Riffe Rubber Weight Belt Review (& why it’s the best pick for freedivers)

With the correct weight belt, you’ll be unstoppable underwater. (Photo by – Daan Verhoeven)

There’s nothing worse than spending your hard earned cash on a freediving weight belt that’s painful to wear and causes problems for you in the water.

That’s why in this post, I’ve decided to review one of the most popular and most talked about weight belts on the market: The Riffe Rubber Weight Belt.

Let’s get started on the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt review below:

But first…what even makes a freediving weight belt worth investing in?

First things first…let’s establish what a good freediving weight belt MUST HAVE in order to even be considered as an option:

1) Rubber Belt Material: Sorry nylon weight belt lovers, but in 2019 the book on this one really has closed.

Why? Because more and more freedivers are realizing weight belts made of rubber (NOT nylon) result in a flexible belt that stretches with your diaphragm as you breathe in, resulting in more oxygen being inhaled.

In other words, a rubber weight belt doesn’t cut off your pre-dive breathe-up, resulting in more oxygen being taken in for deeper, longer dives.

In this day and age – you NEED to be diving with a rubber belt, or I’m afraid you could be wearing a belt that’s actively working against you!

2) Adjustable Sizing:

I don’t think there’s anything more annoying than diving with a weight belt that doesn’t even fit.

Finning up or down rapidly – while wearing a weight belt that’s too loose – will cause the weights to slide around and throw you off balance…

If you’re buying online – and subsequently don’t get to try your belt on before you buy it – make sure you’re investing in a belt that’s size adjustable!

3) Quick Release Buckle:

This one is non-negotiable.

For safety reasons, you must have a quick release buckle.

If you’re 10 – 15 meters below the surface and only a few seconds away from blacking out…

Using a quick release buckle to drop all your weights and jet back to the surface in an instant, could be the difference between life or death.

If you’re serious about your safety underwater: make sure you have a quick release buckle on your weight belt!

Okay…but what do these 3 things have to do with the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt?

The above 3 points are crucial if you’re looking for a weight-belt that won’t limit your potential as a freediver.

And – as you can probably guess – the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt has all 3 of the above must-have weight belt features (and more).

There’s good reason why the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt has stacks upon stacks of 5 star Amazon reviews…

Riffe Rubber Weight Belt Review: Here’s what you get…

Here’s why the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt is currently the best weight belt on the market:

• Stretchable Rubber Belt for Max Oxygen Intake: Not only does a stretchy rubber belt make for a more relaxed, care-free and agile diving experience…it also makes for deeper inhales and less-constricted breathe-ups. When you breathe in; the belt gently stretches and expands with your diaphragm and expanding belly resulting in minimal oxygen being left behind.

• Adjustable Sizing: Most older diving belts come with pre-set holes punctured into the belt, which can make for a very constrained fit. The belt is either too tight or too loose. With pre-set holes, the odds that the belt will fit perfectly are next to none. Luckily, the Riffe Weight Belt has a fully adjustable buckle & belt. Simply slide the belt through the buckle and fasten it to your desired tightness.

• Quick Release Buckle: The cam-lock glass-filled nylon buckle is incredibly easy to undo during emergency situations. Simply snap it open one-handed to dump all your weights and in no time at all you’ll jet back to the surface and fill your lungs with gallons of fresh air.

• Anti-Weight Slip Designs: Rubber as a belt material creates an enormous amount of friction between the weights on the belt and the actual belt itself. This stops weights slipping around on your belt while you dive. In case that’s not enough – the Riffe Rubber Belt actually comes with cleverly-designed horizontal anti-slip lines running across it. These lines create a further level of friction, keeping your weight securely in place during any dive.

• Nylon Buckle Although Nylon typically makes for a pretty sloppy, rigid belt material – a nylon buckle is actually very suitable for freediving. Nylon is incredibly tough and won’t get damaged by salt (and obviously doesn’t rust in water!).

• • 20lb Weight Capacity; 54″ Long, 2″ wide (in other words, this will easily fit most readers).

For the price of a bit less than half a tank of gas, you can get your Riffe Rubber Weight Belt by clicking this link here.

Oh, and as for weights – I recommend the Sea Pearls Vinyl Coated Lace Through Weights. They’re the perfect fit and won’t slide around while you dive! Click here to check price of these weights on Amazon.

“What didn’t you like about the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt?”

Although the Riffe Belt is in my (and many other freedivers’) opinion the best weight belt on the market…I did find there to be 2 disadvantages to the belt:

1) It costs a bit more than most weight belts.

The average weight belt comes in a little below the cost of the Riffe Belt (something like 25 – 40% cheaper), which does make the Riffe Belt a tad more expensive.

But, when it comes to quality, and equipment that could well save my life one day – call me crazy – but I don’t mind paying an extra $5 – $10 for a high quality belt that will last years. (especially seeing as the price difference is about the cost of a cup of coffee at starbucks!)

2) Heavier than other belts.

To be honest, and I’m not sure why, but the Riffe Belt feels a little heavier than what I’m used to. It’s not enough to really make a difference on finning speeds or depth, but it was a little surprising. Maybe rubber is heavier than nylon? Who knows…but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter as the Riffe belt is about 1000x more comfortable than nylon!

Riffe Rubber Weight Belt: The Final Verdict

So, what are your options other than the Riffe Rubber belt?

Well, first off, you could risk it and ‘roll the dice’ to save a buck and invest in a Nylon Weight Belt (which to be fair, are typically more affordable than rubber belts)…

But you’re probably going to handicap your pre-dive breathe-ups (ultimately killing your bottom time) as well as running the risk of buying a belt that’s probably stiff, uncomfortable and digs into your sides as you fin.

Your second option is to spend countless hours searching high and low for a similar rubber weight belt that’s both size-adjustable, has a fast-release AND comes with a slightly better price tag than the Riffe belt…

But let’s be honest you’ll be searching the web for hours just to save a few bucks (your time is more valuable than that!!)…

Your third and final option is the one I’m suggesting: You simply invest in the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt – a reputable, proven rubber weight belt that ticks all the boxes…

And is sold from a trusted supplier with outstanding reviews (they’ve even been awarded “Amazon’s Choice” for God’s sake!) Click here to view the Riffe Rubber Weight Belt.

I recommend these weights here to go with the Riffe Belt.