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The Incredible Integrated Weight SystemThe integrated weight system is one of the greatest inventions since the Aqualung itself! Weight Belts or Integrated Weight Systems?Don’t get me wrong; weight belts do have their place in a diver’s arsenal. But they’re better used when you’re free-diving rather than scuba diving.One reason for this is that the release mechanism on weight belts is notoriously unreliable. All it takes is one wrong entry, one small bump, or one accidental gear shift and your weight belt is gone. The problem is so common, in fact, that I bought a buoyancy compensator with 50 pounds of lift so I could collect any weight belts I find on the ocean floor. A better alternative to weight belts is to buy a weight integrated buoyancy compensator (BC). These BCs usually cost more that the non-integrated variety, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. Benefits of an Integrated Weight SystemFirst, you never have to worry about dropping your weights unintentionally.Most weight integrated systems are secured with Velcro. These BCs use either weight pockets that are Velcro-ed into the BC (like the SeaQuest line of buoyancy compensators) or they use a ripcord system with the release Velcro-ed in place (like the Zeagle line of buoyancy compensators). Either way, your chances of dropping your weights unintentionally are near zero. In addition, weight integrated BCs make it easier to stay horizontal in the water column. The lower the weight is on your body, the more it will drag your legs down and give you an awkward profile in the water. Weight integrated BCs generally have the weight higher on the body resulting in a more streamlined profile. A streamlined profile means you’ll have less drag on your body making it easier to move through the water. It also means you’ll use less air and have potentially longer bottom times. Not bad benefits for spending an extra fifty bucks, give or take. What to look for in a Integrated Weight SystemWhen you’re looking for a weight integrated system, make sure you try it on with the amount of weight you need to use.I had a student once who bought his BC from a dive superstore before taking his class. He was a BIG guy weighing in at close to 135 kg (300 pounds) and his BC couldn’t hold enough weight to keep him underwater. If he tried the BC on first using the amount of weight he needed, he could have saved himself a lot of money and aggravation. Ultimately it’s best to have both a weight belt and an integrated system. Buy a weight belt when you first start your basic dive training so you know how to use it properly. Once you learn the basics and decide that scuba diving is definitely a sport you want to pick up (and you will) you can buy a weight integrated BC and save your weight belt for the days you want to free-dive. Return to Underwater Diving Equipment Home Page.
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