is more than offset by its ability to snag stray line and release itself.

Interested to know, between all the tens of thousands of dives that must be the collective experience of people on here, if anyone has ever had the requirement to dump a buddies weights.

After using these a couple of times there is a tweak you may need to do.

I have added a short piece of PVC pipe at the top of the case so the weights dont bunch up inside the BC when striding off into the water. It also makes it esier to reach in and grab them if you need to.

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