BP/W sizing question for XXL man

[gabebillings]

I'm getting back into scuba after a lengthy hiatus. All my experience thus far has been with jacket style BCs. After reading so much about BP/W, I'd really like to give that a shot. The only thing that's giving me pause is that my LDS doesn't really stock basic BP/W.

I stopped in today and they actually had an OMS Comfort Harness singles setup, so I got to try that on. Even with the buckles near the bottom as loose as they'd get I still felt like the waist belt was pretty high on my stomach. It looked like maybe they were adjustable to get some more length at the top but there was a lot going on with those straps and I didn't want to start taking their display apart since I wasn't going to buy that, just wanted to try a backplate on.

I'm curious if some folks near my size could weigh in with their BP/W experience. I'm 6'2", 260# with about a 48" chest, 40" waist and wear maybe a 32 inseam.

I don't have a ton to spend on gear so I've been really interested in the DGX singles BP/W. I'm just a little nervous at the thought of shelling out for something and then finding out it doesn't work on me.

 

[landphil]

I’m plenty smaller than you- so, not going to be much help with sizing. But one thing to keep in mind if you’re mail ordering a BPW is that continuous webbing harnesses come in different lengths (it’s not like they are sized, different companies just cut their webbing different lengths). You’ll want to make sure you’re getting webbing that’s closer to 15’ than 10’. Also, the real trick to accelerating your learning curve on a BPW with a continuous harness is finding someone who knows how everything is supposed to fit and where all of the rings and buckles should end up, then have them go through your initial setup and first couple of adjustments. If your BPW is all adjusted right, diving it will feel really easy and controlled

 

[happy-diver]

Dude get a stainless steel plate when you order your DGX BPW

 

[lowwall]

I'm getting back into scuba after a lengthy hiatus. All my experience thus far has been with jacket style BCs. After reading so much about BP/W, I'd really like to give that a shot. The only thing that's giving me pause is that my LDS doesn't really stock basic BP/W.

I stopped in today and they actually had an OMS Comfort Harness singles setup, so I got to try that on. Even with the buckles near the bottom as loose as they'd get I still felt like the waist belt was pretty high on my stomach. It looked like maybe they were adjustable to get some more length at the top but there was a lot going on with those straps and I didn't want to start taking their display apart since I wasn't going to buy that, just wanted to try a backplate on.

I'm curious if some folks near my size could weigh in with their BP/W experience. I'm 6'2", 260# with about a 48" chest, 40" waist and wear maybe a 32 inseam.

I don't have a ton to spend on gear so I've been really interested in the DGX singles BP/W. I'm just a little nervous at the thought of shelling out for something and then finding out it doesn't work on me.

I'm similar in size to you (well I'm shorter, but have a relatively long torso and short legs, so upper body is likely similar). I love diving a BP/W. Jacket BCDs always ride up on me. The crotch strap on a BP/W was a revelation. I also prefer the freedom of not having so much fabric around me. Finally, between the steel plate and not having all the bouyant padding and fabric of a jacket BCD let me take 8 pounds of lead off my belt.

I did eventually switch from a standard length to a long plate to get the waist band to a more reasonable position. Long plates are tougher to find, but you can still pair them with the DGX wing and harness so the total price shouldn't be that much higher.

A standard harness is better for me. I started with a comfort harness (from a now defunct brand) that was anything but comfortable as the hardware where the chest strap and adjustable lower straps meet dug into my chest.

The key with standard harnesses is to keep the shoulder straps fairly loose. The usual advice is that you can fit your fist under the strap. The crotch strap should be snug though as that is what keeps everything under control. Speaking of which, get the full 2" width crotch strap. You want to spread any loads over a larger area.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Get the DGX stainless wing with the 30# donut wing and regular one piece Hog harness.

 

[TravisD]

I'm bigger than you - get a plate with a regular continuous webbing harness and don't look back. Leave the extra webbing length until you get it dialed in with the thickest exposure you think you'll use. I trimmed mine long before I bought a drysuit - it's a little on the short side now but I haven't had any reason to replace the webbing, even though doing so will only cost like $20.

 

[onepointfivethumbs]

I'm about your size and dive a standard DGX Stainless plate, remember that your "waist" is the circumference of your abdomen at the navel, while American men tend to wear their pants where their hips begin.
You want the plate to be high enough that you can reach the valve but not so high that you end up somersaulting underwater, get the shoulder straps right then you should have LOADS of extra webbing at the waist even after you have your D-rings and canister lights.

 

[lexvil]

I’m a little taller, 6’5” 225lb, 49” chest. I don’t use a one piece harness because running to the lower slots puts the straps in my arm pits, I run a waist strap with “T” bars so I can move the lower attachment forward which makes it more comfortable. You can wear the plate lower than dogma dictates to get the waist strap where you want it and get by with the standard plate, ge stainless as suggested.

Where do you intend to dive?

 

[Kahuna.]

I'm 6ft, 240 with a 50" chest and run a regular size BP and standard harness, both in a drysuit and boardshorts. If anything go with a longer BP and call it good.

 

[gabebillings]

I’m a little taller, 6’5” 225lb, 49” chest. I don’t use a one piece harness because running to the lower slots puts the straps in my arm pits, I run a waist strap with “T” bars so I can move the lower attachment forward which makes it more comfortable. You can wear the plate lower than dogma dictates to get the waist strap where you want it and get by with the standard plate, ge stainless as suggested.

Where do you intend to dive?

The main impetus for my own gear is that I booked my first liveaboard trip this Sept in the Sea of Cortez, leaving from La Paz. I’d really like to not have rental gear for that.

But I live in Oregon, and I haven’t gotten dry suit certified yet. They were recommending a 5mm suit for Mexico so it might be a little tougher getting the sizing dialed in if I do my shakedown dives around here in something heavier.