Continuous webbing vs adjustable harness for first BPW

[Jai Bar]

Single continuous harness for more than 20 years. My GF had a regular adjustable BCD
I asked her several times, maybe I even nagged, why she won't convert to bp amd single harness, she refused. Once, I lent her my rig, she came out of the dive and told me I can go find myself a new rig. Then she became my wife, although I suspect the single harness doesn't have much to do about it but who knows...

My son started with adjustable harness, after less than a dozen dives asked me to remove and replace with single webbing.

It is not just the risk of buckle failure- although seen a few cases over the years- it is simpler to replace, less bulky, looks neater, and you set it once and forget about it for several years. Can't think of any disadvantages to it. Heck, it even has some chances of getting one married

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I just re-read and breezed through this thread again.
One big pattern I saw and my take away is that a one piece continuous webbing harness is largely the preferred configuration by the majority of BP/W divers.
There has to be a reason.

 

[lexvil]

I just re-read and breezed through this thread again.
One big pattern I saw and my take away is that a one piece continuous webbing harness is largely the preferred configuration by the majority of BP/W divers.
There has to be a reason.

It absolutely does not work for everyone, it’s worth a try for sure but for me it will fall off my shoulders after the dive. Find out what works for you, there are no absolutes.

 

[landphil]

I started with an adjustable harness that I eventually got to the right length and never touched again. Then I was running adjustable on the left side and continuous on the right, mainly for the quick release to get out of the harness, but still hadn't moved the strap length adjustment forever. Now I've moved to a continuous/fixed harness with a slider on the right side to help get my arms in and out. I may even end up getting rid of the slider; since it's a bit difficult to use with the waist strap also sliding through a set of weight pockets. At this stage I believe DIR divers would consider me fully-evolved

 

[souladdikt]

It absolutely does not work for everyone, it’s worth a try for sure but for me it will fall off my shoulders after the dive. Find out what works for you, there are no absolutes.

Crossing the straps at the top might help folks who have this problem. Doesn't work for everyone, but worked to solve this problem for me. Like you said, find what works.

 

[lexvil]

Crossing the straps at the top might help folks who have this problem. Doesn't work for everyone, but worked to solve this problem for me. Like you said, find what works.

It may but plates aren’t cut for this and if they are they tend to sit very low.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Crossing the straps at the top might help folks who have this problem. Doesn't work for everyone, but worked to solve this problem for me. Like you said, find what works.

That's how my original OMS plate was designed; to cross the straps. They fit closer and better going over your traps and the straps didn't kink due to the weird angle of the top slots like when they are run over straight.
I just heavily modified my original OMS plate which originally had no cam band slots and had a 1" crotch strap slot. Now it has a 2" crotch strap slot, cam band slots, built in roll control bars that are welded on, and the top slots are completely re-configured so that the straps can run straight over with no kinking, but they are separated - two individual straps not one piece continuous harness.

 

[Jai Bar]

I just re-read and breezed through this thread again.
One big pattern I saw and my take away is that a one piece continuous webbing harness is largely the preferred configuration by the majority of BP/W divers.
There has to be a reason.

I think the reason is obvious: a single piece of webbing has less failure points, when compared to having multiple buckles, sliders, and so on.

That said, I have never had any buckle failure either on my scuba gear or trekking backpack, have to meet one who did.

So, I don't think it is of critical importance, yet most divers that I know prefer to have a single piece of webbing as besides the failure point thing, it is more elegant, less clutter and appears more streamlined. When set correctly, you don't really need to change the strap lengths anyway even when switching from, say, 5mm wetsuit to lycra skin. To me, it seems that simple is better.

 

[souladdikt]

That's how my original OMS plate was designed; to cross the straps. They fit closer and better going over your traps and the straps didn't kink due to the weird angle of the top slots like when they are run over straight.

You mean like this?

 

[PamelaH]

I bought the stuff to make a continuous webbing harness and also bought a plastic buckle. I cut the webbing on the left side of the harness and now I slip my right arm in and then buckle the left side. It's a hybrid of my own doing and design and it works well for me. There's no adjusting, though. It's all set up as far as length goes - it just makes it easier to slip my arms in and out and easier to get off.