xDeep Weight Pouches and Pockets Review

I use xDeep's trim and Secure Weight Pockets in my wetsuit and drysuit setups. After more than a hundred quarry, wreck, and cenote dives, they remain stable and dependable on my xDeep backplate. The tradeoff is the harness pockets' cumbersome buckle system: retention is secure, but underwater reinsertion is difficult and slow.

By Tyler Allison · Updated July 2025
xDeep weight pockets
Use
100+ dives
Current role
Trim and ditchable ballast in my xDeep setups
Still in my kit
Yes

The Short Version

Both sets of xDeep pockets remain in my regular kit. The trim pockets stay on my cam bands, while I alternate between small and large Secure Weight Pockets for the amount of ditchable ballast I need. They are durable and dependable in my xDeep setup, but the harness pockets are not quick to adjust, ditch, or reinsert underwater.

Would I buy them again? Yes, but because I am committed to the xDeep system and comfortable with its tradeoffs. I would not recommend these harness pockets to someone using a different backplate.

What Works

  • Clean integration with my xDeep backplate and harness
  • Low-profile, stable cam-band trim pockets
  • Small and large harness pockets for different ballast needs
  • Secure retention without shifting during entries or exits
  • Rugged materials without wear or degradation in my use

What Doesn't

  • Very difficult and slow to reinsert the harness weight pouches underwater
  • Cumbersome buckle threading and slow mid-dive adjustment or ditching
  • Secure Weight Pockets become bulky at full capacity
  • xDeep-specific mounting limits their usefulness on other rigs
  • Spare pouches cost a premium

Why I Chose the xDeep Pockets

I wanted a weighting system for backplate diving in both wetsuit and drysuit configurations. The trim pouches gave me a stable way to adjust balance, while the Secure Weight Pockets provided ditchable lead mounted directly to the harness.

I was already using an xDeep backplate, so the pockets integrated naturally without extra mounting hardware. I chose both small and large sizes so I could change my ballast arrangement with exposure protection and dive conditions. The small version holds approximately 6 pounds and the large approximately 12 pounds.

Retention Versus Reinsertion

The inner weight pouch slides into a soft sleeve and is secured by a webbing buckle threaded through a fabric handle. That arrangement holds the weight firmly, but replacing the pouch is a chore. Underwater reinsertion is difficult and slow, and the buckle threading feels overcomplicated to me.

That is the central compromise in my experience. Nothing has come loose when the pockets are bolted on and buckled correctly, but security does not make them fast or intuitive to adjust during a dive.

My Backplate and Harness Setup

I use 5-pound trim pockets on my upper cam bands. For harness-mounted ballast, I alternate between the small and large Secure Weight Pockets on a stainless xDeep backplate with continuous webbing and no padding.

  • Right hip: My long-hose stick threads through the waistband loops between the Secure Weight Pocket and harness.
  • Left hip: The D-ring supplied with the Secure Weight Pocket replaces the standard harness D-ring in that position.

This works well for me, but precise threading and harness tension matter to the fit. I would not try to reproduce this mounting arrangement on a different backplate system.

What It Is Like to Dive

Stability
The pockets stay firmly mounted and have not shifted during entries or exits. The trim pockets are low-profile and stay in place on the cam bands.
Access and Adjustment
The Secure Weight Pockets are not easy to ditch or adjust mid-dive. My ballast arrangement needs to be planned before the dive rather than treated as something I can quickly change underwater.
Comfort
In my configuration, the pockets sit flat under the harness without pinch points or movement. Loading the Secure Weight Pockets to capacity does make them bulky.
Durability
They have handled more than a hundred quarry, wreck, and cenote dives without wear issues or material degradation. Their construction has held up to frequent cold-water use.

Who They Make Sense For

They make sense for divers already using an xDeep backplate and wing who want both trim and ditchable weight options. The ability to change pocket sizes has been useful with my wetsuit and drysuit ballast needs, particularly for heavier cold-water configurations.

I would choose another system for a non-xDeep rig or if easy underwater weight adjustment were a priority. The pricing of the system itself is reasonable to me, but spare pouches cost a premium. Its value comes from fitting the xDeep setup I already use, not from being a universal weight-pocket solution.