Adding depth compensation fit to existing BC

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Hi,

got old school BC that has backplate and wanted to added some elastic depth compensation feature to it so I don't have to do my usual readjustment once I reach bottom. Anyone done this before?

The BC has the usual cummerbund, but the harness for the waist does not attach to the cummerbund, but to the backplate, thus putting the underwear rubber band thing on the cummerbund will only tighten the cummerbund itself, not what's holding the BC to my waist. I thought I might have to put some extra strong version of the underwear rubber band onto the waist belt harness itself, so it will pull one section tighter when the BC shrinks from the water pressure.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I generally remove the cummerbund from my BC's. I usually add a depth/compression compensation feature myself.

I cut a 2 inch wide length of truck inner tube. Then a route it through slots in the backpack and then through the slots in the BC which held the cummerbund. I put a normal METAL weightbelt buckle on one end and I loop the rubber back on itself with some sliders and then use another slider to make a 6-inch piece of nylon belt which connects to the rubber section and which the buckle can grab. Much more comfortable.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I generally remove the cummerbund from my BC's. I usually add a depth/compression compensation feature myself.

I cut a 2 inch wide length of truck inner tube. Then a route it through slots in the backpack and then through the slots in the BC which held the cummerbund. I put a normal METAL weightbelt buckle on one end and I loop the rubber back on itself with some sliders and then use another slider to make a 6-inch piece of nylon belt which connects to the rubber section and which the buckle can grab. Much more comfortable.

that sounds interesting. can't remove my cummberbund cuz it is still a BC and weight pocket/shoulder harness connecting point are still on it. But the waist strap comes from the webbing.

So you are using the rubber tire as a section of the webbing, and attaching the webbing to it? I am not sure if that is strong enough to substitute for the webbing. I could either do something like that, or have the rubber tire/underwear rubber band be looped to the backplate, along with the original webbing and have its elasticity pull the webbing up to the weight holder tight against the backplate...this way, there is no unlimited stretchability for the rubber tire, and in case it breaks, the webbing would just extend to its orig length.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Went to a craft store to look for 2" elastic, they only had some el-cheapo underwear strength stuff....then was going thru some stuff and found an elastic armband for MP3 player. It had velcro adjustment, so I looped it back and forth around where the webbing connects to the BC's backplate, keeping it outside the the orig webbing. Now I can pull the waist strap fully tight, and when need so, the elastic strap will pull back and keep the waist strap tight. I had another one of those MP3 elastic armband around but I used that for my flashing strobe so I could attach it to a buoy line on night shore dives, so I guess I will have to make do with one.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If you get a piece of truck inner tube it will be able to support probably 100 lbs. I've used this stuff for literally hundreds of dives, maybe even a thousand now...To say you don't think it will be strong enough for a waist band... and buy something at the craft store.... Why ask for advice?

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

I didn't go out to buy the truck inner tube because first, I didn't know where to get them, and second, since I was looping it into my existing slide/slot on the webbing, the thick rubber might not fit over both the front and back of the slide (on top of my nylon webbing, that runs back and forth over the slide 3x.) If I add an additional one of those slide/slot thing where the existing webbing only goes over it once, then maybe I can do the inner tube.

I thought the craft store would have those super heavy duty ones like on the BCs I've seen, but apparently not, never been to one, so didn't know what to expect.

But the elastic armband does give me around 2" of stretch, and running it a total of 5x back and forth, front and back, so it is pulls back very strong.

 

[undrwater]

Something I've done in 1 & 2" webbing is to burn 4 holes in a rectangular pattern on the webbing, then tie in thin bungie parallel to the harness. Tie it so the webbing puckers up and the bungie is against your exposure protection.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

interesting...that's pretty destructive unless it is BP/W where you just get replacement webbings. Otherwise, it would be easier to use those weight keeper type of thing to combine the webbing/bugee/elastic strap together. That is unless the webbing in those sections don't come off.

Anyway, i Got a few of those weight keepers on my way. Will see what I can do with it.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Found out putting the side of the strap near where it attaches to the backplate limits its stretchability since there was a belt loop on the cummerbund that the webbing goes thru. Anyway, I put a couple of weight keepers by the front of the belt and looped the elastic there, now I get my full 2" stretch, plus the elastic pulls the belt tight all the time....its like wearing elastic pants.