chanti 0 #1 June 22, 2006 I always used to wear my weight belt inside my jumpsuit for fear that it got snagged or interfered with my handles. This past weekend my friends and I did some jumps at the coast and I was told to wear the weight belt on the outside in case I landed in the sea. Does this make sense as my rig weighs a lot more than the weight belt? Where do you guys wear your weights and why? -Chanti- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 June 22, 2006 QuoteDoes this make sense as my rig weighs a lot more than the weight belt? Your rig is on the outside of your jumpsuit right? What's your emergancy water landing proceedure? You've had live water training right? Do you know who Bob Buquor was? Answer those questions and you should end up answering your questions for yourself (and learn something along the way).--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlmiracle 7 #3 June 22, 2006 QuoteThis past weekend my friends and I did some jumps at the coast and I was told to wear the weight belt on the outside in case I landed in the sea. Does this make sense as my rig weighs a lot more than the weight belt? yes, you can dump your weights before your hit the water. You probably don't want to dump your rig before then. JBe kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #4 June 22, 2006 Quote You've had live water training right? USPA is the only federation that I know of that required that for licensing Dave. Not saying its a bad thing tho!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 June 22, 2006 QuoteUSPA is the only federation that I know of that required that for licensing Dave. Not saying its a bad thing tho! I didn't know if anyone else required it or not, but my question still stands.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #6 June 22, 2006 QuoteI always used to wear my weight belt inside my jumpsuit for fear that it got snagged or interfered with my handles. This past weekend my friends and I did some jumps at the coast and I was told to wear the weight belt on the outside in case I landed in the sea. Does this make sense as my rig weighs a lot more than the weight belt? Your friends are correct. Your weight belt will sink, immediately, pulling you down with it. Your rig will float for a while, until it becomes waterlogged. Those few minutes can be the difference between life and death. Weight alone is not what counts, but rather floatability. (Is that a word?) When there's the possibility of a water landing, I would wear it on the outside. Yeah, it's a weighing of risks of various bad things that can go wrong, but drowning is really high on the priority list of things to avoid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #7 June 22, 2006 Quote...but rather floatability. (Is that a word?) Buoyancy is the word you're looking for. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdy2skydive 0 #8 June 22, 2006 I wear between 6 and 10lbs of weights and I've always worn my weight belt on the outside of my jumpsuit. My home DZ has a lake at the end of the runway plus I've always found it more comfortable to wear on the outside - until this past weekend. Saturday I had a cutaway and had a little trouble peeling the pillow because the belt was in my way. I do wear thin gloves but I actually had to hold the belt against me to give myself enough room to grab the pillow. I always check both handles to make sure they are on the outside of the belt, and not caught on the inside. This experience has made me re-think wearing my belt on the outside of my suit. I was able to handle the situation, but I'm concerned it may be more of a hazard if it was a more dangerous/high speed mal. Just some food for thought..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #9 June 23, 2006 QuoteQuote...but rather floatability. (Is that a word?) Buoyancy is the word you're looking for. He's from Texas, they don't send much time "looking" for words.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #10 June 23, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuote...but rather floatability. (Is that a word?) Buoyancy is the word you're looking for. He's from Texas, they don't send much time "looking" for words. Are words about the only things not "bigger in Texas" then? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #11 June 23, 2006 QuoteAre words about the only things not "bigger in Texas" then? I think you are starting to get the picture.(only kidding John)My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #12 June 23, 2006 Quote I had a cutaway and had a little trouble peeling the pillow because the belt was in my way. Wear my belt under my SKIN in the form of fat but my wife wears one and I was just about to ask this very question, if the belt every caused a problem such as this or ar deployment time, curious to know how common problems deploying or EP's are when wearing a belt.Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 0 #13 June 23, 2006 i wear mine on the inside, mostly because its attached by velcro and im not happy with either the idea of it coming off in freefall and killing something in oxfordshire, and because i wouldnt want it snagging on anything. theres always the worry that either someone might use it to hold onto you in a rw dive and pull it off, or a hard opening might bust it loose and ruin a cows day... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sky-pimp 0 #14 June 23, 2006 inside in a windtunnel outside for the real thing YeHaaaaaaaaaaa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chanti 0 #15 June 23, 2006 QuoteYou've had live water training right? Nope. Unless you count:"Don't land in water!" QuoteDo you know who Bob Buquor was? Nope ... ? Thanks for everybody's replies! -Chanti- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AFFI 0 #16 June 23, 2006 QuoteDo you know who Bob Buquor was? Nope ... ? Here is a link about Bob... http://www.scr-awards.com/buquor/index.html Back in the day when Men were real Men, Women were real Women, Small Furry Creatures from Alpha Centauri were real Small Furry Creatures from Alpha Centauri and it was not big deal if a couple thousand soldiers died taking down the walls of communism! Check out that bad ass rig he is jumping! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,148 #17 June 23, 2006 QuoteI wear between 6 and 10lbs of weights and I've always worn my weight belt on the outside of my jumpsuit. My home DZ has a lake at the end of the runway plus I've always found it more comfortable to wear on the outside - until this past weekend. Saturday I had a cutaway and had a little trouble peeling the pillow because the belt was in my way. I do wear thin gloves but I actually had to hold the belt against me to give myself enough room to grab the pillow. I always check both handles to make sure they are on the outside of the belt, and not caught on the inside. This experience has made me re-think wearing my belt on the outside of my suit. I was able to handle the situation, but I'm concerned it may be more of a hazard if it was a more dangerous/high speed mal. Just some food for thought..... I wear my weigh belt outside my suit. I have had 2 cutaways and have not had a problem finding the handles.