Weight for 3 mil suit??

[EricO]

I was wondering if I needed any kind of weight for my 3mil suit. I have yet to use it and was just wondering if it was necessary.

Thank you!

Eric

[cdavis]

You will need some weight, 5 lbs or more. Look in the freediving equipment section, fins, a thread about c4 30s or 40s. Jimdoe2you just posted a great summary of what you will need. Alternately, look up his most recent posts.

Connor

[EricO]

I didn't seem to find anything specifically on how much weight to use. Maybe I just missed it or I just don't understand what I'm reading. Thank you though!

Eric

[JPPLAY]

Originally Posted by EricO

I didn't seem to find anything specifically on how much weight to use. Maybe I just missed it or I just don't understand what I'm reading. Thank you though!

Eric

For spearfishing you want to weigh yourself so at the depth that you are hunting you are negative and that you are negative enough that when you dive you don't disturb the surface of the water or that you have to fight getting down causing vibrations in the water and scaring the fish. Basically you are overweight diving when compared to freediving standards. Say for 7 meters I am almost in sink mode right after my duck dive. For anything shallower I want to sink right away. For deeper diving you take a little weight off but the same principles apply just that you have to do a couple kicks to get you down to your negative point. Play around with it. Start in the shallows then work your way into deeper water when you are ready for it. You will also become a better spearfisherman by not trying to just go for depth of spearfishing but learning good techniques in the shallows.

[EricO]

Well, I'm purchasing everything I need for a two week spearing trip to the Bahamas so I don't really have any time to experiment. I live in Tennessee. I don't go in more than twenty feet of water....I think. Most of my time is spent in shallow reef areas. Does that help at all?

Thanks so much for the help.

Eric

[JPPLAY]

It depends on how much you weigh, your body fat and how much air your lungs take in along with probably some other variables. You will have to play around a bit to figure out the right weight. You can always purchase two or three weight belts or a harness system like omers and just add or decrease weight that way.

[Jonny250]

Eric, I would suggest you take a bunch of 2 and 4 pound weights up to about 16 pounds and just try it on your first trip to the beach. Leave any extra weights in the shallows for when you finish when you can collect them. then you'll be set for the rest of the holiday then. I'm a newbie to this sport too and that worked for me.
Good luck.

[EricO]

That makes sense. Should the weight be evenly distributed throughout my body using ankle weights and a weight belt? I bought a simple nylon weight belt just to keep my knife on and have no weights yet.

Thanks again for the help.

Eric

[ILDiver]

The nylon weight belt should work for shallow dives, but when you learn to go deeper, you'll want a rubber belt that will constrict as you go deeper and things start to compress.

Where the weight goes is really dependant on your bouyancy and trim. Ye definately want it symetrical on the belt. In scuba classes we tell the students to start with 10% of your body weight and we take extra weight with us to adjust. Scuba has a lot more bouyancy factors. I'm 6-4 220lbs. I use 10lbs scuba diving, but freediving in 15' of water I use 16lbs with a 5mm suit. A full chest of air and I'm extremely bouyant. Hopefully as I learn more I can get the amount of weight down. Salt water you have to add about 5lbs too.

[EricO]

I'm 6' 3" and about 175lbs. I'll be using a 3mm suit and snorkeling in anywhere from 10-20'....possibly more. I'll most likely just buy a variety of weight so I can figure it out once I arrive.

I'm putting together an entire spearing outfit well before my trip and all of this is very new to me. I'm spending a lot of money but I'm trying to get quality gear that will last me some time. I just ordered the break down killer bee pole spear and can't wait to get that in the water. I had the fiberglass AB Biller break down spear and it weighed a ton. I've read that the killer bee comes in at around a pound with the tip. Ohhhh boy.



Thanks again everyone.

Eric

[Erik]

8 lbs on a waistbelt.

[EricO]

Easy enough, would it be best to go with four 2lb weights or two 4lb weights, or does it matter?

Thanks for the help.

[spaghetti]

I don't know how much is a lib in kilograms (european smartazz) but the more you split/divide the weight, the less pain you'll feel, as weight is not concentrated on a single area of your lower back.
Ankle weights are a very useful piece of kit too for spearfishing. I use 2 x half kilogram.
As a general statement, especially in shallow water, a correct weight set is 50% of all you need for successful spearfishing.

[Erik]

Get four 2lb weights, place the weights evenly on the belt, with 2 at the front of your body. That's a good start for what you're doing now. Have a good holiday.

[EricO]

That's what I'll do. Thanks so much for the help.

Eric