DIY dive harness

[Rich Keller]

You can custom make your own dive harness or weight harness using seat belt webbing, pop rivets and as many metal rings as needed.

 

[Brewone0to]

Seatbelt webbing is quite strong,
even if partially cut through.
I have considered utilizing it for
a scuba application it in the past.
I decided not to because it appeared to allow
things to be moved too easily for my taste.
(Never tested this in the real world though)
Rope would work as well, in a pinch.
I always use the standard 2" webbing though.
It isn't the strap/webbing that drives up costs.
It is the hardware driving the overall cost of a finished item.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have access to a waterjet and that makes things nice. I have 4 sets of plates for a DIY razor type sidemount sitting on my shelf. Did not know it was that. A guy had me make some for him based on a drawing he sent me. I made some mods and now just need to get ambitious enough to do it. I got the plates, a wing, and hardware. Just need to get some webbing and time.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

seat belt belting is too thin to be grabbed by most buckles. It is too soft and rolls and folds to be handled easily in the water. Weights and rings slide too easily on it because it has a smnooth texture and it is too thin.. Seat belt straps are NOT what I would use (anymore, I've tried this before).

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Dump is right, at least over 20 years ago when a diver thought it would work, you would need the car fastener to actually make it work, so the buckle would say GM on it!!!

 

[Rich Keller]

I use a double set of rings instead of a buckle. I also put a ring at the base of each strap coming over the shoulder where it meets waist strap in front and use them to attach whatever I need. I prefer that the materiel be thin as this is the first item I put on after my wetsuit. Making a weight harness would be a little more involved as you would need to attach the weights to the harness the same way a commercial divers weight belt is made. I have never tried to make a weight harness but if I did I would go with standard weight belt webbing around the waist and seat belt webbing over the shoulders.

 

[herman]

Sounds like the classic 50's US diver harness. A lot of the vintage divers still use them.

 

[Insta-Gator]

A little off subject, but do y'all use anything as a 'stop' where the strap goes through the BP to become the waist belt to keep the shoulders from tightening when you tighten the waist belt? If so, what?

 

[herman]

On the classic harness, nothing. The waist strap is riveted to the back of the harness with a set of rings as the waist clasp. The shoulder straps are 2 pieces on each side, one riveted at the top and the other at the bottom with a set of adjusting rings in between.

 

[Marquito]

A little off subject, but do y'all use anything as a 'stop' where the strap goes through the BP to become the waist belt to keep the shoulders from tightening when you tighten the waist belt? If so, what?

I have a serated tri glide that locks the shoulders in place and keeps it from tightening.