Showerthought: Why do we still use weight belts in 2025?

I was on a job off the coast of Galveston last month, 60 feet down repairing a pipeline anchor, and my weight belt came loose. Spent 15 minutes fighting it while my air was dropping. We have dry suits with integrated weight systems, harnesses with pockets, but half the guys I know still swear by the old belt. Why are we not all using the integrated systems? Has anyone else had a close call with a belt slipping? I am thinking of switching for good but want to hear what you all run.

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy92910d ago

Hold on, is it really that serious though? Ive been using the same weight belt for like eight years and never had it slip. Most guys I dive with still run belts, and they are the ones doing the deep stuff. Whole thing sounds like a bad setup or a buckle that wasnt tight enough. A buddy of mine uses integrated and says the weight pockets fill with sand and get stuck sometimes. You ever had that problem with the integrated system?

emeryp2310d ago

Yeah man, you nailed it. The belt thing is straight up outdated tech that people just got used to. I had a similar scare last summer where my belt rode up and I couldnt reach the quick release. Switched to a harness with integrated weight pouches and never looked back. The weight sits way better on your hips and doesnt shift when youre moving around on the bottom.