84 replies to this topic

[Dive_Girl]

Why metal buckles? I've heard others recommend this, but my experience is plastic buckles hold as well as the metal ones. What am I missing

We've had plastic buckels break where the metal buckels we have, have not. I've also found the metal buckles to clamp down tighter, less likley to come unbuckled.

Thanks for the response, Nicolle.

I tried to convince Trace that the DIR way would be to eliminate that failure point by just tying the belt around one's waist but he didn't buy my logic.

Just reporting what we've experienced in regards to weight belt buckel wear and tear.

This would also be a great new thread - I'll look at splitting it off.

[Walter]

I would caution on this, depending on the type of diving you do. Those of us who beach dive in cold water might disagree with this point. There's no way I'm taking a long hike across the sand with a tank and 30# of lead without some padding.

If you're diving in cold water, you have lots of padding in your exposure suit.

I'll take that trade off, thank you.

That's why they make different BCs, so we all have choices.

[annasea]

Just reporting what we've experienced in regards to weight belt buckel wear and tear.

This would also be a great new thread - I'll look at splitting it off.

Please be careful how you do the split, Nicolle. If you refer back to my original post, I was looking for information on both BCs and weight belts. Thx for your consideration!

[Dive_Girl]

Just reporting what we've experienced in regards to weight belt buckel wear and tear.

This would also be a great new thread - I'll look at splitting it off.

Please be careful how you do the split, Nicolle. If you refer back to my original post, I was looking for information on both BCs and weight belts. Thx for your consideration!

AH! I was looking at the thread title...dar! Thanks annasea!

[hnladue]

Annasea,
I dive a Zeagle Ranger. It's a weight integrated, back inflate. I love it and it's very comfortable.

[ScubaDadMiami]

Why metal buckles? I've heard others recommend this, but my experience is plastic buckles hold as well as the metal ones. What am I missing

We've had plastic buckels break where the metal buckels we have, have not. I've also found the metal buckles to clamp down tighter, less likley to come unbuckled.

I haven't had a plastic one break. (Not disagreeing though; I have just been lucky in the past. I now use all metal--even for holding my light in place.) I definitely agree that the metal ones clamp down more securely but are just as easy to open if needed.

[6Gill]

Why metal buckles? I've heard others recommend this, but my experience is plastic buckles hold as well as the metal ones. What am I missing

We've had plastic buckels break where the metal buckels we have, have not. I've also found the metal buckles to clamp down tighter, less likley to come unbuckled.

I haven't had a plastic one break. (Not disagreeing though; I have just been lucky in the past. I now use all metal--even for holding my light in place.) I definitely agree that the metal ones clamp down more securely but are just as easy to open if needed.

This also pretty much sums up my experiance with buckles

[Dive_Girl]

Why metal buckles? I've heard others recommend this, but my experience is plastic buckles hold as well as the metal ones. What am I missing

We've had plastic buckels break where the metal buckels we have, have not. I've also found the metal buckles to clamp down tighter, less likley to come unbuckled.

I haven't had a plastic one break. (Not disagreeing though; I have just been lucky in the past. I now use all metal--even for holding my light in place.) I definitely agree that the metal ones clamp down more securely but are just as easy to open if needed.

This also pretty much sums up my experiance with buckles

It's amazing when gear is in rental the crazy things you see. As a clarification, I've never had a weight belt buckle bust at the hinges, but the most common break tends to be the "tongue" of the buckle breaking causing it to not clamp down and creating a sharp dangerous edge. I also had a plastic cam buckle actually shatter in my hands (cutting them) just this past December when rigging an Argon bottle. Oddly it was the only Halcyon item I owned at the time. I've since leaned toward metal buckles of any kind where I can.

[gcbryan]

I've switched to metal buckles for my weight belt just because a weight belt is too important to lose underwater, dropping weights on the bucklet could happen, and I have had a broken plastic cam band.

Interestingly enough I haven't switched to metal cam bands yet mainly because I have two cam bands and because they might ding up or be hard on the tank. I could be wrong in that regard and will probably replace them at some point.

[Dive_Girl]

Interestingly enough I haven't switched to metal cam bands yet mainly because I have two cam bands and because they might ding up or be hard on the tank. I could be wrong in that regard and will probably replace them at some point.

I have some protective flaps under the cams on my sinlges set-up so my tanks don't get dinged. I can show you on Saturday.

[annasea]

I just called ScubaLuv, the dive shop on Catalina that I'll be renting most of my gear from, and they rent both *regular* BCs and weight integrated BCs. Apparently, the weight integrated BCs can carry over 20 lbs! So it looks like I won't even need a weight belt for this trip unless I decide to rent both styles. (But since I've already tried a regular BC, I don't really need to try one again unless I'm shopping around for one to purchase.)

[Walter]

What BC did you try on your check out dives?

[annasea]

What BC did you try on your check out dives?

It appeared to be a simple, entry level, non-weight integrated BC made by Genesis, I believe. (Perrone might be able to provide more information.)

When I took my PADI class here in Vancouver, I was using the same style of BC.

BTW, is this the weight belt you were writing about earlier in the thread?

[Walter]

It appeared to be a simple, entry level, non-weight integrated BC made by Genesis, I believe.......................BTW, is this the weight belt you were writing about earlier in the thread?

There's more difference from one of those to another than there is between a vest and a BP/wing.

That's the one.

[annasea]

It appeared to be a simple, entry level, non-weight integrated BC made by Genesis, I believe.......................BTW, is this the weight belt you were writing about earlier in the thread?

There's more difference from one of those to another than there is between a vest and a BP/wing.

That's the one.

I don't understand this statement of yours. Please elaborate. (Both BCs that I used functioned in the same way. Or so it appeared to me.)

If you find this weight belt at your LDS for a better price than the shop in the Keys, let me know please. If it's worthwhile, I'll see if I can order it from the less expensive shop and have it sent to Catalina. Thx!