Harness recommendations

[carrielsal]

I am going to start tech training in the near future. Up until this point I have only used recreational bcd's.
I feel like a newbie again. I would like to know what other women are wearing for a harness. The single strap basic harness looks like it would dig into your shoulders and not fit well for a woman across the chest. I had a chance to try on (out of the water) an OMS IQPack. I was able to adjust the straps to where it felt comfortable. I have also looked at the Diverite transplate which appears to be very similiar.
I would like to know what other women are wearing. What you like about it and what you don't like about it.
Thanks,
Carrie

 

[TSandM]

I use a simple Hog harness. I'm 5'4" and 120 lbs. I found two things: One, I like a little softer and more flexible webbing than the heavy stuff that is used in a lot of harnesses. You can't go for anything like seat belt webbing -- that's too soft -- but the regular webbing comes in slightly different thicknesses. I use Halcyon webbing, but the same thickness is available from other sources.

Two, I cross my straps, so that the harness runs from the top left plate slot to the bottom right. This lowers the plate a little on my back, which is okay, but more importantly, it keeps the harness in the natural hollow between my neck and my shoulder. Running them straight made the webbing want to sit on the ball of my shoulder, and dig into the insides of my upper arms (I had nice linear bruises every time I dove!)

But anyway, I dive a simple harness in everything from a 3 mil wetsuit to a drysuit with very heavy undergarments, and haven't felt the need for anything else.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

I use a DiveRite Transplate harness with a 5lb Deep Sea Supply stainless steel plate. I'm 5'4", 155 lbs and on the busty side, but it fits me better than any jacket-style BC ever did. It's a very versatile rig: I use it to dive everything from doubles (steel 100's) to a single AL63. Diving singles calls for the use of 2 x 1lb single tank adapters, but I find that I'm perfectly weighted with 7lb of weight plus a 3mm suit. I carry an SMB in a square 'bag' that's clipped to my backplate and hangs unobtrusively over my butt - you'd never know it was there, but the SMB is easily reached if needed. (The bag is easily removed in preparation for cave diving.) I have a pocket threaded onto my waistband so I can carry a back-up dive light, a spool, and any garbage I recover while I'm diving (sad but true).

I love that my rig is so easy to customize. I also love the security of the rig - it feels good to know your tanks are 'bolted' onto your back. The weight distribution is great - it feels much easier to achieve optimal trim, too. The downsides are threading the whole thing up (I'm useless in that department, so you may need the voice and hands of experience to guide you, if you're ham-handed like me) and making subsequent minor adjustments. Moreover, while I appreciate the necessity of the crotch strap, it's really hard to feel dignified while you're bending over to grab the damn thing!

 

[BabyDuck]

yep, plain ol' hog harness. my wetsuit plate has the straps crossed and my drysuit plate doesn't.

if i were going to make my own plates, i'd have the shoulder strap slots closer to midline. grr.

 

[tstormdiver]

I have Dive Rite's deluxe harness. It is basically a Hog harness with a breast strap. I got that before I heard of the technique of crossing a regular harness. It has served me well, as I have virtually no shoulders (I can't even carry a purse). The only thing about the breast strap is I must rout it under the inflator valve of my drysuit,as it wants to sit right on top of it, As I found out this weekend, on my inflator valve it flooded my suit (forgot to hook up my inflator hose ) & when I did hook the hose up, it started very slowly filling. I didn't even realize it until I came to the surface & the air exited through my neck seal. I also like the extra D-rings on the deluxe harness for attaching stuff.

 

[Sas]

I am going to start tech training in the near future. Up until this point I have only used recreational bcd's.
I feel like a newbie again. I would like to know what other women are wearing for a harness. The single strap basic harness looks like it would dig into your shoulders and not fit well for a woman across the chest. I had a chance to try on (out of the water) an OMS IQPack. I was able to adjust the straps to where it felt comfortable. I have also looked at the Diverite transplate which appears to be very similiar.
I would like to know what other women are wearing. What you like about it and what you don't like about it.
Thanks,
Carrie

I use a hog harness.

LIKE
-I find it very comfortable in the water.
-Cheap to buy and to replace
-Reliable as it is one piece
-Easy to adjust

DISLIKE
-I have fairly stiff webbing so on bare skin it can be uncomfortable. I tend to only -have it on bare skin when walking around as I always wear a 7mm or a drysuit and it is not an isue.
-Harder to take off than a deluxe harness

 

[carrielsal]

I use a simple Hog harness. I'm 5'4" and 120 lbs. I found two things: One, I like a little softer and more flexible webbing than the heavy stuff that is used in a lot of harnesses. You can't go for anything like seat belt webbing -- that's too soft -- but the regular webbing comes in slightly different thicknesses. I use Halcyon webbing, but the same thickness is available from other sources.

Two, I cross my straps, so that the harness runs from the top left plate slot to the bottom right. This lowers the plate a little on my back, which is okay, but more importantly, it keeps the harness in the natural hollow between my neck and my shoulder. Running them straight made the webbing want to sit on the ball of my shoulder, and dig into the insides of my upper arms (I had nice linear bruises every time I dove!)

When you look at harnesses, how do you know how flexible the webbing it? Dive Rite describes their webbing as MIL-SPEC polypropylene webbing (not sure what this tells me), but when I look at Halcyon's webbing there is no description of the webbing itself.
Carrie

 

[carrielsal]

I have read that a disadvantage to the harness systems that are not a single piece of webbing is that the plastic buckles could break. How likely is that? Has anyone ever heard of that actually happening?

 

[Sas]

I have read that a disadvantage to the harness systems that are not a single piece of webbing is that the plastic buckles could break. How likely is that? Has anyone ever heard of that actually happening?

I had a quick release buckle break after about 50 dives. And I take care of my gear. So, it can happen. I will not use quick releases on my harness again.

 

[BabyDuck]

it *can* happen, especially on a boat if someone sits a tank on your harness. it is *not* common, and likely wouldn't be a reason to scrub a dive. you *could* dive without things connected but it wouldn't be as easy & comfy.