Info Beginners Guide To BP/W

[lowwall]

Looking at pictures of the Freedom Plate, it appears the shoulder straps are closer together horizontally. Seems that would make them less likely to come off the front shoulder area. But it seems like it may increase the chance that the straps dig into the sides of your neck? Or do the straps separate plenty by the time they reach your neck area?

I'd ask on one of the Freedom Plate threads. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to dive it yet. But I haven't noticed reports of neck chafing.

 

[RobPNW]

?
Leave them in the harness until you get to your destination. Undo waist strap. Slide off crotch strap. You can now either point the arms up and pull them out of the rig or pull up on on of the shoulder harnesses, bend the arm at the elbow and pull it through the strap and then pull the rig off the other arm.

If you can't do that easily and time is off the essence, then just cut through the upper harness. It only costs a few bucks to replace the webbing.

This works because the upper harness is not supposed to be tight. You leave some slack and the crotch strap keeps everything in place in normal usage. BTW, I would go for at least a 1.5" crotch strap and use a 2" myself. I find it keeps everything aligned better and if you ever get hauled out by the harness, you'll want to spread the load over a larger area.

On the crotch strap width, does your recommendation depend on the exposure suit? I'm a pretty warm blooded dude and in tropical water feel fine in a non neoprene top and shorts. Of course a wetsuit or drysuit undergarment will give a little more stress relief for your junk In a jammer and rashguard trip, would you recommend having a different width and/or a neoprene strap sleeve on hand for down there?

 

[dmaziuk]

Looking at pictures of the Freedom Plate, it appears the shoulder straps are closer together horizontally. Seems that would make them less likely to come off the front shoulder area. But it seems like it may increase the chance that the straps dig into the sides of your neck? Or do the straps separate plenty by the time they reach your neck area?

They separate enough but you can always add these

Also the bottom slots on FP let the webbing slide so you can tighten it to where it does press into your shoulders, esp. with softer webbing -- or not. I have triglides for stoppers on mine.

 

[RobPNW]

this is more like a "tank stabilizer"

I'm leaning towards getting the DGX basic harness BP/W single tank setup with aluminum plate right now as a warm water set up. Or at least start there LOL. It looks like the included S1 wing has something that looks functionally analogous.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/media/catalog/product/cache/b4471d623022a82e8927d0bbedc7e8e4/d/x/dx-202030_8a_1.jpg

 

[dmaziuk]

I'm leaning towards getting the DGX basic harness BP/W single tank setup with aluminum plate right now as a warm water set up. Or at least start there LOL. It looks like the included S1 wing has something that looks functionally analogous.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/media/catalog/product/cache/b4471d623022a82e8927d0bbedc7e8e4/d/x/dx-202030_8a_1.jpg

Yeah, that should work. My Hollis 25 has only one of them in the middle, that wasn't working too well.

 

[RobPNW]

Yeah, that should work. My Hollis 25 has only one of them in the middle, that wasn't working too well.

I was thinking the same thing. Either one should limit roll but have a top and bottom component should help keep the tank more true vertically.

 

[RobPNW]

I'd ask on one of the Freedom Plate threads. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to dive it yet. But I haven't noticed reports of neck chafing.

It you order one from the member here directly, or is there a web site order page? The contour version looks slick.

 

[The Ruttmeister]

On the crotch strap width, does your recommendation depend on the exposure suit? I'm a pretty warm blooded dude and in tropical water feel fine in a non neoprene top and shorts. Of course a wetsuit or drysuit undergarment will give a little more stress relief for your junk In a jammer and rashguard trip, would you recommend having a different width and/or a neoprene strap sleeve on hand for down there?

I just did my first trip to Bonaire, also my first dives with a BP+W.
I'm also quite warm blooded and went with just a rash guard and shorts for the whole trip.

A 2 inch crotch strap, with thin neoprene was... Uncomfortable. But only on the surface with my wing inflated. At depth and in trim I forgot about it.
I will probably get a thinner one, there's no need for it to be 2 inches wide (I was rushing to get stuff for my trip and just ordered what I could get). There's so little I clip to those D-rings they can be much smaller.

Overall I found a BP+W to be much more comfortable than a jacket. I'm certainly happy I switched. Plus now I can mess around customizing my rig.

 

[RobPNW]

I just did my first trip to Bonaire, also my first dives with a BP+W.
I'm also quite warm blooded and went with just a rash guard and shorts for the whole trip.

A 2 inch crotch strap, with thin neoprene was... Uncomfortable. But only on the surface with my wing inflated. At depth and in trim I forgot about it.
I will probably get a thinner one, there's no need for it to be 2 inches wide (I was rushing to get stuff for my trip and just ordered what I could get). There's so little I clip to those D-rings they can be much smaller.

Overall I found a BP+W to be much more comfortable than a jacket. I'm certainly happy I switched. Plus now I can mess around customizing my rig.

When you said thin neoprene, were you referring to your shorts, or did you have one of those neoprene sleeves that can go on the crotch strap?

 

[Nemrod]

I'd ask on one of the Freedom Plate threads. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to dive it yet. But I haven't noticed reports of neck chafing.

I have had a Freedom Plate from very early. I want another, an aluminum version to complement my stainless Freedom Plate. The straps do not chafe at my neck at all. Not even close. This is because the plate is contoured and must sit in the hollow of the back and that is what determines the position of the plate as does the saddle of a horse find it's home. One cannot hike a Freedom Plate up behind the head as is fashionable these days with the technical doubles plates. If one did then it would be uncomfortable and chafing of the straps on the neck would be the lesser issue and the waist strap would be over the chest for another. Eric, the maker of the plates, is who to discuss this with, if and when he goes back to making them.

You will want a one inch crotch strap for diving sans neoprene. Even a soft two inch webbing will chafe. There is no continuous load on the crotch strap in normal use so it does not need to be two inch wide and a plastic disconnect is acceptable in this use to facilitate easy egress from the rig. You will need to also decide if your going to use a weight belt or some brand of quick dump weight pockets on the waist straps and non QR pockets on the cam bands for weight integration

James