DSS Backplate waist strap location seems low

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I would not fixate overly on the touching of the top edge of the plate. However, if you finger tip is five inches from the plate top edge, either you have short arms or a range of motion issue or it is way too low such that it is down on your butt. At 5'9" there is just not enough of you to have a standard plate five inches low! So I am skeptical of this.

As happy-diver says, with some loose interpretation ;), a wrist is not a fist. My fist easily, with no force, can sit between my shoulder strap and me. It is the waist strap that stabilizes the rig, it should be snug, the crotch and shoulder straps just provide limits (IMO). Your straps may seem a little loose to me actually. But a wrist is not a fist ;).

Getting in and out on deck with rig in rack, splay the shoulder straps out, flip the waist straps outward, lay the crotch strap down centered. Standing, place arms at side, flip wrists and hands out and sit down into the harness. Flip the shoulder straps over your shoulder, stand up and get the rest situated and connected. Getting out, same thing, open the waist and crotch while standing, sit down with tank going into rack, put arms at side, stand up. No chicken winging required.
 

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I would not fixate overly on the touching of the top edge of the plate. However, if you finger tip is five inches from the plate top edge, either you have short arms or a range of motion issue or it is way too low such that it is down on your butt. At 5'9" there is just not enough of you to have a standard plate five inches low! So I am skeptical of this.

As happy-diver says, with some loose interpretation ;), a wrist is not a fist. My fist easily, with no force, can sit between my shoulder strap and me. It is the waist strap that stabilizes the rig, it should be snug, the crotch and shoulder straps just provide limits (IMO). Your straps may seem a little loose to me actually. But a wrist is not a fist ;).

Getting in and out on deck with rig in rack, splay the shoulder straps out, flip the waist straps outward, lay the crotch strap down centered. Standing, place arms at side, flip wrists and hands out and sit down into the harness. Flip the shoulder straps over your shoulder, stand up and get the rest situated and connected. Getting out, same thing, open the waist and crotch while standing, sit down with tank going into rack, put arms at side, stand up. No chicken winging required.
The wrist was to illustrate I could easily get my arm in there and slide the straps off, IE they are not as tight as they look. My range of motion isn't all that great and my shoulders are a bit wider which may not help. If i were to have my straps lose enough for my fist to easily fit, my plate is pretty much down at my butt. In the pic below, I let 1" out of the straps to allow my fist easily though and it was far too low. I've never had an issue donning/doffing this gear on any boat ever. In fact, as it was (and is now) I can pick it up and throw it on like a backpack while standing up fairly easily which I have had to do on a few occasions over the years, so I don't feel it's too tight. I'm just going to tighten the straps up to where they were on my first pics and do some dives w/ it in a few weeks and see how it all feels. I'm sure no matter what I do I'd probably be perfectly happy, adapt and not even notice in a dive or two.



I likely am just fixating more on this because i'm now watching videos since I had to get new webbing. When i set this thing up 10 years ago I just configured how Tobin said to and left it alone for many comfortable dives.


This is when I loosened straps to the point I could get my fist through fairly easily. Far too low.
1753224491926.png
 
Yes, agreed, that plate is too low in the photo. You have broad and muscular shoulders and I think that is fooling us trying to help you out thinking the straps too tight.
 
Yes, agreed, that plate is too low in the photo. You have broad and muscular shoulders and I think that is fooling us trying to help you out thinking the straps too tight.
Yep that's sort of the issue since I'm quite tapered and also the shirt is loose.
 

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