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #18 June 23, 2006 I used to wear mine outside of my jumpsuit until I saw how low it hangs on me when belly to earth. I realized that it was a potential snag hazzard and started wearing it inside my jumpsuit and have worn it inside ever since. Now...if I land in water, I'm going to have to deal with an extra 6+ pounds of weight getting water logged, but I'll continue to avoid landing in water as much as possible. Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,116 #19 June 23, 2006 > I realized that it was a potential snag hazzard . . . Perhaps, but your rig is a much larger snag hazard overall. (plus which your rig covers most of the weight belt.) I've never seen anyone snag a weight belt in 4600 jumps and about 15 hours of windtunnel time. OTOH I've seen a handful of rig/handle/jumpsuit snags. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Schoenauer 0 #20 June 24, 2006 It depends if I am jumping around a water hazard, lake, ocean or river I will ware my weight belt on the out side of my jump suit and inside of I am jumping in the desert. My thinking is if I need to dump the added weight I can. As for the rig, yes, it might weigh more than my belt but I don't get out of the rig until I have landed in the water. How long can you tread water with five pounds of weight on? Try it some time.Memento Mori Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #21 June 26, 2006 Like everything else, it is a trade off. Personally....I would wear it outside my suit. If I were jumping near water...No doubt about it, I would wear it out side my suit. For fun (And with adult supervision ) jump into a pool with your weight belt on....BEFORE you do this, make damn sure you can ditch it really fast and even then only do it in a pool. See if you can stay a float. I bet you sink to the bottom like....Well like you are wearing a weight belt. I am really serious about having a buddy there to help you."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,148 #22 June 26, 2006 QuoteLike everything else, it is a trade off. Personally....I would wear it outside my suit. If I were jumping near water...No doubt about it, I would wear it out side my suit. For fun (And with adult supervision ) jump into a pool with your weight belt on....BEFORE you do this, make damn sure you can ditch it really fast and even then only do it in a pool. See if you can stay a float. I bet you sink to the bottom like....Well like you are wearing a weight belt. I am really serious about having a buddy there to help you. When I got my SCUBA license back in 1969 one of the requirements was to swim 50 yards with a 10 pound weight belt on (and no wet suit or other aid to bouyancy). It was by far the hardest part of the entire training program and I hope never to have to do anything like it again. I don't think you have to do that any more.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chanti 0 #23 June 26, 2006 So yesterday I asked my CI this exact question and his reply was that the belt should ALWAYS be worn INSIDE the jumpsuit. His reasoning was that when over water (altitude permitting) you could still unzip the suit and ditch the belt. He told me that someone had bounced at one of our local DZs due to belt getting in the way of handles. Still confused. There are sensible arguments for and against. Guess it's just one of those "grey areas" of skydiving?!! -Chanti- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #24 June 26, 2006 QuoteSo yesterday I asked my CI this exact question and his reply was that the belt should ALWAYS be worn INSIDE the jumpsuit. His reasoning was that when over water (altitude permitting) you could still unzip the suit and ditch the belt. He told me that someone had bounced at one of our local DZs due to belt getting in the way of handles. Still confused. There are sensible arguments for and against. Guess it's just one of those "grey areas" of skydiving?!! If you are fighting a malfunction you may not have time to unzip your jumpsuit and remove you weight belt. If you did have the time, the time would be better spent trying to avoid the water. Ask you CI to show you a report that states the cause of the fatality was a weight belt outside of the jumpsuit. This is just my opinion, but your CI is wrong. This is not a "grey area".My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #25 June 26, 2006 QuoteSo yesterday I asked my CI this exact question and his reply was that the belt should ALWAYS be worn INSIDE the jumpsuit I respectfully disagree. However, it is a choice YOU have to make provided you have a license. QuoteHis reasoning was that when over water (altitude permitting) you could still unzip the suit and ditch the belt. Get all dressed up, put yourself in a hanging harness and let us know how it worked for you. My thoughts? I very much doubt I could pull it off, and I am a little more experienced than you. But please, try it and let us know if you can. QuoteHe told me that someone had bounced at one of our local DZs due to belt getting in the way of handles. Ask for more information. I have never heard about this type of accident. It is VERY possible. But so is drowning. It is going to be a trade off. If I am nowhere near an open body of water...Then maybe inside is fine and outside has a higher chance of causing a problem. If I am near an open body of water....Well, the I think out side is better. Some info for you. I could find no fatal accident due to a weight belt from http://www.skydivingfatalities.info/ While not all there is, it is one of the best sites to look for these kinds of things. 9/1/1997 South America? BIZ?,LAND? ?/? Description: Rumor has it a four way ended up a mile out to sea. Three of the four jumpers drowned. 2 cutaway much too high over the water. The other person who drowed was wearing a weight vest. Lessons:Never ever ever ever *EVER* cutaway to try to splash down in the water! Every couple of years someone does this and goes in -- just don't do it! If you wear a weight vest and you are jumping near a LARGE body of water, you might want to redesign it with velcro shulders or something so that it can be *rapidly* removed, preferably under canopy. QuoteThere are sensible arguments for and against. Guess it's just one of those "grey areas" of skydiving?!! Welcome to skydiving. There are plenty of questions like this in skydiving. On any given day any answer could save or kill you. Which is why it is so important to get all the info you can and make an informed choice. It is your life on the line."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
