Hog vs Comfort style harness

[Colliam7]

Not sure if I should get an Hog or comfort style (DR Transplate) harness.

There are several aspects of the 'comfort style' harness to consider - the 'adjustability' compared to a single piece harness, whether the harness includes padding, the availability of quick releases, and whether the position of the releases interferes with other gear placement (e.g. clipping back-up lights to the straps). I find a single piece harness to be more easily adjusted than a 'deluxe' harness, if I change my exposure suit. I ultimately set up several BPs, for my wetsuit and for my drysuit, obviating the need to adjust the harness position from dive to dive. I haven't found shoulder padding, lumbar padding, etc. to offer any particular advantage, although it feels somewhat better on land. Quick releases are a potential point of failure, but may have some utility particularly in removing the harness. While their placement does conflict with clipping gear on my shoulder straps, I have clipped a back-up light 'across' (clip the bottom to a D-ring above the release, and secure the head with a piece of inner tube around the strap below the release) my right shoulder quick release, without problems. As several posters have mentioned, the choice is a matter of personal preference, and worth trying several harnesses if possible, to see what you prefer.

I have a friend that started with a HOG harness and went to something that was more adjustable, because he just did not like the HOG after he got his DS.

I dive a single piece (HOG) harness wet, singles or doubles. With a DS, I use a harness with shoulder quick-releases, simply because it is easier to get out of, in a DS, than a HOG. Perhaps, it is the thickness of undergarments which limits my range of (shoulder) motion in removing my gear, or that I am more fatigued after DS dives (which for me are usually deeper, longer, doubles dives). Nonetheless, I prefer to release the left shoulder clip to get out of the harness, instead of struggling to extricate myself from a single piece harness, after a DS dive.

 

[RJP]

Start with the HOG, buy something else if you don't like it, and make the harness into a weight belt.

+1 on that

 

[RJP]

I need to know a good starting point. Thanks.

Start with a hog harness. 15' of webbing costs next to nothing. If you decide to "upgrade" to something more convoluted - oh, sorry, I mean more comfortable - then you haven't lost much.

 

[CompuDude]

Late to the party, but I'll contribute this:

I started with a DiveRite TransPlate. I loved the looks, and the harness itself was totally fine. What did it in for me, as a couple of others have mentioned, was the backup lights. The quick release buckles were 100% in the wrong place for where I wanted to mount my backup lights (standard cave/DIR mounting). Additionally, the extra D-rings, that I thought were so great (more is better, right?) actually complicated things. How many things are you clipping off that you actually need two d-rings? If you're clipping more than 3-4 things, you're doing something pretty unusual. And it turns out with two d-rings, now you have to think about which d-ring you want to clip to. And unclip from. It's actually simpler and easier to just have one on each shoulder, which should be able to handle everything you could want to clip off and then some. Long hose reg, backup light, can light, and a spare double ender is the most I ever have on the right, and backup light, my camera leash and a deco bottle are all I ever have on the left. It's not difficult to deal with that few things on a loop the size of a standard 2" d-ring.

I switched to the hog harness style by simply buying a length of 2" webbing, and moving the hardware from my Transplate harness to the new hog harness. Very simple. Honestly, I had never used the quick releases before, so that wasn't missed. I could place all of the D-rings EXACTLY where I wanted... the releases on the TransPlate and the desire to keep 2 d-rings in a certain zone had always prevented the perfectly ideal placement before. And another thing, the padding on the shoulders? I can't tell the difference between padding and no padding (7mm or drysuit, a 3mm or less you may be able to tell easier) on land, and as everyone already pointed out, there's zero difference underwater. What I can tell you, is that the hog harness with it's single layer is LESS likely to catch and twist under than the shoulder pads were, and when it does twist under, it's easier to straighten out than the shoulder pads were. So the hog turned out to be considerably easier to put on, and about the same to take off (since I never really used the quick releases anyway).

Eventually, I bought new hardware, put my TransPlate harness back together, and sold it. $50 in my pocket for more gear was better than a backup harness I really didn't need collecting dust in the closet.

So what are the options? If you're determined, go ahead and get the Transplate. It'll serve you fine for a while (or forever), and IF later you decide you want the hog, you can sell the Transplate (money long since spent) and easily buy a full, new hog harness with the proceeds. If not, you're set. If you decide we're right, it's more money in the long run, but if that's what it takes to mentally satisfy you, it's not like diving the TransPlate for a while first is going to get you dead.

If you want to save money in the long run, though (and the short run), just get the Hog to begin with. Once you get the hang of getting it on and off (which isn't all that complicated, although dry glove rings make it a little trickier than wetsuits and/or wet gloves), you'll love it.

 

[atlas750]

Thanks fo all the help. I will start with the hog. I can always change if needed.

 

[PvtStash]

I use a Apeks WTX harness. The system is very flexible, adjustable, fits perfect and is very comfortable. I have zero regrets about using it.

What he said...