Weight Belts advise

[Kdsosso 0]

I just got my A lic. and need some advice on wearing weights. Are some brands better than others? How much weight should I start with? I'm currently about 130lbs and can't fall as fast as everyone else. Thanks to all who reply!

[CrazyIvan 0]

I'm also a 'lite' skydiver, the weights I wear are these, very confy.

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Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[mnischalke 0]

This might sound stupid, but just remember, weights increase your wingloading. Your canopy will most certainly fly differently (faster, more dive, more responsive). Possibly a better and safer way to increase fallrate is a faster suit. If you RW, get a tight, slick nylon suit. Another option is to go through Skydive U and/or learn the mantis. The mantis sped me up almost ten mph, which I had to overcome by eliminating my arch. I don't RW anymore, but I find that bodyposition and suit combination are everything when it comes to fallrate no matter how you fly yourself. Talk to a good coach or instructor, based on your chosen discipline.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[darkwing 4]

I wouldn't rush into weights. As mentioned above, go for a very fast suit, and work on technique (i.e., arching) first.

If and when you do go for weights I recommend a belt, rather than a vest. I agree with the view that there are actual aerodynamic advantages to a belt.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[pilotdave 0]

I bought a square1 weight vest. I'm a bit smaller than you so I bought 12 lbs. I used all 12 once on a 5 way which very quickly became a solo cause I got waaaay low and couldnt get back up. I've found 6 lbs is adequate for me to jump with people nearly twice my size, at least on 2 ways where they can focus on falling slow. For some RW jumps, I've borrowed a couple pounds from other people. 8 lbs seems to work well for me. With my weights I can only choose between 6 or 12 lbs.

If you're going to buy a rig soon, you might consider getting one with weight pockets built in. That way, under canopy, the weights pull on the risers, not you.

And yes, my wingloading changes by a few hundreths when I wear weight. Never noticed a difference.

Dave

[Genn 0]

Ditto Darkwing!

Until you get a few jumps under your belt, I'd stick to a suit and your range with body position.

If you still have problems, I also recommend a weight belt. I have one for CRW and love it.

[bkdice 0]

I don't like vests. When I was learning, wearing a vest threw off my center of gravity a bit. A weight belt worked much better. I got mine here: http://www.lilachayes.com/

I bought four 2 lb weights.

Though it is best to learn to control your fall rate without weights, they were a great tool for me early on. I didn't use them much after 30 jumps - but they are a nice break now when I'm doing RW with bigger people. Granted I can now fall as fast without weights - but weights help me not have to work as hard.

[kallend 1,623]

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I just got my A lic. and need some advice on wearing weights. Are some brands better than others? How much weight should I start with? I'm currently about 130lbs and can't fall as fast as everyone else. Thanks to all who reply!

If you decide you need weights, you can easily make your own weight belt for about $25. Go to Target or K-Mart and buy 2 pairs of Reebok ankle weights. Sew three of these together (the straps will join them but sewing the corners stabilizes them). Voila - an attractive looking weight belt with zippered pockets for the weights, adjustable in 1/2 pound increments, all at a fraction of the price you'd pay at a gear store.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[metalslug 31]

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I bought four 2 lb weights.

8 lbs ?
How much extra weight does the average weighted person carry in a belt/vest ?
I'm no physicist and quite a newbie but 8 extra lbs doesnt seem very significant, even on a 130lbs jumper.

How does one go about assessing the amount of weight needed ? Would a tall, skinny 170 lbs jumper (who often have more drag) need as much weight as a smallish, stockier proportioned 130lbs jumper to fall evenly with the heavy jumpers?

Does one reach a desired fall rate through technique, jumpsuit and weights .. in that order ?

[bkdice 0]

i generally used 4 or 6 lbs - but i have 8 lbs available if need be. so far - i only used 8 lbs in the tunnel. some people wear a lot more weight than that. i've seen girls with up to 24 lbs (crazy - i know).

i am not one to advise on how much weight to start with. you should talk to an instructor or coach about that. but for me, weight 120 lbs, 4-6 was a good start.

