Harness adjustment question

[benha]

Hi, Folks.

I'm making the transition from a traditional BC (Zeagle Ranger) to a BP/W setup (DSS w/ 35# Torus wing), and I've got a question about harness adjustment.

In looking through the writeups I've seen for setting the harness position on your body, I've found that two of the bits of guidance are somewhat in conflict.

1. You should adjust the plate such that it can be touched when you reach back over your shoulder.
2. Don't make your harness too tight!!!

So here's my issue: When I adjust the harness so I can touch it when I reach back, the straps end up pretty tight. This is especially pronounced when I then put an HP119 tank on the thing. Not quite restricting movement, but definitely encouraging "good posture." This is all on land, mind you, but it just feels more snug than I'd expect it to.

But loosening those straps mean the plate slides down my back further which makes me think I'm DIWrong.

It's likely that once I'm in the water and everything weighs less that it'll feel looser, but I want to try to adjust it as best I can before I get wet since it's always a pain to be making adjustments in that environment.

So should I bias more toward correct vertical position of the plate on my back? Or toward appropriate slack in the straps?

Thanks,
-Ben

PS - If it helps, I'm 6'2" 170#. Relatively tall and thin.

 

[tbone1004]

on land position is 100% irrelevant to what it will do in the water due to gravity. Setting up properly I've found requires two people, one to hold the plate in the position that it should be in, then you need two hands to adjust the straps accordingly. You can do it with a tank mounted while it is sitting on a table or something as well, but with a second person is easier.

 

[PfcAJ]

Youre going to have to experiment. No way around it.

 

[rx7diver]

Hi, Folks.

I'm making the transition from a traditional BC (Zeagle Ranger) to a BP/W setup (DSS w/ 35# Torus wing), and I've got a question about harness adjustment...

Benha,

I wear my SS Freedom plate (single back cylinder) in a non-DIR fashion, more like the way I used to wear a plastic backpack: I don't wear a crotch strap, and I wear my shoulder straps snugged up. The quality of nylon in my harness allows the harness to relatively easily slide in my Freedom plate's waist strap slots, so I don't *require* a shoulder release to doff or don my kit. Still, I sometimes switch out my continuous harness for a stiffer one one that has a left shoulder release (SS weightbelt buckle at the shoulder).

I allow the Freedom plate to locate "naturally" on my back, and my cylinder location with respect to the plate is adjusted so that I can still easily reach my valve while having the best balance possible--a compromise. Simple, and very comfortable, and works for me.

BTW, I wear a weightbelt. And my dives these days are solo for the most part. And I don't scooter.

FWIW, when I used to wear doubles (PST HP 100's, PST HP 120's, and Al 80's), I wore my Al DR backplate pretty much the same way, and with the shoulder straps crossed.

Hope this helps.

Safe Diving,

rx7diver

 

[Bat-Fish]

I have the exact setup Ben. DSS with 35# Torus. And the exact "issue" when attempting to adjust the harness. Adjusting so I could touch the top of the plate when reaching over my shoulder made the harness much too tight. Gear up, and then take the weight off the entire rig. I did this by using the edge of a table. When properly adusted, you'll be able to touch the top of the plate, and move easily in and out of the rig. But as was already stated, in-water is the only way I found to really get it dialed in. Takes a few dives, but you'll get there. The DSS gear is top notch. I also opted for the bolt on BP weights to get some of the weight off my belt. Love it.

 

[benha]

Yeah, I'm not sure about the crotch strap. I went to the plate setup because it's streamlined, but I'm far from a DIR diver. I mostly dive for lobster and I need most of my weight on my belt so I can take my tank off and stay negative-to-neutral while breathing from the long (15') hose when I squeeze into cracks and stuff. Getting in and out of the whole rig underwater need to be easy, and I figure the crotch strap will end up dangling after the first time I take the tank off on a dive.

I think I'll loosen things up a bit to start and can always "edit" after I've had a chance to get everything wet...

 

[Nasser]

It will take a few dives to tweak.

You want to be able to reach over from your left hand and touch your right D-ring and vice versa without feeling too much restriction from the shoulder straps, thus they do not need to be too tight. The crotch strap should be snug and have a slight pull down on the waist belt, this will help keep the tanks from riding up too high on your back. Your waist should also be snug but not to the point of discomfort or possible restriction of breathing.

You should feel all of this fitting properly underwater... so as has been mentioned, on land is not really an accurate way to gauge your harness fit. Plus keep in mind that the webbing stretches a little in the water (unless you wet it prior to going in).

FWIW I have the Halcyon cinch pate and it is actually very useful for making adjustments on the fly while submerged. Also makes donning/removing harness very convenient in and out of the water:

Cinch videos - Adjustment | Halcyon

 

[WarrenZ]

I just got done making a unauthorized copy of the UTD quick adjust setup with parts from Cave Adventures and Dive Gear Express it hasnt gotten wet yet but feels good on land.

 

[benha]

Yeah. I'm thinking building about a quick adjust solution. DSS has a "glide adapter" for the backplate that would make it easier to adjust on the fly. Theirs is formed 11ga sheet, which is tough for me to replicate but I may just machine something similar from 316L billet. I think you could actually make it a bit cleaner that way by tapping the threads directly into the part instead of using a separate nut.

Would never make sense that way as a production product (ie: DSS bills it the right way for a business) but my time standing in front of a Bridgeport actually counts as "leisure" and I've got a bunch of 316 drops from a prior project.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nemrod]

My waist strap is what positions and stabilizes my plates on my body. I pull it fairly snug. I leave the crotch strap adjusted such that it limits upward movement but is otherwise not felt. My shoulder straps are quite loose so as not to restrict my breathing or limit arm movement and to allow easy entry and egress from the rig, really just acting as an opposing limit to the crotch strap. Basically I can put two fingers under the crotch strap and the shoulder straps while in swim position in the water. N