Weights Freediving

Weights and Lead Weights for Freediving

Weighting is one of the essential components of freediving equipment. Compensating for the buoyancy generated by a neoprene wetsuit is essential to achieve the desired trim and reduce fatigue during sessions. Incorrect trim forces the freediver into continuous, unwanted muscular effort.

In this category you’ll find a complete selection of weights for freediving: standard belt lead weights, coated lead weights andquick-release lead weights. These are the simplest, most direct, and most modular solution for adjusting total weight: by adding or removing individual weights, you can adapt your trim according to the wetsuit, working depth, and water conditions.

Product types

Belt lead weights

Belt lead weights are the most widely used type. They slide directly onto the elastic weight belt and allow the weight to be distributed along the hips. They are available in several shapes:classic lead weights that attach securely to the belt thanks to their geometry. Shaped anatomical lead weights, which reduce hydrodynamic drag. Many models are available with a rubber or plastic coating, which protects the belt from abrasion wear and reduces noise during movement. Available weights range from 500 grams to 1 kg per individual piece.

Quick-release lead weights

Quick-release lead weights are designed to be released with a single motion, without having to slide them off the belt. This feature is important when calibrating weighting for different operating depths. The attachment systems in this category include pressure clips and snap-in systems that remain stable during the dive but release with a single movement. They are available in standard versions and with colored coating, with weights typically ranging from 500 grams to 1 kg per individual piece.

How to choose Freediving Belt Lead Weights

The choice of total weight and the combination of individual lead weights depends mainly on the thickness of the wetsuit being used. Thicker wetsuits generate greater positive buoyancy and therefore require more overall weight to achieve the desired trim; thinner wetsuits, typical of warm water, require less weight.

A second factor to consider is the salinity of the water: in seawater, which is denser than freshwater, the positive buoyancy of the body and wetsuit is greater, and this may require a small increase in total weight compared to what is used in a pool.

The third factor is modularity. Quick-release lead weights allow you to shed weight quickly if needed and permit small adjustments based on session conditions, changes in equipment (such as adding accessories), or changes in personal trim over time. 500 g and 1 kg formats are generally the most versatile for building total weight by combining multiple units, while smaller sizes, such as 100 g or 200 g, are useful for final fine-tuning.

For those practicing static or dynamic freediving in a pool, where depths are limited, total weight is usually calibrated to achieve neutral buoyancy at the surface with semi-empty lungs, while for open-water activity, weight selection also takes into account working depth and the need to safely manage both the descent and ascent phases.

Materials and technical features

Weights for spearfishing use lead as the main material due to its high relative density (approximately 11.3 g/cm³), which allows compact volumes for the same weight. This characteristic reduces the bulk of the weight compared to less dense metals and makes distribution along the belt easier without interfering with the diver’s movements.

The outer coating varies depending on the product type. Models with a vulcanized rubber coating have a soft surface that does not scratch, dampens contact noise, and offers a degree of resistance to surface corrosion of the lead core. Models with a PVC or rigid plastic coating offer similar protection with a smoother surface, often available in camouflage colors. Bare lead, with no coating, is less expensive but requires greater care when handling.

Practical use

Belt lead weights are slid directly onto the weight belt, generally fitted with a quick-release buckle, and worn at the waist over the wetsuit. The position of the weights along the belt can be adjusted to balance the body in the water, distributing the blocks along the sides or at the back according to personal preference and the desired trim.

Before a water session, total weight is usually checked with a surface buoyancy test: with full lungs the body should maintain slight positive buoyancy, while with empty lungs the trim should allow a controlled sink without excessive effort.

During pool training, lead weights are used to precisely calibrate trim according to the wetsuit being worn, often thinner than the one used in open water, therefore requiring a different weight combination.

In open water, combining multiple lead weights allows trim to be adapted according to the wetsuit, operating depth, and water conditions, maintaining control during both descent and ascent.

Available brands

HS Drop is the brand with the widest range in this category, with a line of plastic-coated lead weights available in multiple colors and in both belt and quick-release versions. The colored finish of HS Drop models makes it possible to visually identify the lead weights or choose discreet color variants suitable for spearfishing.

Saplast offers two shaped anatomical lead weights (Anatomic line) in black, in 1 and 2 kg versions. 

Picasso offers hydrodynamic belt lead weights and quick-release lead weights.

Mares is represented with a quick-release belt lead weight.

Rob Allen offers quick-release weights (Drop Weight) and H-type belt lead weights in 500 gram and 1 kg versions.

Deep Blue offers H-type belt lead weights in 500 gram and 1 kg sizes.

Conclusion

Freediving weights are a technical component that directly affects the quality, safety, and effectiveness of every dive. The ability to customize the combination of lead weights according to needs such as wetsuit thickness, water salinity, and type of activity, both in the pool and in open water, makes these products essential equipment.