Adding a Buckle to a Hog setup

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Here is a way to put a buckle in the harness without cutting it: http://www.geocities.com/scuba_132000/bouclefermee.jpg.JPG

I tried this approach when I decided to substitute the hogarthian rig for the ProFit on my DSS BP/W. In the end, I reinstalled the ProFit rig.

I want the QR buckles.

Richard
 
Hey guys thanks for the info. It was all helpful and I think I am going to install a quick release for my right shoulder but not cut the strap or possibly go with the DSS Pro Fit after I speak with Tobin. I know it isn't DIR and with more practice it will become less of an issue, but for now it will make getting out easier on my right shoulder which simply does not move backwards without risk of dislocation. In current or a heavy wave I am concerned that one quick pull while taking it off and I could pop it out of place. It is an unlikely scenario, but one I should be aware of.

I personally have never seen a quality quick release fail and I have put them through the ringer with backpacking and motorcycle accidents so I am not worried about that.
 
I agree the situation is often one where the shoulder straps are too tight - they do not have to be as tight as one would first think to feel secure in the water and if you can't ckicken wing your arm and get out when sitting on your tailgate it is probably too snug.

That said, when I used to do a lot of ice diving and other very cold water diving in a dry suit, dry gloves and heavy undergarments, I preferred a quick release on the harness. It mades things much easier on very cold winter days after long cold dives with your mobility limited by the thick undergarments and the ice frozen on your suit.

A fastex buckle is ok and they can take a great deal of abuse, so I think the risk of breaklage is often over stated. Unless you are climbing in and out of sumps or springs in situations where the harness is exposed to a great deal of shifting and stess, it is a non issue. And in those situations installing the QD buckle on a one piece strap with a lop that amounts to a strap extension is still an option.

Another option is to go retro and install a stainless steel wet suit buckle. They are also durable and offer some advantages and disavantages over the fastex approach.

Buckle placement is also important. I think they belong below the D-ring so that they do not interfere with D-ring placement and are not exposed to the weight of stage bottles, etc. Also, if you commonly carry stage/deco bottles on the left side, consider putting the buckle on the right shoulder strap even though it violates some sort of unwritten tradition. If you carry stages or deco bottles on both sides, it is a wash.
 
the option I learned of was to use a metal buckle like you use on the waist belt. the buckle is almost all the way at the bottom of the plate where it wont interfere with backup lights. its an option.

the sewing it method where you dont cut the webbing seems like the best option IMO.
 
Agreed with the non-cutting and never even thought of it till I read some of the links posted earlier.
 
I personally have never seen a quality quick release fail and I have put them through the ringer with backpacking and motorcycle accidents so I am not worried about that.

I've seen them fail.

Usually if you're divin cold water. 40 degrees.

And, i've seen it twice where i mentioned it to the guy, and he said it never failed. It broke that day. One before the first dive and he sat on the boat. I fixed it with zip ties so he could dive the second dive. He didn't think I could. Then 3 of us yanked on it and it was strong. Ruined the harness as it was sewn in.

He had a new harness with buckles again next time. LOL.. Never learn.

It will break when you least want it to. It's plastic, it has plastisizers in it that leach out. That's the new car smell you get. They make it flexible. Once those are depleted it's very brittle.

If you do it. Use the metal buckle technique. Where you use one from a waist buckle. They don't break in cold and can take a tank falling on them.40
 
I was doing some pool dives earlier working on my fundamentals trying to exit my BC and put it back on in water. I was having a much harder time getting out of a Hog harness than a back inflate jacket BC. My right shoulder tends to pop out of place easily so I have to be careful. On the jacket I had a quick release buckle that I could pop to get out. On the Hog harness I was swimming and maneuvering around a bit more to get it on. I don't really perceive this being a serious problem and one that wouldn't scare me away from the harness, but getting into a harness easier would be a selling point to me.

Anyone ever install one on their Hog harness or should I just jump past the Hog and go to a more conventional harness with built in buckles?

Your harness may be to snug.

Checkout link below:

DIR-diver.com - Adjust the backplate

Hope that helps
 
I have a Fastex-style QR on my left strap. I use it every time to get out of the harness. When I adjusted the harness so I could get out of it, it was too loose for me when diving. Maybe I like it a little bit more secure than most folks, or maybe I'm less limber for getting out of it. I used the instructions in the links listed above; I still like it my way.

I considered using a buckle instead, but I already had the QR so I used that. Maybe when it breaks I'll get a metal buckle. One thing about QR is it goes to the same length with no fuss; I'd think one might have to "eyeball" the strap length every time with a buckle to get them even. Or maybe you'd put a dent in the strap from clamping the same place every time and just line it up with that.

I did not sew mine on; I just used the little pieces of inner tube that came with my DSS harness. They're too tight to get anything else under them, but the work pretty good keeping the QR in place if I put them right next to it. So far it hasn't moved at all.

In my case I put the QR on the left because the drysuit valve is on that arm.

I know everybody's just trying to be helpful, but it still kills me to read some of the answers, like "Practice", or "Pull it over your head." I guess you never know if maybe somebody hasn't already thought of some of these things, but sometimes it seems to me people come off a bit condescending. Never mind. Anyway, it seems to me that several of these answers may work sometimes, but not every time. I'd rather have a system that will work in those "What if?" situations rather than just assume I'm going to be able to pull it over my head every time. What if I ran out of air and I have to remain on the surface? What if I'm in a current and only have one hand because I can't let go of the boat? What if I hurt my shoulder and can't wriggle out of it? Now you can say I'm adding another one - what if the QR breaks? Fair enough. But I feel that I've weighed the likely risks and I'm happy with my decision. So far.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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