Weight vest or weight belt?

[drenaline 0]

I hafta buy some weights (the other skydivers weight too much), told them to get on a diet and they almost killed me, tried to drink alot of beer so I could get fat and it went no good (but it was kinda fun), so I gotta buy them.
My coach told me to get a weight belt that they were good and all, but not so sure of how good they are.
Can you give me the Pros and Cons of the vest and the belt, please.
Thanx.
"Life is full of danger, so why be afraid?"
drenaline

[FeFe 0]

Matter of personal preference. I feel that even my custom-fit vest restricts movements in RW (slightly, but still). Vest IS a burden for you shoulders (hell, you DO feel it in the end of a busy day!). Belt (I wear it over my suit) it's a way easier to put in/off/adjust and add/remove weights - even in a plane. Generally I find belt more comfy (and YES - I DO look like a stuffed pig with a loaded vest on ). Normally you can load a vest more than a belt (my belt has a limit of 20+ pounds, vest - twice as much… but you would probably think twice before jumping with 40+ pounds on you right?). My 0.02. BS

[Zoltan 0]

There are no pros and contras of the vest and the belt... It is not a comfort issue. It is up to your body, it depends which part of your torso should be loaded more. If you have too small behind then the belt might be more optimal in order to keep you proper body position. But if it is you upper body which is too light then vest is the solution for you.
I remember from the l;ast summer that in the Skydiving there was many articles about the equipments written by GK member, one was saying smart things upon weights. Find it and read it.

[rendezvous 0]

Does, using a weight belt to correct the fall rate early on when you are still new to the sport affect your ability to develop skills to do so instead.

[weid14 0]

no, you want to have a comfortable arch, with the ability to go up and down. Trying to keep up w/o weights causes some bad habits (arms in, hard arch, feet up, etc). Putting yourself in a neutral freefall position gives you much more range and balance. In addition -- tunnel (semi-unscientific) testing has shown the weight belt, placed at your CG (around the middle) is better than the vest. modern flying wants a shoulders up, heads up, pelvis down position. the belt lets you do that, and with less weight than the vest.

[Jessica 0]

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Does, using a weight belt to correct the fall rate early on when you are still new to the sport affect your ability to develop skills to do so instead.

Maybe, but I think the tradeoff is pretty good. Instead of floating way above the action, with a weight belt a floaty newbie might actually have a chance to participate in the skydive and learn things. I can't tell you how many skydives I watched from way above when I first started.
I have a weight belt. It's a Leadbelly. I like it a lot. But I don't tend to wear it anymore, because I've learned to have a nice range without it (yay tunnel camp!). But I don't know if I could have learned the range without having worn it. Does that make any sense?

[skycat 0]

Jessica,
It makes perfect sense, my first 50 jumps I used a weight vest, then after learning how to fly my body efficiently quit using it. Now that I'm learning to fly the mantis position I need a weight belt (Mirage is too heavy to have it and weight vest on, plus it sits better where my arch is). I'm guessing I'll be wearing that for about 30 jumps or some tunnel time which ever comes first, as I figure out this new position.
Btw, for the question on students wearing weight vests. I know some instructors that have no problem putting lead on students, especially if they are small and tend float. The canopy size isn’t an issue either in those cases cause usually the student is WAY under loading the canopy (i.e. me under a 215 at .5:1).

[airdrew20012001 0]

I have a vest, as others have said I hardly use it anymore. It makes my reserve ripcord pillow stick out kind of funny but is otherwise fine. Have never tried a belt, so no info there. I think as others have said that you should try both and see what's more comfy. I know skydivers with 1000's of skydives who can fly their bodies just fine but still wear weigths.
Drewfus McDoofus

[weid14 0]

that's good, flying the mantis will cause you to slow down a bit and putting the belt on puts the weight where you need it. Many people have "learned to fly their bodies" but in doing so they fly with their arms in tight for a faster fall rate, that's all well and good to stay with the formation, but when you are reaching to take grips, you could get floaty (and I don't mean the classic: I'm five feet away I need to get those grips sort of reach).

[riggerrob 558]

Yes, last year I published an article in SKYDIVING Magazine about weight vests, etc. The conclusion was different vests for different folks. In the short run, you should ask other slender jumpers on your dropzone what they wear and maybe ask to borrow their vests. The closer they are to your size and build, the more reliable the advice.
Once you have tried a variety of vests and belts, then you can decide which is most comfortable for you.
Remember that good coaches deliberately under-weight junior jumpers, forcing them to continue improving their skills.
In the long run, you will probably get tired (read fatigued) of vests and want to sew weights into your container. Sewing weight pockets into a container is best left to a Master Rigger or the factory.
Also consider whether you want to wear weights high or low. Some people with er. "low centers of gravity" like to wear weights high on their shoulders to flatten out their body position. On the other hand, some people with "balanced physiques" cheat by wearing their weights high on their shoulders, this allows "balanced" people to relax their legs and fly mainly with their arms.
In the end, it comes down to which vest makes you the most comfortable.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Just jumping in kinda late, I've never needed lead (my physique requires my friends to wear lead), so don't have any preferences. However one thing I would ask you guys n gals to think about is.... if you are jumping over water a lot, can you ditch your lead in the event of a water landing?
Okay, thassall.....
Cya
D

[drenaline 0]

First of all, I wanna thank you all for the replies.

