When wearing a wetsuit and only basic equipment (mask, snorkel, and fins), adjust your weight so that you float vertically at the surface. You should slowly sink when you exhale and rise slightly when you inhale.

Next, perform a buoyancy check while wearing your full scuba equipment. At the surface, remain still without kicking and fully deflate your BCD.

If you sink immediately, you are overweight.

Proper weighting at the surface means that with an empty BCD and a normal breath, you float at eye level. When you exhale fully, you should begin to descend slowly.