DR Basic vs. Deluxe Harness

[rstofer]

I'

With the basic HOG rig, since I solo sometimes and need to get the rig on an off without assistance, I felt it would be easier to be able to loosen the left shouder strap a bit... so I resorted to an "old school" solution and installed a stainless steel weightbelt buckle so I can add a few inches of "slack". I put a stainless beltslide on the "bitter end" that feeds through the buckle so that in case the buckle popped-open underwater the shoulder strap cannot totally release (and it never has opened accidentally, which is the reason for using good stainless steel buckles).

That's a much more clever solution than the loop and plastic buckle arrangement I tried before. I like it!

Is the buckle attached to the piece of web headed over the shoulder or the piece headed toward the waist. I'm guessing it is attached to the shoulder piece because the buckle would open by pulling down. But that also leaves the bitter end dangling in the vicinity of the snorkel (if used) and the inflator.

Richard

 

[RAWalker]

I thought the deluxe just featured a chest strap and quick release. Does it come with shoulder pads? I'm pretty sure i don't need pads but the release feature intrigued me. How flexible do you have to be to get out of the basic strap?

You are correct I was thinking deluxe comfort.
To get out of the HOG harness either requires you to do the chicken wing manuver or a duck under. The duck under can be hazzardous in rough water conditions.(the tank is going over your head) The chicken wing depends on how tight you wear the shoulder straps and your flexibility.
I'm a firm believer in having at least 1 shoulder release. But I've surfaced from dives to find weather conditions declined enough to become a problem. Being able to click a release and slip to the side while on the surface and maintaining control of your rig is a great comfort.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

I have a DR deluxe harness. I took the chest strap off right away beacuse it kept pushing on my drysuit inflator and haven't needed it. I have never readjusted the quick releases since the first time I put it on. The padding keeps getting bunched up in the shoulder rings. I am going ot swap it out for a simple web harness

 

[mkutyna]

If you have padding on your DR harness then it is a transplate harness, not a deluxe harness. Unless you're saying that the double back of the webbing constitutes padding.

 

[dkktsunami]

Anyone experienced these 2 harnesses - i know the deluxe has a chest strap .. Deluxe worth the extra buck , more comfy?:cool2:

I have used both and would definitely go with the one piece "hog" harness. There is nothing deluxe or comfortable about the deluxe harness and it is a real pain to assemble. The simplicity of a properly fitted one piece harness is unbeatable.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

That's a much more clever solution than the loop and plastic buckle arrangement I tried before. I like it!

Is the buckle attached to the piece of web headed over the shoulder or the piece headed toward the waist. I'm guessing it is attached to the shoulder piece because the buckle would open by pulling down. But that also leaves the bitter end dangling in the vicinity of the snorkel (if used) and the inflator.

Richard

Hi Richard,

A picture is worth a thousand words in this case, and I'm very sorry that I don't have a picture of my rig

I'll try to fumble through an explanation so that maybe you can vizualize it.

The buckle is located just below the left armpit level (sounds uncomfortable, but does not pinch. can't even feel it there). It is not on the chest, and does not interfere with the inflator, left shoulder D-ring, etc.

It is attached to the lower half of the strap, the upper half of the strap is the "loose" end that feeds through... this is so the buckle latch needs to be pulled "UP" (towards the head) to release. After fooling with the length and buckle position, I left about 4-6" of "slack" that passes through the buckle, and fed a belt slide on the end so that it could not pull back through the buckle.... so it cannot come completely "undone" if the buckle opens accidently.

Hope this is sort of clear, if not send me a PM and I'll take a picture of it and e-mail it to you.

Best wishes.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

If you have padding on your DR harness then it is a transplate harness, not a deluxe harness. Unless you're saying that the double back of the webbing constitutes padding.

If you want to get technical. Back when I bought my harness (4 or 5 years ago) it was called a" Delux harness" (no e on the end) and it came with padding. I guess they call it a transplate harness now. I know what I bought and what it was called.

 

[Colliam7]

Anyone experienced these 2 harnesses - i know the deluxe has a chest strap. Deluxe worth the extra buck , more comfy?:cool2:

I have, and have experienced, both. The difference is the Deluxe includes a chest strap (which you mentioned) and shoulder strap pivot rings on each side. You can also get a Deluxe with a (left) shoulder quick release in addition, and with (also optional) padding. My personal preference is the basic harness, because I don't think the chest strap is necessary, and I do not like the shoulder strap pivot rings. They tend to get in the way of where I want to move my D-rings, and I feel they are also unecessary. DR suggest that the Deluxe is more comfortable because of the pivot rings, but I don't seen any difference. The DIR folks would also say that the pivot rings add a point of failure, considering the way the lower part of the shoulder strap is attached at the bottom of the pivot ring. I tend to agree, although the failure is wear on the narrow piece of attachment webbing over time, not necessarily a catastrophic failure (unless that webbing wears through during a dive).

For single tank wetsuit diving, I prefer a continuous basic harness. Getting in and out of it is not a problem. For diving with a drysuit and backmount doubles, I use a harness with a quick release on the left shoulder. At the end of a long doubles dive, especially if I have been carrying deco bottles up a ladder or out of the water on shore, I am tired enough that I want to make it easy to get out of my rig - jut my preference. And, as LeadTurn has mentioned, that quick release does not have to involve a point of complete separation of the harness, rather it can be a loosening of the tension in the strap which does the same thing - allows the diver to get one shoulder out of the harness easily.

If you buy a harness from Dive Gear Express, you would pay an extra $12 for a deluxe harness. I don't see the value.

 

[rstofer]

The buckle is located just below the left armpit level (sounds uncomfortable, but does not pinch. can't even feel it there). It is not on the chest, and does not interfere with the inflator, left shoulder D-ring, etc.

It is attached to the lower half of the strap, the upper half of the strap is the "loose" end that feeds through... this is so the buckle latch needs to be pulled "UP" (towards the head) to release. After fooling with the length and buckle position, I left about 4-6" of "slack" that passes through the buckle, and fed a belt slide on the end so that it could not pull back through the buckle.... so it cannot come completely "undone" if the buckle opens accidently.

Got it! Thanks for the description. I'm about to rerig my DSS and I may very well try this setup. After all, it's just webbing. If I don't like it, I'll start over - again...

Richard

 

[rstofer]

I thought the deluxe just featured a chest strap and quick release. Does it come with shoulder pads? I'm pretty sure i don't need pads but the release feature intrigued me. How flexible do you have to be to get out of the basic strap?

The answer depends a great deal on where you are and whether you have help. Getting out of the rig in the water is no problem. It was described above. Inflate the wing and slip out the bottom. Don't forget to untangle that crotch strap from the waist belt.

Getting out of the rig on the shore wearing a thick wetsuit is a little more problematic. The straps don't want to slide off the shoulder or down the arm. The idea is to lift up by the upper D ring and try to slip one arm out. Even when I have the weight supported on an X workstand (not high enough, by the way but you can get them a Home Depot), I have a problem getting untangled.

Still, the one piece rig is the way it's supposed to be done and I just have to adapt. But that buckle arrangement described above is what I'm going to try next.

Richard