DIY - how to convert a Basic Harness to Deluxe Harness ?

[DevonDiver]

I've never seen the point in deluxe / comfort style harnesses. There's nothing inherently more deluxe or comfortable about them...

BP&W is inherently modular and flexible. Just add what you need. It's easy to fit releases etc, if you needed them.

However, very few people need them... especially at the shoulders. In most cases, people just have the harnesses incorrectly fitted...

 

[PaloPinto]

As an alternative you can use 8-32 bolts and lock nuts instead of stitching. A very clever diver turned me onto this idea. At first this sounds a little crazy, but it actually has some advantages. For instance, if you’re at a remote location and you break a quick release or buckle, you can fix it in about ten minutes if you have a spare and a couple tools. I’ve used bolts on one of my BPs and so far they’ve worked great, although some people may not like the utilitarian “look” of the bolts.

View attachment 220888

Nays

Just curious, don't those bolts and lock nuts cause excessive wear on your wetsuit/drysuit ?

 

[Ahmed Yahya]

thanks everyone for the great support . i'll probably end up with a quick adjust system like the one from UTD

 

[Fin Finder]

Just curious, don't those bolts and lock nuts cause excessive wear on your wetsuit/drysuit ?

The trick is to have the rounded bolt tops, not the lock-nuts, on the side of the webbing in contact with the exposure suit.

I have detected no additional wear on my neoprene wetsuit from the BP where I have bolts installed, but I have made only about twenty dives with it so far since the modification.

I was very much a skeptic when I first learned of this method. I didn't like the look of the lock-nuts sticking out on the visible side of the webbing. Ease of repair in the field convinced me try it on my travel BP. Now I see it as a very viable alternative to stitching, but not universally. On another BP I use for double tanks I opted for standard box stitching for the sake of streamlining.

Nays

 

[divad]

As an alternative you can use 8-32 bolts and lock nuts instead of stitching.For instance, if you’re at a remote location and you break a quick release or buckle, you can fix it in about ten minutes if you have a spare and a couple tools. I’ve used bolts on one of my BPs

View attachment 220888

You can accomplish the same thing with a triglide in a matter of seconds.

 

[PaloPinto]

commercial diving harnesses often use grommets, they may have a lower profile.

 

[rhwestfall]

Having gone down this road and tried them, here are my opinions:

1. The only "useful" item in the "deluxe" harness (for some folks) is the pivot ring and chest strap combination. Barrel chested with a short torso makes a somewhat difficult fit on a standard continuous run of webbing.

2. Some form of a "cinch" to put play in the webbing to get in/out of the harness is also a benefit to "mobility impaired" folks (things like bum shoulders). Aside from bad shoulders, I'm so tall, I literally have to kneel on the deck and do some crazy version of the limbo to get into my rig. I need the play of a cinch on the harness....

3. Quick release - I just don't see a need.... They came on my translate harness, and have never been used in any diving scenario. The only time I used them was to help pack the rig "flatter" for travel..... A little extra space from a cinch eliminates them entirely.

Again, just my thoughts, and YMMV....

 

[divad]

I'm so tall, I literally have to kneel on the deck and do some crazy version of the limbo to get into my rig.

Got any pictures?

 

[Fin Finder]

You can accomplish the same thing with a triglide in a matter of seconds.

I like the simplicity of that, but in the case of a shoulder quick release wouldn't it mean an unsecured end on a load bearing strap?

Nays

 

[decompression]

You could always use 2 shallow D rings, 2 triglides and a double ender.
Set the D rings as far apart as you wish on the webbing shoulder strap, connect the D rings with the double ender.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk