Weightbelt and BPW buckle release direction confusion

[BEM]

For those who have a BPW and use a weightbelt. Do you have the releases in the same direction (right hand release) or turn the BPW release to a left hand release.

I can see making a mistake and releasing the wrong one. I.E. dropping my weight belt on my foot while on shore, thinking I just released my BPW, or (me or buddy) pulling the wrong buckle in an emergency weight ditch situation.

I may move the BPW buckle to over my right hip and leave the weight belt in the center.

Any suggestions and what are your experiences?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My BPW buckle is right hand and weight belt right. Also the bpw buckle is over more to the right almost hip and weight belt center. Of course I wear the weight belt under the crotch strap so an inadvertant release would not be a big deal.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I prefer not to use a weight belt with a B/P wing.

That said, the tradititonal way of dealing with it has always been to set the weightbelt up with a buckle accessible for left hand release and the buckle on the cam pack/BC/BP/wing with a buckle accessible for right hand release.

 

[james croft]

I recycled my old vintage SS weight belt buckles that had a big notch cut into the release that was easily recognizable by touch, even with gloves on when using a weight belt with BP/W. They were made that way back in the 70's to keep you from confusing your weight belt release from your harness release. I think the ones I use now were made by Scubapro. My harness has a traditional buckle set up for right hand release and my weight belt has a large notch on the buckle release set up for my left hand. FWIW I think it looks pretty damn sexy !

 

[Gombessa]

Both my harness and weight belt are right-hand release. I guess it would make sense if one or the other were left, but I resolved any confusion problem by offsetting the weight belt buckle to the left, and the harness buckle to the right.

Actually, I did this when deploying my long hose during an S-drill caught my weight belt buckle and caused it to fall (out from under my harness and crotch strap, no less) out. But hey, two birds...

 

[fdog]

A BP has a right-hand release so that it's easy to thread a light cannister onto the right waist strap.

Weight belts always have been right-hand release for me, so <shrugs> they are both oriented the same way.

I am different from most, the BP buckle is biased to the left; this way the buckle doesn't hang up on the crotch strap when the waist strap buckle is released.


All the best, James

 

[johnny_bravo]

Both right hand release...weight belt buckle is centered...harness buckle is off to the right.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[Colliam7]

Both right hand release...weight belt buckle is centered...harness buckle is off to the right.

Same here.