Shopper I Snorkel, have a 6mm aqua lung suit (older style), and weigh 160lbs. It has been years since I've done this. How much weight should I have for neutral buoyancy?
MARC H First, these are great weights and I have been happy with them. I like them because the are covered with thick vinyl and don't make my other dive gear dirty.
It is not possible to predict the required weight with any degree of accuracy, you will need to experiment to find the right weight. Body density varies between individuals and 6 mm suit is extremely buoyant making it hard to guess.
I assume you intend to free dive. Keep in mind your 6mm suit could lose half of its buoyancy in your first 30 feet of of the dive, so any decision is a compromise of some kind.
DOUGLAS H That will vary from individual to individual. You don't state if you are going to be in salt water or fresh, which very much influences buoyancy. Women tend to have a greater percentage of body fat than men, but some men can have a lot of body fat. More body fat means more weight Some women and men can have more muscle, which is more dense, and would need less. Certainly you will need some weight with a 6mm suit as it will be considerably buoyant. A 6mm in salt water might require quite a bit. Could be anything from 6 or 8 pounds on up to 14 or more. The only way to know for sure is to take an assortment of weights with you and try them out a couple of pounds at a time in water shallow enough to stand up in in case you get too much on you. Rent from a local dive shop so you'll have an idea of how much of these vinyl coated ones you want to buy fro Leisure Pro.