Continuous webbing vs adjustable harness for first BPW

[JoeTPhilly]

This video might help:

 

[dflaher]

Had the XDeep "Deluxe" Harness. Tore it off after 3 dives and replaced with a continuous DIR harness. If adjusted correctly, no need to loosen the shoulder straps to don and doff, and it's always the correct length.

Did the same with my Ghost. Actually I took it to a shop, because I wasn't real confident in doing my first harness.

 

[Angelo Farina]

ScubaPro was pretty late to the BP/W market.

????
Scubapro INVENTED the Backpack plus Wing buoyancy control device.
It first appeared on their catalogue in 1973 or 1974, if I remember correctly, and was produced till 1979 or 1980, when they launched the first "jacket"" style BCD (another invention by Scubapro).
All other brands, at the time, were procucing anular or horse-collar BCDs...
Here their 1974 BP+W: SCUBAPRO 1974 | BluTimeScubaHistory

 

[MB NZ]

Haven't read all the replies, but I've had a break in my harness for a long time and haven't died. It's not necessary, but it makes life easier. Had a Fastex plastic buckle for many years, but concerned about my own mortality, changed it to a metal buckle last year. I'm still not dead.

 

[Chavodel8en]

I've dove with a regular BC with an adjustable harness, and currently a BP/W, continuous webbing.

I prefer adjustable, to answer your question. Easier to don, and then cinch it up to be snug (I like my harness snug - I know alot of people prefer it looser. Snug is my preference).

When I bought my BP, I was looking for an adjustable harness, but they were so much more expensive, so I just went with the cheap webbing.

Sizing the harness to me was a PITA. Took several dives and painstaking adjustment to get it right. Now, its correctly sized, and I have dove it years with no more fuss, but what if I gained alot of weight? - or someone wanted to borrow it?

I dont understand why everyone hates adjustable. All things being equal, I'll take adjustable. Point of failure? Doesnt seem like a big deal to me. And I dont care that its not Hogarthian.

 

[Nosmosis]

If you currently dive a basic, continuous webbing harness on your BPW, have you ever wished you had an adjustable harness?

I'm buying my first BPW setup. All of the configurations I have had a chance to try have adjustable harnesses (e.g. Diverite Transplate harness and the Scubapro S-Tek).

I'm looking for something as simple as possible and thus leaning toward a basic, continuous webbing harness. But I don't know what I don't know about that arrangement. There must be a reason why all of these respected tech brands offer an adjustable or "comfort" harness as an option.

Warm water rec diving only--no coldwater or tech diving.
Typically, in a 3mm shorty wetsuit (maybe a rashguard/shorts sometimes).
Newly recertified after a long break. Trained in a rental jacket BCD (Aqualung Wave) but have been trying out various BPW configurations (and love them).

Thanks!

When I started with a BPW, it was with a Hogarthian setup. It was a pain-in-the-ass to get it setup for the first time and I struggled with it a bit to get it adjusted right. However, very quickly it became very comfortable and just fits incredibly well. Point is: Once you get it setup (and I would recommend working with someone to do this) it will be more comfortable (or at least equally as comfortable as adjustable harnesses). The benefit is that it is very robust and there aren't a bunch of clips that can get damaged.

 

[NothingClever]

When I started with a BPW, it was with a Hogarthian setup. It was a pain-in-the-ass to get it setup for the first time and I struggled with it a bit to get it adjusted right. However, very quickly it became very comfortable and just fits incredibly well. Point is: Once you get it setup (and I would recommend working with someone to do this) it will be more comfortable (or at least equally as comfortable as adjustable harnesses). The benefit is that it is very robust and there aren't a bunch of clips that can get damaged.

@DunningKrueger

@Nosmosis is right - initial set up requires some outside assistance to get it right. Once you have that, dive it and fiddle with your rig a few times, you’ll probably be able to rig a new BP/W like many of us do without requiring a reference or index markers.

 

[lowwall]

I dont understand why everyone hates adjustable.

I didn't hate it. But I switched from adjustable to continuous on my old DSS plate because the piece of hardware that the chest strap and adjustable sections attached to dug into my chest and arms. It could be just a problem with that rig and my body, but I have not had any problems with continuous webbing so haven't felt the need to try a different adjustable setup.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

????
Scubapro INVENTED the Backpack plus Wing buoyancy control device.
It first appeared on their catalogue in 1973 or 1974, if I remember correctly, and was produced till 1979 or 1980, when they launched the first "jacket"" style BCD (another invention by Scubapro).
All other brands, at the time, were procucing anular or horse-collar BCDs...
Here their 1974 BP+W: SCUBAPRO 1974 | BluTimeScubaHistory

I think what he meant was that Scubapro wasn’t making a current Back Plate wing model during the re-popularization of those systems in the late 80’s 90’s like when Diverite, OMS, Halcyon, were making the doubles style plates with wings for tech diving. Then as popularity expanded they adapted the doubles style to single tank use. Scubapro’s original plate wing system was before that, but they abandoned the concept in favor of developing poodle jackets like so many companies then did. So there was a gap.
So now they got back into it with the repopularization of the BP/W, but many feel they are late to the party.
Like it or not, the current rage with BP/W systems has to do with DIR and Halcyon. They are the ones that popularized the BP/W for single tank recreational use. It was partially because of their strict adherence to standardized gear and the BP/W is core to that. All the others just jumped on the band wagon.

 

[passeparici]

They will kill you if you are not diving with a horgathian continuous set up. Serious divers only dive with this set up !!

More seriously : I have the Scubapro S Tek with the adjustable set up. It is quite simple as you don't have clips. I don't like the continuous set up as I change quite often my suit : I can dive with a dry suit and then just a 3mm or even less. I don't want to adjust everything again each time. Also you will hear that it is very easy to don a continuous set up, I don't think so. It may not be that difficult but it is so much easier when it is a bit adjustable. And I don't care about what I represent as a diver, I want to be confortable in my set up...