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Once you have tried a variety of vests and belts

That would be nice, problem is that there are only 17 skydivers in my dropzone and the only thing I can borrow (and been doing it) are the weight vests, the belts are an innovation here that nobody has. The vest I tried were kind of uncomfortable with the shoulders, but its only temp. (I can live with that), once am on the plane and the adrenaline starts pumping I forget about that and just concentrate on the jump.
I asked about the belt cause one of my coaches told me that it can give you a good arch in a better belly to earth position, and that got me thinking, so I asked.
Something got me thinking, (am very ignorant about the belt) are there any problems with the belt getting caught or causing problems reaching the reserve handles or the reserve ripcord pillow? and what about the Q that nacmacfeegle asked about the unintentional water landings?
"Life is full of danger, so why be afraid?"
drenaline

[Jessica 0]

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Something got me thinking, (am very ignorant about the belt) are there any problems with the belt getting caught or causing problems reaching the reserve handles or the reserve ripcord pillow?

Nah. My belt rides low on my hips, my handles rest just below my boobs. No interference. Of course, (duh) make sure your handles are accessible before every skydive.

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and what about the Q that nacmacfeegle asked about the unintentional water landings?

Edge goes to belt here. It's pretty easy to get off, if you wear it over your jumpsuit. A vest, you're not getting off.

[weid14 0]

It's not so much it gives you a better arch, it puts the weight in a more effective place. the belts all rest way below any handles. unless you're some sort of freak of nature .

[riggerrob 558]

Yes, extra weights can lead to drowning if you jump near water and trust Helen Keller to spot.
Some types of weights can be discarded while you are hanging under canopy.
Weight belts are the easiest to discard, followed by weights in mud flap pockets.
Some bib type weight vests can be discarded under canopy, provided you wear them over your jumpsuit and practice discarding them while in a suspended harness.
If your weights are sewn into your rig, then climb out of your harness as soon as possible after splash-down.
Surviving a water landing comes back to the whole concept of thinking through (and practicing) emergency procedures on the ground, weeks before you need then, then keeping your eyes open under canopy and keeping your brain a minute or two ahead of your canopy.
Jeez! That sounds like a recipe for surviving all skydives!

[ltdiver 3]

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the only thing I can borrow (and been doing it) are the weight vests, the belts are an innovation here that nobody has.

I use a weight vest, being light and tall, and it works great for RW.
I do, however, have a weight belt that I use when freeflying (just more comfortable with that posture).
For the weight belt, I just went down to our local sports store and bought a pair of ankle weights! Two 5# weights strapped together by their own velcro straps works just fine! ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[rendezvous 0]

I'm actually looking into a weight belt and wanted to know what you did the the ankle weights. Do they fit right into your weight belt. Seems to me it's cheaper to buy ankle weight than the price of 8 dollars a pound that I was being quoted for the skydiving weight belt weights.

[Watcher 0]

I have a Deja Blue weight belt, produced by Shannon Pilcher from PD Blue. amazing belt i like it better than the lead bellys. The weight fits pretty well, but you could always just get diminsions then make your own weight, just use some sowing and some lead shot. I can fit about 16 pounds into my Medium size. I dont know how much the retail is we are a sponsored team, but weight was $5 a lb for us, i think i saw on the lead belly site is was like $6 a lb. But i have worn both belts and Vest, and if you are trying to flying in an active torso high position the vest sucks, the belt sitting on your CG allows for better center point turns and are alot more comfortable to wear.
Jonathan
D-24876
[email protected]

[ltdiver 3]

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wanted to know what you did the the ankle weights. Do they fit right into your weight belt.

Dude...the ankle weights are my weight belt. I opened the package at the store and just threaded the velcro straps through the little metal 'rings' and then back onto themselves to see if they would fit around my waist. Just, instead of velcroing one ankle weight to itself, I velcroed one to the other. Walla!...a weight belt was born! (of course, I have a smaller waist, and had no problem finding at least one set of ankle weights that would fit around me just right. If you are a bit larger waisted, then perhaps a bit of sewing of an additional piece of vecro would be needed. Thus...trying them on in the store).
Hope this helps, fellow 'light weight'!
ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[EMBer 0]

I've used both: vest and belt. Gotta say that weid14's earlier comment about cg being in the center w/ belt (vs vest, where weight is off center) is on the money. Makes a difference in center-point turns. Also, had a feeling of dragging weight around w/ the vest, even going for short distances btwn points. It was harder to keep good range w/ chest (like to have it high vs flat) and my back even felt more tired w/ vest than w/ belt. Now I'm pretty much only using the belt for tunnel work. I like my Dejablue, but I've tried Leadbelly and, for my structure, found it more comfortable... only on the ground (and ride to alti) really, since it makes no difference in the air!