The Importance of Weight Belts While Diving and the Different Types

Most people find that they float rather easily in salt water while swimming. To make it easier to submerge, many divers wear a few pounds of lead weight on a weight belt. The exact amount of weight needed is different for each person.

Skin divers who wear wetsuits must wear enough weight to neutralize the buoyancy of the suit for diving. The thicker the wetsuit, the more weight you will need to dive.

There are several different types of weights and weight belts that are commonly used. Molded weights are designed to be used with weight belts made from nylon webbing. These weights may be bare lead or they may be coated with plastic. Larger molded weights are usually curved to fit your body and are called "hip weights."

Bags of lead shot are also available in different sizes that are specifically designed for diving. The bags are designed to be used in belts equipped with pouches to hold them. Smaller divers and divers with prominent hip bones usually find shot belts to be more comfortable than belts with molded weights.

No matter what type of belt you select, the one feature that is common to all weight belts is the quick release buckle. This is an essential safety item. The quick release is designed to open easily with one hand in the event of an emergency. If you become exhausted or feel like you are going to pass out while you are in the water it is essential to drop your weight belt.

Special weight belt buckles are also available that are spring loaded to allow the belt to be tightened and compensate for the compression of your dive suite while you are underwater. They are a big help in preventing the belt from rotating on your body.

To assemble a belt using molded weights, you'll need to pick up some plastic weight keepers to help keep the weights from sliding around on the belt. One keeper goes on either side of each weight.

The belt should be trimmed to the correct size for you, but this must be done while you are wearing your dive suit. If you trim the belt when you aren't wearing your suit, it will probably be too short. Once the belt is trimmed, the end of the belt should be singed with a match to prevent the nylon from unraveling. Take care not to touch the hot nylon because it will stick to your skin and cause a serious burn.