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[kallend 1,623]

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I bought four 2 lb weights.

8 lbs ?
How much extra weight does the average weighted person carry in a belt/vest ?
I'm no physicist and quite a newbie but 8 extra lbs doesnt seem very significant, even on a 130lbs jumper.

How does one go about assessing the amount of weight needed ? Would a tall, skinny 170 lbs jumper (who often have more drag) need as much weight as a smallish, stockier proportioned 130lbs jumper to fall evenly with the heavy jumpers?

Does one reach a desired fall rate through technique, jumpsuit and weights .. in that order ?

What is an average weighted person??

I reckon that 2 pounds adds about 1mph to my fall rate. I am quite capable of going 135mph on my belly without weights, but it's really uncomfortable and I have little ability to maneuver. I normally wear 7 - 8 pounds in a belt, which puts me in a comfortable body position for fall rates between about 112 - 125mph. If I look at my fellow jumpers during a dirt dive and see anvils, I will add a couple of extra pounds, and vice versa.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[metalslug 31]

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What is an average weighted person??

I think I meant to say: What is the average mass of additional weight carried by those needing additional weight?
bkdice has given some indication of this by suggesting that it can range from 2 to 24 pounds,
which would put 12 lbs at the middlepoint of that range.

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I reckon that 2 pounds adds about 1mph to my fall rate.

..and the above reply offers more; the confirmation that a few pounds does not have dramatic effects.

My thoughts are along the lines of figuring out surface area and drag VS mass of the jumper... and the relative differences in fall rates of different sized jumpers in identical arch positions.

[kallend 1,623]

Quote

Quote

What is an average weighted person??

I think I meant to say: What is the average mass of additional weight carried by those needing additional weight?
bkdice has given some indication of this by suggesting that it can range from 2 to 24 pounds,
which would put 12 lbs at the middlepoint of that range.

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I reckon that 2 pounds adds about 1mph to my fall rate.

..and the above reply offers more; the confirmation that a few pounds does not have dramatic effects.

My thoughts are along the lines of figuring out surface area and drag VS mass of the jumper... and the relative differences in fall rates of different sized jumpers in identical arch positions.

Well, I hope you don't need dramatic effects. I look at it more along the lines of fine tuning my fall rate so that I'm most comfortable and in the middle of my range when falling at the same speed as the others.

If you want to do an aerodynamic analysis, good luck to you. I wouldn't bother myself - too many unknowns.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[andy2 0]

hey I was struggling to find reason why only a 6-8 pound belt helped so much. I couldnt figure it out. I finally came to realize the extra weight added on is bonus with no additional drag. So being 5'7" and wearing weights that make you 135 youre going to fall much faster than someone who is 5'9" 135 pounds, theoretically, less surface area, etc. I think

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let my inspiration flow,
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm...

[rendezvous 0]

Well some people say go for a better suit and some say use weights. It's a personal choice I guess. If a faster suit can help you with your fall rate then there's no need for a belt but I don't recommend shying away from using a belt if you feel it's going to help you. You can develop bad habits with or without one. Just because you are being able to keep up with others with a faster suit doesn't necessarily mean you are doing the right thing. Same applies with the belt. My DZO who also happens to be quite an accomplished skydiver
asked me to go with the belt. I did and I think I'm getting more value out of my jumps than I was earlier. Like I said, it's a personal choice, though I do recommend going with the belt instead of the vest if you do choose weights. While doing formation skydiving ( belley ) you want the weight to act through the center of your belley. By using a vest your your Center of Cravity is moved up and you have to compensate for it. Again all these are minor adjustments and it's more to do with how you get use to them. But then again why not just keep all the weight where it needs to be.

