DUI Weight & Trim Classic, Weight & Trim II Owner's Manual

WEIGHT & TRIM SYSTEM

OWNER’S MANUAL

Congratulations on purchasing a DUI Weight & Trim System.The Weight &
Trim System is different from conventional weight belts in that it distributes
the weight between the waist and the shoulders and eliminates the slipping
and rotating problems common with traditional weight belts. Both the Weight
& Trim Classic and Weight & Trim II Systems allow the diver to adjust the
height of the weights.The Weight & Trim Classic provides even more
adjustment capabilities and allows the weight to be moved forward or back.
These adjustments enable the diver to better trim themselves in the water
while diving.

Do not use this Weight & Trim System until you have read, understood, and
followed all instructions and safety precautions in this owner’s manual and
practiced emergency weight drop skills. If the owner’s manual is unavailable or
lost a copy may be obtained by contacting DUI. A copy may also be
downloaded from the website at www.DUI-Online.com.

Diving Unlimited International, Inc.
1148 Delevan Dr., San Diego, CA 92102-2499 USA
Tel: [phone] or 619-236-1203
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Manual Part# 550420

1

Introduction................

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Definitions of important words used in this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Important Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Weight & Trim Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Checking the Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Weight & Trim II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Checking the Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Preparing to Dive the Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Advantages of a DUI Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Loading the Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Weight Distribution and Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Inspecting the Weight & Trim System Prior to Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Putting on the Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Removing the Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Diving with the Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Removing Your Weights before Exiting the Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Dropping Your Weights in an Emergency Situation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

How to Release the Weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Maintenance of Your Weight & Trim System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Post Dive Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Reattaching Weight Pockets of the Weight & Trim Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Reattaching Weight Pockets of the Weight & Trim II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Deterioration of Hook and Pile Fastener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

DUI International Distributor Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

2

DEFINITIONS OF IMPORTANT WORDS USED

IN THIS MANUAL

Throughout this manual we will use certain words to call your attention to
conditions, practices, or techniques that may directly affect your safety. Pay
particular attention to information introduced by the following signal words:

!!! DANGER !!!

Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if

not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

!! WARNING !!

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not

avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

! CAUTION !

Indicates a potentially hazardous situation, which, if not

avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury. It may

also be used to alert against unsafe practices.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

If any portion of this manual is unclear, or if you are unable to obtain
satisfactory answers from your dive store or instructor, contact DUI at:

1-800-325-8439 619-236-1203
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.DUI-Online.com

3

Definitions............................................

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

The Weight & Trim System is intended for use by certified scuba divers or
divers in training under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

!! WARNING !!

Follow all instructions and heed these safety

precautions. Improper use or misuse of your Weight &

Trim System could result in serious injury or death.

!! WARNING !!

DO NOT USE this unless you have practiced and

mastered the weight drop procedures

described in this manual.

!! WARNING !!

Improper use or misuse of your Weight & Trim System

could result in a loss of buoyancy control, including
uncontrolled rapid ascent, resulting in decompression
sickness, air embolism, forms of diving barotrauma, or

other lung overpressure injuries.

!! WARNING !!

Rapid ascent is dangerous and may cause air embolism,

decompression sickness, forms of barotrauma, or other

lung overpressure injuries.These can all result in serious

injury or death.

!! WARNING !!

Diving in overhead environments, such as ice diving, cave

diving, or wreck diving, are all especially hazardous

activities. Although your Weight & Trim System may be

used for these activities, special equipment, training, and

procedures are required. Do not engage in these

technical diving activities unless you have been

thoroughly trained and specially equipped.

4

Safety .....................................................

• Read this entire manual before using the Weight & Trim System, even if you
have experience with other weighting systems. Keep the manual for future
reference.

• If you resell or loan this equipment to someone, be sure that this manual
accompanies the system and is read and understood before the Weight &
Trim System is used.

• Failure to follow all warnings and instructions for use and maintenance of the
Weight & Trim System may result in serious injury, or in extreme situations,
death.

•This manual is supplied to the original purchaser of the Weight & Trim

System. If you have any questions about the use or maintenance of the Weight
& Trim System, or if you need another copy of this manual, contact DUI:

Diving Unlimited International, Inc.
1148 Delevan Dr. San Diego, CA 92102-2499 USA
1-800-325-8439 619-236-1203
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.DUI-Online.com

5

Safety .....................................................

SIZING

The Weight & Trim Classic consists of a harness assembly and two removable
weight pockets. For a proper fit the Classic comes in three sizes.The following
table can assist in selecting the correct size.Although the chart cannot address
all body shapes and sizes, start with the size recommended by the table and
continue with the fit check.

Size Height

Feet cm
S 5’-5’4” 152-163
M 5’4”-5’10” 163-179
L 5’10”-6’6” 178-199

CHECKING THE FIT

Load weights into the Weight & Trim Classic and use the following to check
the fit:

• Set the Weight & Trim Classic on the ground with the back of the unit facing
you, waist buckle open.

• While standing with your arms straight at your sides, cross your straight
arms in front of you, so your hands are pointing toward the ground.

• Bend down and grab the harness by the shoulders.

• Lift the unit from the ground and, with caution, swing the unit to the left or
right and onto your shoulders.

• With the weight evenly distributed on each shoulder, fasten the waist belt.
The buckle does not need to be worn as snugly as a standard weight belt.
The shoulder straps support the weight and determine the position of the
belt.

• Adjust the shoulder strap length by adjusting the height of the slide
bars on the shoulder straps. See Figure 1.The top edges of the
weight pocket assemblies are to be even with the top edge of the
hipbone. Check to see that your weight pockets are in proper

6

Weight & Trim Classic.......................

Figure 1

alignment by placing your thumb at the top
edge of the hipbone on each side.The top
edge of the weight pocket assembly should
be even with the thumb. See Figure 2. After
a few dives, you may find that having the
weight pockets higher or lower than this
point to be more comfortable for you and
provide you with better trim (position) in the
water.

• Position of the weight pocket: A good starting
point is to align the center of each weight
pocket assembly on each side of the body.

• The weight pocket assemblies should not interfere when the legs are lifted. If
there is interference, the weight pocket assemblies can be moved back on
the waist belt.

• The shoulder strap crossover, the point at
which the two
straps are stitched
together at the
back, should be
3-6 inches (7.6-

15.2 cm) from
the base of
the neck.
See Figure 3a. It should not be so high as to cut into the back of the neck.
See Figure 3b.Too low, and the shoulder straps will have a tendency to fall
off the shoulders. See Figure 3c.

7

Weight & Trim Classic.......................

Figure 2

Figure 3a Figure 3b Figure 3c