Chest Strap: Necessary or Not?

[Teamcasa]

...Sternum strap on a BC, useless.

For you, maybe. For everyone - hardly.

 

[paddler3d]

Sternum straps are just like ankle weights and tank weights...they are compensating for something else. Two things that come to mind are an improperly fit BC and and improper weighting/trim.

 

[DennisS]

DennisS may sort of have the 1st argument I've seen for the sternum strap on a BC.

But I'm still going to call it useless.

A properly designed backpack is going to transfer the load to your hips. This is achieved by the hip belt. The shoulder straps are there to merely keep the load to your body and then the sternum strap is meant to pull in the shoulder straps so they don't cut into your underarms where their is a large vein and nerve, which the shoulder straps can apply pressure to.

A BC is meant to compensate for the weight of our scuba gear and control buoyancy. It is also meant to hold the tank on our back.

It is not designed to use as a backpack.

Sternum strap on a BC, useless.

The sternum strap is useless to you, if you read through the posts you will see that some people find it usefull

It's personal preference, I set up my gear the way I like it, others set up their gear the way they like it. I tried my harness with and without a chest strap. I like it much better with the chest strap.

 

[DennisS]

Sternum straps are just like ankle weights and tank weights...they are compensating for something else. Two things that come to mind are an improperly fit BC and and improper weighting/trim.

Add a long walk from the car to the water

 

[Teamcasa]

Sternum straps are just like ankle weights and tank weights...they are compensating for something else. Two things that come to mind are an improperly fit BC and and improper weighting/trim.

Funny how some folks are smart enough to decide what's the right thing for 100% of everyone else..

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Owch! Sorry, Bob. Stupid question, I guess, but I suppose I asked for it. I actually learned something, though.

Thanks, everybody, for your input.

There are no stupid questions ... although there can definitely be stupid answers ...

No intent to slight the topic, I was just in a flippant mood ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

DennisS may sort of have the 1st argument I've seen for the sternum strap on a BC.

But I'm still going to call it useless.

A properly designed backpack is going to transfer the load to your hips. This is achieved by the hip belt. The shoulder straps are there to merely keep the load to your body and then the sternum strap is meant to pull in the shoulder straps so they don't cut into your underarms where their is a large vein and nerve, which the shoulder straps can apply pressure to.

A BC is meant to compensate for the weight of our scuba gear and control buoyancy. It is also meant to hold the tank on our back.

It is not designed to use as a backpack.

Sternum strap on a BC, useless.

... all well and good if you're diving off a boat. If, on the other hand, you do a lot of shore diving, sooner or later you're gonna want to dive someplace where your BCD feels like a backpack long before you reach the water ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sternum straps are just like ankle weights and tank weights...they are compensating for something else. Two things that come to mind are an improperly fit BC and and improper weighting/trim.

I do believe that ankle weights are overused ... but I have also met people who legitimately needed them.

There is no "one size fits all" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Charlie99]

As I started to de-gear after today's dive, I discovered that I had forgotten to buckle the sternum/chest strap before the dive.

I guess for me, it doesn't really do all that much.

I have a 1998 vintage SeaQuest ProQD of M/L size, which I chose instead of the slightly larger L size because I found I prefer a snug fit.

 

[paddler3d]

... all well and good if you're diving off a boat. If, on the other hand, you do a lot of shore diving, sooner or later you're gonna want to dive someplace where your BCD feels like a backpack long before you reach the water ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Okay, show me a BCD that feels and acts like a backpack. Show me a BCD that puts the load on your hips.

Or maybe the problem is, most folks on here haven't done much backpacking and don't know the joy of a well designed and good backpack.