[skyPrincess2002 0]

I weigh about the same as you. Height: 5'9" I started with weights between 6-8 lbs. My new jumpsuit is made to help me fall faster. Nylon front, very tight fit. When I went to a Easter Scramble jumping with people I had never jumped with before...several big guys, I wore about 12 lbs. That worked really well. At the tunnel I had about 9-10 lbs and my coach advised I wear more weight. He sold me a really nice weight belt and I bought 12 lbs of weight at a dive shop. Perfect for jumping with fast falling skydivers.
As far as the landings, I think it helped that I did a gradual increase to get use to the faster landing.
Belt is better than vest - especially if you have shoulder or neck issues. The vest seemed to irritate my shoulders. The belt weight is also movable - to the front more so than your back.

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[Remster 24]

Another nice + of belts, if you jump close to water, a belt is a lot easier to get rid of then a vest if you are about to splash down.

Remster

[dreamsville 0]

I prefer to jump without weights if the fall rate of the jump will allow it. Since I'm thin, I therefore began with a tighter suit. Then, if being in the base or general fall rate requires it, I wear anywhere from 6 pounds for most dives to 12 pounds on really fast ones or chasing a tandem with a big JM and student.

I usually free-fly now, and it's a bit of a relief not to wear the weights on those dives.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.

Harry, FB #4143

[rehmwa 2]

Nice - Shannon Pilcher also sells something similar as Deja Blue. But I don't have the contact info. Likely you could find it on the NSL site.

Agree, A license is early to think about weights rather than body position unless you have a SERIOUS problem.

Later, a belt is nice to dial in for team jumping. Belts are a thousand time better than vests. Easier to put on and off and centered to your mass better also.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[debonair 0]

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Nice - Shannon Pilcher also sells something similar as Deja Blue. But I don't have the contact info. Likely you could find it on the NSL site.

You may not have yet heard but Shannon is getting out of the weightbelt market. You can buy directly from his supplier - Cutaway Enterprises ([email protected]). Art Bori is the owner of Cutaway Enterprises and he also manufacturers the most popular helmet bags. I stress test all his designs - his gearbags are superior in looks and functionality to anything else I've seen.

He makes quality products at a reasonable price and he cares about customer satisfaction. I highly recommend him and his products.

Edited to add: This is not a sales push. I'm just telling the truth.

AZChallenger JFTC99/02 GOFAST300 STILLUV4WAY
"It's nothing 1000 jumps won't cure..."
- Jeff Gorlick, Seattle Sky Divers

[rehmwa 2]

Thanks, I like those belts, just dropped 10 pounds and maybe it'll result in a drop of a couple bucks.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[guesswhere 0]

i don't mean to hijack the thread, but i'm also a bit on the floaty side, and i've seen a little of vest vs. belt, but i haven't seen anyone mention weight pockets sewn onto their rig.
i know sunpath offers this as a factory option on the javelin... any opinions on those?

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[Genn 0]

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i haven't seen anyone mention weight pockets sewn onto their rig.
i know sunpath offers this as a factory option on the javelin... any opinions on those?

I have that option on my Jav/CRW rig but I still use the belt. I found that the weights dig into your back.

[mnischalke 0]

Again, in water, weights make you sink. You might want to say to yourself: Do I really want something in my rig that's going to possibly cause me more trouble getting it off in a water landing? Wouldn't I rather utilize the built-in bouyancy of the rig to help me? Do I want to see my $5000 rig sink to the bottom of whatever body of water I am in? Next time you go swimming, wear your weight belt (starting in the shallow end) to see how quickly 10 pounds of lead drags you under.

Personally, I want something that I can unclip or hookknife quickly and discard as I prepare for landing in water.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[Genn 0]

I don't put the weights in my rig. I've tried it but decided to go with the belt for various reasons. My belt is velcro and is extremely easy to discard if needed.

BTW, I didn't and wouldn't order my jav w/that option. I bought the rig used.

edit: the BTW part