Neoprene Drysuit weight

[NickPheas]

I currently dive with a membrane dry suit, 11kg on my belt and ankle weights.

I am considering getting a neoprene suit.

Presume it will require a bit more lead. Any idea how much?

[Adrian Kelland]

I used about 11kg with a full thickness neoprene suit. So you might find little change depending on the type of neoprene you get and the undersuit you end up wearing.

[Mark]

I'd not presume anything.

I dive using 10kg in total with an O3 Ri...

:)

[Paul S]

I currently dive with a membrane dry suit, 11kg on my belt and ankle weights.

I am considering getting a neoprene suit.

There are many thing that will effect the bouyancy of your set-up so it's difficult to say, but maybe if I detail my set-up you'll be able to get some idea. I don't dive a membrane. I dived one once whilst learning and found I got weird pressures in weird places. Hated it.

I now dive a Typhoon SeaMaster. 5mm non-compressed Neoprene suit. Works for me, but my next one will be compressed.

How compressed the neoprene is makes a difference. I find that it's the last few moments of a dive that I need the weight for. Partly that's because I've got less gas, but also it's because the neoprene decompresses and becomes more buoyant at the shallower depths.

My crib sheet is (15l single):
7mm Semi dry - fresh water: 6kg
Move to Dry suit + minimal thermals: + 4kg
Move to Full undersuit (4th element arctic): + 4kg

Fresh water total: 14kg

7mm Semi dry - sea water: 8kg
Move to Dry suit + minimal thermals: + 4kg
Move to Full undersuit: + 6kg

Sea water total: 18kg

At the start of the dive, at depth, I could probably drop 4kg-6kg and still be ok, but I'm not going to hold the 3m / 6m stop on the way back. 3kg of that is gas, and another 1-2kg for neoprene / trapped air in the under-suit expanding.

None of that answers your question, but maybe you can draw some parallels. I'm 6'4" and 17 stone, so the numbers are going to be different for you.

[Gasgow]

IMHO - Choose your suit, put it on and get in the water for a weight check.

As the meercat said - Simples!!!!!

I dive in a semi-dry and can't decide between 11 and 12kg, should probably use 11.5kg but can't be bothered splitting my shot bags.

[Paul S]

IMHO - Choose your suit, put it on and get in the water for a weight check.

Yes, absolutely. With nearly empty cylinders hold position 1-2m down.

Don't go do a dive saying "I've put a bit more on. It'll be fine". I've seen two people go to the pot after being unable to hold shallow stops after kit changes. Both OK now, but it's not something you want to happen to you.

[R.Burgess]

I found the ballast requirement for a Nd dive master neoprene + thermals was the same for an Otter skin tri-laminate with weezle extreme.