-> > Try 12% of your body weight for salt and 10% for fresh water.
-> > Is this for dry suit diving, or what? I weigh 180, use an
-> > aluminum 80, wear a full 3mm neoprene suit with boots and hood,
-> > and am neutral in  seawater with around 13 lb of lead.
-> Aren't you a bit more negative than average?  What happens when it's
-> just you..... no gear.....in a swimming pool?  Can you walk on the
-> bottom in the deep end?  Most folks are a bit more positive in the
-> beginning.  Their weight requirements may reduce with experience
-> (as in how to get *all* the air out of their bc).
Actually, I saw two responses to this question, one suggesting 10% and
one suggesting 12%.  I thought both were a bit high.  I'm 5'8" and weigh
180 lbs.  It's not all muscle (sigh), so you may presume I don't think
I'm more negative than "normal".  I use a maximum of 12 lbs in salt
water, with a 3mm full wetsuit.  I use 8lbs without the wetsuit.  About
the only time I'm in fresh water, it's cold by my standards (68-72).
With my 3mm wetsuit, I use around 6lbs in fresh water.
I've been diving a long, long time and have pretty good buoyancy
control, which I suppose (and have repeatedly been told) makes a
difference.  I also use somewhat less buoyant tanks than the standard
80's (I use compact 80's which are neutral when empty, 3,300 working
pressure, try them, you'll like them).  I'd go with the 10% body weight
suggestion and expect to lose some weight as I gained experience.
Lee
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