Weight Belts

A weight belt is an essential piece of equipment as well. A common misconception is that a weight belt is only worn by SCUBA divers, but they are very important to free divers as well. The different sizes and types of wetsuits, as well the ever varying body types that go in them, all have various impacts on the buoyancy of the diver. It is ideal for a diver to be neutral when submersed, but neutral buoyancy (will not float up or sink deeper) usually cannot be achieved without the addition of weight. The most common method of adding weight is by placing lead weights on a belt that is then worn around the waist. There are a few variations of materials used, but we are only going to cover the two most popular. The most common and least expensive option consists of a belt of 2” nylon webbing with lead weights threaded onto it and a plastic open clasp buckle. These belts are inexpensive (approx. $7 US dollars) and long lasting, but they are not the best option for free divers. When a diver descends, the pressure of the water compresses the diver’s wetsuit. The deeper a diver goes the more the suit compresses. Since the nylon webbing is very rigid it does compress to compensate for the wetsuit’s compression so the belt becomes loose and slides around at depth. Not only is this uncomfortable to have the belt sliding around, it can be dangerous as well. A diver should always keep the buckle of a weight belt in the front of their body for easy access in the event that they need to release the belt. If a diver finds themselves short of breath and needs to ascend at a greater rate, they should always be able to easily unfasten and let go of the weight belt so that they become more buoyant and accelerate their ascent to the surface.

2” Nylon web weight belts (click picture for details) The best type of belt is known as a Marseillaise weight belt. These belts are made out of a rubber material and come fitted with a stainless steel buckle with a pin which is inserted into holes placed along the length of the belt (much like a standard dress belt). The stretch of these rubber belts compensates for the compression of the wetsuit while diving, and also allows the belt to mold better with a diver’s body resulting in a nice snug and stable fit. They do not slide around which leaves their quick release buckle in the same position at all times. These belts range in price from $30 to $55 dollars plus lead weight.

Marseillaise rubber weight belt (click picture for details) How much weight? One of the most common questions when buying a weight belt is always; “How much weight do I need?” With all of the different body types, wetsuit thicknesses, etc… there isn’t a simple answer. All you can do is start trying different amounts of weight out. You should get kitted up with your wetsuit, fins, mask, etc… put some weight on the belt and get in the water. The ideal weight will allow you to be minimally buoyant at the surface, but neutral at or near the bottom. You should take caution not to overweight yourself as this presents much more negatives than positives. It is much safer to swim against a slight amount of positive buoyancy in order to descend verses fighting negative buoyancy while trying to surface for air. No matter what type of belt you purchase and how much weight is on it, the most important factors to consider are the ease of removal in the case of an emergency, and that you do not overweight yourself and become negatively buoyant.
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