Attaching the crotch strap BP/W

[renpirate]

I just got my new Hammerhead scuba backplate and have been rigging it myself. I have follwed the links on rigging it and was able to do it myself, but one thing seems to be unclear. It seems that in some configurtations the crotch strap is bolted directly to the plate through a hole. In others, the strap passes through the slot and then is bolted to itself. In the picture on the Hammerhead scuba site, it seems that the strap passes through the slot around the D-Ring and retainer and then out the slot. I am a bit confused. So my questions are as follows:

What is the prefered method of attachment and why?

If using the bolt to itself method, does the bolt ever create a problem, such as wearing against the material of your drysuit?

 

[Rec Diver]

I just got my new Hammerhead scuba backplate and have been rigging it myself. I have follwed the links on rigging it and was able to do it myself, but one thing seems to be unclear. It seems that in some configurtations the crotch strap is bolted directly to the plate through a hole. In others, the strap passes through the slot and then is bolted to itself. In the picture on the Hammerhead scuba site, it seems that the strap passes through the slot around the D-Ring and retainer and then out the slot. I am a bit confused. So my questions are as follows:

What is the prefered method of attachment and why?

If using the bolt to itself method, does the bolt ever create a problem, such as wearing against the material of your drysuit?

On my Hammerhead plate I used a retainer to connect to the plate itself, You could also use the retainer to make the loop for connecting to your belt. I did not use a bolt for these connections because I did not wish to be poked by it.

 

[kidspot]

I have only seen pictures of bolted crotch straps, in "real life" all of them that I've seen are held in place by a tri-glide. Makes it just as secure as your waist strap...

also makes it simpler to adjust if you ever change your exposure suit...

Aloha, Tim

 

[renpirate]

I have only seen pictures of bolted crotch straps, in "real life" all of them that I've seen are held in place by a tri-glide. Makes it just as secure as your waist strap...

also makes it simpler to adjust if you ever change your exposure suit...

Aloha, Tim

That makes a lot more sense. Thanks!

 

[lairdb]

Note that if you're using stiff webbing for the rest of the harness, and soft (e.g. seatbelt) webbing for the crotch strap, the triglides may not hold quite as firmly as they ought. You can squish them a little, or double the free end back through again, or some such. Not a big problem, just a be-advised.

 

[Rick Inman]

I have only seen pictures of bolted crotch straps, in "real life" all of them that I've seen are held in place by a tri-glide. Makes it just as secure as your waist strap...

also makes it simpler to adjust if you ever change your exposure suit...

Aloha, Tim

Tim,
Do you have a blue BP?

 

[Tom Winters]

Blue is cool. I got my wife a yellow Abyss powdercoated BP, but since she wears the padded harness assembly, I coopted the yaller plate. Now I kinda wish I had stocked up on some other powder-coated plates when Abyss liquidated their inventory.

 

[kidspot]

Actually the one in the pic is purple it was mine, till I sold it to a friend who only dives with me, so I still store it... Abyss made lots of pretty colors, yellow, red, blue, purple, and black I believe.

 

[renpirate]

On my Hammerhead plate I used a retainer to connect to the plate itself, You could also use the retainer to make the loop for connecting to your belt. I did not use a bolt for these connections because I did not wish to be poked by it.

Yeah, the whole bolt idea does seem a bit dodgy.

Did you end up rounding the corners of your slots?

 

[renpirate]

Note that if you're using stiff webbing for the rest of the harness, and soft (e.g. seatbelt) webbing for the crotch strap, the triglides may not hold quite as firmly as they ought. You can squish them a little, or double the free end back through again, or some such. Not a big problem, just a be-advised.

Thanks! I'm using the regular stiff stuff for now.