harness belt and buckle(s)

[Bismark]

quick question: From looking at photos, it looks to me that some harness have one buckle and some have two. (to facilitate light canister removal?) What is the standard or is it optional to have one or two buckles? Maybe the buckle on the right side (divers right) is supposed to be off to the side as I see it in some photos to make it easier to remove the light canister or to keep things more streamlined in the center of your body(??). A little help over here please

By the way Lynne, how were your dives in Nanaimo? My DIRF course is set to go on the end of march. Open to any advice...........

Cheers,

 

[cool_hardware52]

quick question: From looking at photos, it looks to me that some harness have one buckle and some have two. (to facilitate light canister removal?) What is the standard or is it optional to have one or two buckles? Maybe the buckle on the right side (divers right) is supposed to be off to the side as I see it in some photos to make it easier to remove the light canister or to keep things more streamlined in the center of your body(??). A little help over here please

By the way Lynne, how were your dives in Nanaimo? My DIRF course is set to go on the end of march. Open to any advice...........

Cheers,

I use two buckles, some people use only one. One is of course necessary to close the waist belt. The second buckle serves only to keep the canister from sliding off the right waist strap when the "main buckle" is not yet closed.

I use a plastic buckle to retain the can light, but only because I had a spare one.

Some divers don't have enough room on their waist for a canister, and two buckles right of the crotch strap. (This is not a problem I suffer from )

If you choose to use only one buckle you need to be very aware gearng up or you may find your canister bouncing on the deck and the cord yanking on the clipped off light head.

Tobin

 

[Bismark]

Okay, I think I get it. The second buckle is just attached on the harness but not used as a closure system. Just (as you said) to keep the light canister from sliding off the end of the belt when the belt is open. Perfect. Thanks Tobin.
PS- ordered some stuff from you the other day. A plethora of bungie mounts for timers, compass, etc.... Thanks.

Cheers,

 

[rjack321]

A 2nd buckle is a good idea, it just keeps the light canister on the right hand harness strap.

 

[DIR-Atlanta]

Old sk00l DIR (used mostly by cave divers) had one buckle only - the single waist strap buckle was positioned so as to retain the light canister when closed. As DIR began to branch out into other types of diving (particularly boat diving), the second buckle was added to secure the canister while removing gear in the water - this is sometimes required when diving from a small boat.

Tobin's comment about being careful to avoid dropping the light is spot on. I resisted the transition to the two-buckle system for years, because I felt the second buckle was a form of "sacrilege" that was unnecessary for the type of diving I do (caves). However, I changed my mind after one particular cave dive, when (during a careless moment) I allowed the canister to slip off the belt and land on the pavement. It split the canister about halfway up the side, which turned out to be a pretty expensive repair (Lexan canisters only in those days - no Delrin!).

I've been a "belt and suspenders" diver ever since.

 

[rjack321]

A recent Cave1 teammate was finger-wagged :no for not having 2 buckles. The fact that one of the instructor's canister lights which had just landed on the ground may have had something to do with it. Thankfully times change