Donning a BP/W with crotch strap

[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks, Bubbletrubble, but what I meant was why do you slip the crotch strap loop over the strap that has the buckle rather than the side without? If anything, it would seem easier to don and doff the crotch strap using the waist strap side without the buckle, while providing the same security while fastened (?) Thanks.

The buckle passes through the fixed loop in the crotch strap. So the loop in the crotch strap is midline (of course), and the buckle is all the way through and past it.... so the waist strap buckle ends up somewhat past midline, far enough to the side that the loop in the crotch strap cannot snag and open the buckle (hope that is clear). The loop in the crotch strap needs to be just big enough that the buckle can pass through it easily when you release it.... mine is maybe half again as wide as the buckle so that the buckle can pass through it easily.

Test this while standing in your living room: With your BP/W on and the buckle threaded through the loop properly and fastened, release buckle and just let it go to see what happens. It should fall free on its own without snagging, and the crotch strap should just fall away. You should not have to "un-thread" it or do anything other than releasing the buckle and dropping it for it to fall away completely.... if it snags, you need to make adjustments.

Best wishes.

 

[Madacub]

Thanks again, Leadturn. If you have a right hand release on your harness, then you have to thread the loop through the buckle. Right now I have my harness buckle as a left hand pull (opposite to my weight belt). So I moved my buckle to the other side and let go as you suggested, and the crotch strap did not fall off clean and simple - it needed a little jiggle of the waist strap to get past the buckle. Whereas with a left hand pull set up, the loop just falls off the simple strap end, no buckle.

To tell you the truth, earlier, I just assumed it would snag, without ever really trying it. Now, it's good to know if I want to change sides, there's really no snagging issue.

Thanks!

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Thanks again, Leadturn. If you have a right hand release on your harness, then you have to thread the loop through the buckle. Right now I have my harness buckle as a left hand pull (opposite to my weight belt). So I moved my buckle to the other side and let go as you suggested, and the crotch strap did not fall off clean and simple - it needed a little jiggle of the waist strap to get past the buckle. Whereas with a left hand pull set up, the loop just falls off the simple strap end, no buckle.

To tell you the truth, earlier, I just assumed it would snag, without ever really trying it. Now, it's good to know if I want to change sides, there's really no snagging issue.

Thanks!

Ummmm, you've lost me. I'm guessing the statement I highlighted was just a typo, but I want to make sure you understood what I was referring to regarding how the buckle passes through the loop in the crotch strap.

Look at the pictures on this site (apologies if you've already seen them).

DIR-diver.com - Adjust the backplate

If you zoom in on the pictures, you'll see that the waist strap buckle has been threaded through the loop, is well to the diver's right of midline, and that the loop itself is fairly large.

The bitter end of the waist strap gets tucked back throug the loop, so it doesn't "flap in the wind"... just like you'd tuck the bitter end of a belt through a belt loop on a pair of pants.

I do recommend leaving at least 6 - 8" of "tail" on the bitter end of the waist strap so you can adjust your harness for various thicknesses of exposure suits.

I rig my backplate very similar to the picture, but my buckle is maybe a couple inches closer to midline (but still significantly towards the right). I am tall (6' 5"), so my backplate rides a bit lower than the diver pictured, so that the waist strap ends up at the proper level (belly button level).

If you were to reverse the buckle / bitter end positions, the buckle would still pass through the crotch strap loop, but would end up left of midline.

If the buckle snags when you try to release it, the loop is too tight. It really should just fall away.... are you using a stainless steel buckle??? If it is plastic, it might be too light to drop away properly.... and if you are using plastic buckles on either the harness or weight belt, I highly urge you to switch to stainless steel.... SS buckles usually grip the webbing better, and are much sturdier.

Best wishes.

 

[Madacub]

Hi Leadturn, no typo (except "thread the loop through the buckle" s/h/b thread the buckle through the loop" ) and I'm following you all the way. (And yes, I have seen the page you referred me to)

"If you were to reverse the buckle / bitter end positions, the buckle would _still_ pass through the crotch strap loop, but would end up _left_ of midline." What I was not clear enough about was that I have the buckle / bitter end positions reversed, but I still have the buckle right of center. Plus my buckle is facing the other way. The right strap (with the buckle) is much shorter than the left side. Objective: left hand release + buckle on right side.

In the pics, the left hand pull is the way I have it, the right hand pull is the way I tried it after your post. Both ways, the loop snags. But not an issue really, just a small jiggle required to unsnag. The length of the loop is 4.5 inches.




And yes, I have some excess length and ss buckle. And YES! that is a quick release I'm playing around with (it's all good fun till someone gets an eye poked out)

Appreciate your time & interest.