Buckle on BP/W shoulder strap?

[Tiny Bubbles]

To those who have a buckle on a shoulder strap on their backplate harness... What kind of buckle do you use, where is it (left/right, shoulder, armpit, waist...), and how is it working out for you?

-Tiny-B.

 

[mempilot]

On my singles harness (OMS Comfort Harness), I have one on each shoulder made out of Delrin. I don't undo them though. I just loosen the cinch.

I just recently decided to go to a one-piece web on a doubles rig.

I dive dry and wet with singles, but I only dive dry with doubles. I don't have to adjust the one-piece web harness since I don't change suits. The cinch on the buckles for the single harness let's me go back and forth between bulk (dry) and sleek (wet).

 

[jagfish]

Mem
Do those buckles come with the OMS harness, or can they ba had separately?

JAG

 

[mempilot]

Mem
Do those buckles come with the OMS harness, or can they ba had separately?

JAG

The Comfort Harness came with them, but you can buy them seperately. They are located on the lower portion of the shoulder webbing before it enters the bp.

I kind of wish they didn't actually unclip. I only use the ability to cinch the shoulders down when diving with a wetsuit.

OMS has a harness that is essentially a one piece webbing with only one buckle on the left shoulder. Correction, not a one piece. See below.

 

[redacted]

When I first went to a BP, I was having trouble getting out of the rig while floating on the surface. I added a std QR buckle on the left strap without cutting the webbing. It will give me an extra 4 inch of slack to work with. Other than making sure it works, I haven't used it in a year. It all works easier after you get used to it. But other than a waste of a couple hours, it didn't hurt. Unless you are sure you need it, you might want to wait.

 

[mempilot]

I was wrong about the single buckle harness being one-piece.

Here are some pics. I use the 133 for singles (first pic) with a SS bp, and the 166 for doubles (second pic) with an AL bp. The 123 is the single buckle.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I currently use an OMS "deluxe" harness with the fastex quick release buckle. I have only actually used the quick release a couple times but it was handy to have on those occasions, if not a neccesity. I also use a set of neoprene shoulder pads and have found that care needs to be taken to make sure they are very snug on the shoulder strap. Otherwise the left one will migrate down over the quick release and defeat the purpose of having it. I have not had any concerns about breaking the buckle even though it is plastic. It has stood up well on cold days and in water as cold as 34 degrees.

When I started diving in the eary 80's I used a harness with a SS weight belt buckle on the the shoulder strap. It was potentially a pain as it's shape allowed it to dig into you if improperly placed. You needed to mount it low on the strap or mount it high on the shoulder to avoid getting it pinched between the arm and chest and both positions worked fine. The left shoulder strap mounted quick release buckle was standard at that time and did aid you in getting yourself or someone else out of the harness on deck or in the water without slicing and dicing things.

 

[rjchandler]

.

When I started diving in the eary 80's I used a harness with a SS weight belt buckle on the the shoulder strap. It was potentially a pain as it's shape allowed it to dig into you if improperly placed. .

I still use one of these. works just fine.

 

[matt_unique]

To those who have a buckle on a shoulder strap on their backplate harness... What kind of buckle do you use, where is it (left/right, shoulder, armpit, waist...), and how is it working out for you?

-Tiny-B.

I have the Dive Rite Deluxe harness with the QR buckle on my left should and I like it. It suits me well in terms of exiting my gear on the surface. I have a small boat so I need to exit gear on the surface. I can get out without the QR but the QR makes it more convenient for me. Some divers vehemently oppose the QR due to safety concerns should it break. The reality is it would not even matter if it did break. Between the chest strap, crotch strap, and waste strap you can barely tell when it is released. Of course once all the straps are released it is easier to exit the rig with the QR.

--Matt

 

[mempilot]

I have the Dive Rite Deluxe harness with the QR buckle on my left should and I like it. It suits me well in terms of exiting my gear on the surface. I have a small boat so I need to exit gear on the surface. I can get out without the QR but the QR makes it more convenient for me. Some divers vehemently oppose the QR due to safety concerns should it break. The reality is it would not even matter if it did break. Between the chest strap, crotch strap, and waste strap you can barely tell when it is released. Of course once all the straps are released it is easier to exit the rig with the QR.

--Matt

I agree Matt. Someone in another thread posted the similarity between a climber not using a plastic buckle on their harness to a diver not using a plastic buckle. I don't recall having a case where I might fall 50 or more feet and be snapped on the end of the line in diving. Short of continuously slamming a filled tank into it on the boat, I don't really know how that buckle would break.

Now that being said, I do now own a harness with and without the buckle. - just not for the reason everyone wants to make an issue.