Crossing shoulder straps

[SmokeAire]

Is there any advantage, when threading the bp, to crossing the shoulder straps behind the neck versus the standard straight down the shoulders threading? I know several people that cross the straps. My harness is standard threading. It fits fine with my wet suit but when I dive without the suit the shoulders are a bit loose and want to slide off. People I've talked to that cross the straps say it makes the bp more stable.
Does it rub the back of the neck?
Any thoughts?

Chuck

 

[simbrooks]

Chuck, as you know i am one of the ones that dives with the crossing straps. I tried out a rental that was rigged with straight down straps and it seemed fine, when i bought my first BP the guy had already threaded it up crossing and when i dove it, didnt really feel any particular amount of difference. So when i bought my second BP (AL) i made my own harness and threaded it the same. I have not noticed any rubbing or other kinds of problems, it is pretty tight (i can stick about 3-4 fingers under the straps at my chest, but thats about it) with my main wetsuit and sometimes i tighten or loosen it depending on whether i use my thinner or thicker wetsuit, respectively. I can easily don and doff it on the surface or in midwater with no troubles. In theory you might look and it and think there is a little more stability and tightness than straight down (and maybe that is why some have a chest strap on the straight down? - thinking more transpac/plate style harnesses). I would check you have it tight enough if it slips off your shoulders sometimes. I would like to see where this debate and thought process goes as i had been wondering about it after someone mentioned to me that they thought it easier to don/doff with straight down than crossed - like i said i dont find it a problem.

 

[Soggy]

If it slips off, it's not tight enough, plain and simple. It should be tight enough so that you can only stick 2 fingers in at the shoulders.

I've never tried crossing the shoulders, but I can't imagine any reason why it would be a better (or worse, for that matter) solution.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Is there any advantage, when threading the bp, to crossing the shoulder straps behind the neck versus the standard straight down the shoulders threading? I know several people that cross the straps. My harness is standard threading. It fits fine with my wet suit but when I dive without the suit the shoulders are a bit loose and want to slide off. People I've talked to that cross the straps say it makes the bp more stable.
Does it rub the back of the neck?
Any thoughts?

Chuck

Chuck,

When we were developing our harness we tried crossed, uncrossed etc. In general what we found was:

Large folks with big necks often preferred uncrossed as it moves the straps away from the neck.

Smaller framed people usually prefer crossed as it moves the straps in off the deltoid muscles, this allows a great range of motion.

Seldom did users who crossed the straps need a chest strap, even with a stage bottle.

Uncrossed straps + a stage bottle often lead to use of a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps from sliding off.

Nothing here is absolute, we do have smaller framed users who end up with uncrossed straps and no chest strap for example, but most follow the trends detailed above.

Best advice I can give is try it both ways and decide for yourself.

Regards,


Tobin

 

[Mako Mark]

when I bought my first bp it came with crossed straps which worked fine for me for years untill I started to dive dry.

I found it a big struggle to get in and out of. I even asked in the DIR forum about putting in a buckle and was advised to uncross the straps first. I did, it worked and I dont need the buckle.

 

[Soggy]

If stage bottles are pulling the straps off underwater, it sounds like you are using steel stages. It seems like this problem (and a number of others) could also be solved by using Aluminum stages.

 

[simbrooks]

when I bought my first bp it came with crossed straps which worked fine for me for years untill I started to dive dry.

I found it a big struggle to get in and out of. I even asked in the DIR forum about putting in a buckle and was advised to uncross the straps first. I did, it worked and I dont need the buckle.

Which is also contrary to what i have seen - as my instructor also dives dry and was the one who threaded my straps up and dives that way himself - all crossed up. I guess although there may be patterns there are some oddballs, both he and i are fairly large shouldered/necked as well

 

[SmokeAire]

Chuck,

When we were developing our harness we tried crossed, uncrossed etc. In general what we found was:

Large folks with big necks often preferred uncrossed as it moves the straps away from the neck.

Smaller framed people usually prefer crossed as it moves the straps in off the deltoid muscles, this allows a great range of motion.

Seldom did users who crossed the straps need a chest strap, even with a stage bottle.

Uncrossed straps + a stage bottle often lead to use of a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps from sliding off.

Nothing here is absolute, we do have smaller framed users who end up with uncrossed straps and no chest strap for example, but most follow the trends detailed above.

Best advice I can give is try it both ways and decide for yourself.

Regards,


Tobin

Your answer makes a lot of sense. Since I have to unthread it to put some inertube bands on it I'll rethread it crossed and give it a try.

 

[SmokeAire]

Are you calling yourself and GDI Oddballs?
Did ya read that Rick?

 

[simbrooks]

He's a canuck and i am a brit, we are not the common denominator in FL!! (or the rest of the US)

Its not tough to change from one to the other, about 10 mins of threading and adjusting (with a little readjusting if necessary) and you can go back and forth to see which suits you best.