weighing yourself

[straight shaft]

I just purchased a 5/5mm Beuchat Mundial reversible wetsuit and need to know a ball park figure as to how much weight I'll be needing for freedive spearfishing. I weigh 175lbs. and would like to be neutral at 20 ft. deep, which is my comfort hunting zone. I know weight varies from person to person but I just need a ball park figure so that I don't find myself ditching my weight belt to get off the bottom after my initial roll-over.:eek:

[Kasshia]

I weigh in at 5'8" and 174 lbs. When I recently got a new full suit I started with 10 lbs. and jumped in the water to try it, figuring that would be on the light side and I could just add a little at a time from there. I got lucky in that 10 lbs. was perfect for me.

[Grande]

I am far from an expert but the weight you need to get down depends on body fat percentage i think. i use 6lbs in the summer(no wetsuit)and have only dove once in the cold. i was using a 4/3mm and had 14lbs on and after about half my tank(AL80) was gone i could feel myself floating up. so as far as i can tell it takes a hell of a lot more with a wetsuit on. Kasshia, i am surprised that you could get down with only 10lbs. straight shaft i would say with that 5/5 take at least triple what you would use without a wetsuit with you and just figure it out by the boat. like i said though i am far from an expert.

[f94gator]

I agree, Grande.
Straight Shaft, if you weigh 175 and you're 5 feet tall, #1, you look funny, #2, you'll probably need more weight than someone who's 6 ft, 175 lbs.
I'm 5'10", 195. With a 3 mil suit, 15 lbs or so is usually more than enough to sink me.

[Kasshia]

Well, Grande, like Staight Shaft, I am freediving, so I'm not trying to neutralize much more bouyancy than the wetsuit. On scuba I'm sure I would want more weight. I would guess about 6 more lbs.:)

[fizisition]

I normally use 10lbs
how much more wieght will I need if I just ate a 12lb HONEY BAKED HAM all by my self?:confused: :D

[Kasshia]

Well, it might be different for other people, but for me that much honey baked ham w/trimmings would induce what is commonly known as Food Coma. I would be horizontal on the couch for 2-3 hrs.:D

[201proguide]

your weight that you use also depends on how much experiecne you have. ive noticed that the more i dive, the less weight i use, and i have been gainiing weight. (mussle, not fat). my .02 cents

[Divin' fool]

Muscle and bone (lean body mass)are negative....body fat floats. The higher your body fat is the more weight you will need. I've heard 2 pounds added for every millimeter of wetsuit over normal weight needed. Seems to work for me.

[frogman]

Weight when freediving depends on several things including the depth you will be targeting. I am 6'1", 205# and I use 9lbs with full body 3mm suit which gets me neutral at about 40-50 feet. This way when I get to the bottom at 60 to 70 I don't feel like a sack of rocks going after a fish. However, if I am going to do the patch reefs in the Keys at 20-30', I add 2 lbs.
For 5mm suit at 175 lbs weight, try to start with 11 lbs and see how you do.

[straight shaft]

Thanks guys!
I went diving this past Sunday and found out that 14lbs was the ideal weight for me. I forgot to mention that I'm 5'8". It's a little difficult for the initial submerge, but after the fourth kick, I find myself easily gliding to the bottom (45ft.).