Weight Belts – 3 Strong Reasons for Choosing a Rubber Weight Belt

Find out why most people struggle with their weight belts under water and what you can do about it!

Nylon weight belts are the traditional weight belts belts used for scuba diving and can be used for freediving, but they have a clear disadvantage: You might notice the belt sliding around and throw you off balance. The more depth you gain, the looser the Nylon belts becomes. This is due to the fact that you wetsuit becomes compressed, but your belt does not.

This is even more accentuated for Free divers: They have to flip over headfirst to dive, and the nylon belt has no way to grip to the slimmer part of your body.

Rubber weight belts can be great to stop that from happening. Because the rubber is elastic and grippy the belt can be tightened so that it will not slide around on your hips when descending. The Rubber will also stop your weights from sliding around as you are twirling around under the water. Make sure the rubber belt fits tight and is located in the right place, i.e. on your hips. It’s elasticity will then expand as your wetsuit or your becomes compressed.

It also works the other way round: if you are breathing in and therefore expand you belly, your flexible rubber belt will grow with you allowing you to take deep breaths and get more oxygen. Good news for all free divers, you can stay longer and dive deeper!

Belts come with two types of quick release: clasps or more traditional buckles, make sure you go for durable stainless steel and not cheap plastic ones.

The rubber belts also go by the name of Marseillaise, and they are said to be the safest for spearfishing and freediving, as they can be ditched easily in an emergency case and are designed not to catch on anything.

In terms of cost, Nylon cost a little less than rubber. However, the small price difference does not justify the advantages of a rubber belt, particularly when you are a free diver. In fact, if you are serious about free diving or spearfishing, you should take your purse the extra mile and safe yourself hassle under water. Many beginners fall in this trap and purchase cheaper Nylon belts.

Another difference to the nylon is the weight: the rubber weight belt is it is heavier than the nylon. While this may have implications when travelling, the extra weight is not huge!

We at Oceansports carry a range of weigh belts, check them all here!