Here is a recent article I did for our news letter. You get the idea.
Think of your weight system as going beyond the lead added to compensate for the buoyancy of your wet or dry suit. Most individuals are positively buoyant & the weight of your SCUBA equipment, including the lead weights should be just enough to offset the tendency to float so you can descend & remain neutrally buoyant throughout the dive, especially toward the end with a low air cylinder.
With today’s materials, aluminum, lightweight titanium regulators, & others is it any wonder that we need more lead to reach our objective of neutral buoyancy? While we may welcome a lightweight second stage the added weight of other dive equipment is indeed part of your total weight requirement.
Consider the individual wearing an aluminum tank & a regular BCD with a 7mm wetsuit. The need for 20lb is not uncommon. With consideration however you can reduce the lead requirement by over half. In place of the aluminum tank, a steel one. Add to that a steel back plate & a weighted single tank adaptor & you can remove about 16lb from the weight belt leaving two, 2lb weights to be placed precisely to set ones trim.
With a drysuit the trapped air that keeps you warm also adds to your buoyancy & may require a bit more weight, depending on your undergarments. Is that person with doubles overweight? Not likely if they have considered all the possibilities gear configuration & can achieve neutral buoyancy at the end of the dive.
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