Crotch strap (with OMS I-Q Pack)

[scubagirl15]

Hi everyone,
Just curious if there's anyone else out there who dives with the OMS I-Q pack with the steel plate and single tank adaptor (i.e. strictly recreational diving). My question is: what do you do with your crotch strap?

Diving with an AL80, with the steel plate weighing in at 6 lbs and the single tank adaptor at 2 lbs, I still need to wear an 8 lb weigh belt with my dry suit.

With the weight belt, I'm not using the crotch strap at all since I'm concerned about the weight belt hanging on to my weight belt if I were ever to need to ditch the weight belt.

Then I got to thinking this weekend that maybe I'm being paranoid? Am I? Say I used the crotch strap and I need to ditch my weight belt: would I be asking too much of myself to first unclip my crotch strap, and then the weight belt? My instinct of course says KISS, so for now the crotch strap stays in my gear bag, but I want to know what you guys think.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi everyone,
Just curious if there's anyone else out there who dives with the OMS I-Q pack with the steel plate and single tank adaptor (i.e. strictly recreational diving). My question is: what do you do with your crotch strap?

Diving with an AL80, with the steel plate weighing in at 6 lbs and the single tank adaptor at 2 lbs, I still need to wear an 8 lb weigh belt with my dry suit.

With the weight belt, I'm not using the crotch strap at all since I'm concerned about the weight belt hanging on to my weight belt if I were ever to need to ditch the weight belt.

Then I got to thinking this weekend that maybe I'm being paranoid? Am I? Say I used the crotch strap and I need to ditch my weight belt: would I be asking too much of myself to first unclip my crotch strap, and then the weight belt? My instinct of course says KISS, so for now the crotch strap stays in my gear bag, but I want to know what you guys think.

The crotch strap IMHO serves a real purpose especially at the surface. Much of the "Back Inflate pushes you on your face" grows out of rigs that rise out of the waterwhen inflated leaving the diver behind because of no crotch strap. With a crotch strap typically very little air is needed, hence no face plant.


The same problem confronts most people using a BP/W. Some BP/W users see no need for rapidly ditchable weight so they just put the crotch strap on last.

My technique is to first put on the belt.

Put the rig on. Tilt forward and to the side so you can grap the crotch strap behind you, not between your legs. Pull the end of the crotch strap around to the front and stuff it down inside the weight belt from the top. Grap the end and pull it down, around and to the back.

The crotch strap is now under the weight belt at the rear. Swing between the legs and attach in the front.

Sounds hard, and my description is not the best, but it's fairly easy to do.

Second choice is helpful buddy.

Cheers,


Tobin George

 

[scubagirl15]

Thanks, this helps tremendously!!

The reason I want to use the crotch strap is exactly as you described. And I thought about rigging strap under the weight belt...just couldn't manage visualizing it...now I have it!

My interim technique to manage the face plant has thus far been to inflate the wing only slightly then tilt back. Sometimes I'll even hang on to the bottom of the wing.

Anyway, thanks again...I'm going to use your method this weekend gearing up.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks, this helps tremendously!!

The reason I want to use the crotch strap is exactly as you described. And I thought about rigging strap under the weight belt...just couldn't manage visualizing it...now I have it!

My interim technique to manage the face plant has thus far been to inflate the wing only slightly then tilt back. Sometimes I'll even hang on to the bottom of the wing.

Anyway, thanks again...I'm going to use your method this weekend gearing up.

Glad to help,

Have fun

Tobin