Scuba Diving Weights Calculator – Try it Out

A scuba weight calculator will help you identify the amount of weight to add to your weight belt in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable dive.

The calculator takes multiple factors into account including weight, body fat, gender, scuba suit and tank type, your level of experience, and the type of water you’ll be diving in.

Try out the diving weight buoyancy calculator below, plus see the insctructions how to use it.

DivingLore Estimated Diving Weight Calculator

Metric
Imperial
kg

Estimated weight

0.00 kg

This is the estimate of extra weight you will need to add. Negative results count as 0 extra weights.

 

How to Use the Scuba Weights Calculator

Instead of having to do all the math yourself, you can use this dive weight calculator that will crunch the numbers for you.

Just input information about your body, namely your weight and body fat content in order to determine your approximate body mass index.

Also include your gender, as men and women are built differently in terms of fat content.

You will input the thickness of your scuba suit and the material and volume of your air tank.

Select if you are diving in saltwater or freshwater as saltwater makes you more buoyant and requires more dive weights.

Finally, specify your level of diving experience. After you enter all of these variables, the calculator will give you an approximate amount of extra weight you should be diving with.

As an example, a 130 pound woman diving in saltwater wearing a 7mm wetsuit and a 12 liter aluminum air tank at a beginner level would require about 19 to 21 pounds of scuba weight. Compare that with the standard calculation of 10% of your body weight in saltwater plus an additional 7 to 10 pounds for a thicker suit and you get 20 to 23 pounds of weight.

This shows how accurate the automated scuba diving weight calculator is, considering it also takes into account body mass index.

Final Note

While manually figuring out the right amount of weights to dive in works for many, some divers find it easier to use a tool like this.

However, always take the number any dive weight buoyancy calculator gives you as a rough estimate.

Make sure you test yourself before each dive by conducting a weight check. Try on few different amounts of weights, so you get a better feel for the amount you’ll need.

Remember that if your dive is going to be in saltwater, you’ll need a bit more weight compared to freshwater.

In case you run into any buoyancy problems mid-dive, always make a note in your dive log. If you realize you were sinking, write down the amount of weight and take less next time. If you couldn’t descend, experiment with more to find an appropriate weight.