Is a crotch strap needed on a harness

[Divesherpa]

First, a question. Please excuse my ignorance. Why do you need a weight belt with a BP/wing?

Second, I have seen pockets in Extreme Exposure that fit onto webbing to hold weights. I believe around 15lbs. apiece. I never asked what they were for.

My problem has always been being too heavy, not too light.

 

[Lost Yooper]

I don't use a weight belt anymore (I use a drysuit). I use a small V-weight for my doubles, and I've integrated some weight into my STA for my single tank. If I were to go on vacation, I would use a weight belt routed as I described above.

Mike

 

[Divesherpa]

What kind of doubles and suit/insulation? I would like to lighten up a little, but I can't seem to get anymore positive.

 

[Lost Yooper]

I use double PST 95's, Bare 200g underwear, and an Abyss Pro Kevlar drysuit (collapsed neoprene). I use a SS Halcyon plate and 3lbs on my ankles.

Are you using an AL plate?

Mike

 

[VTWarrenG]

If you dive double steels with a crushed neoprene or trilaminate drysuit, you likely won't need any weight. If you do, you can use a v-weight.

I still dive wet (7mm) with singles (usually steel 95s), and need a weight belt to sink my wetsuit. The BP/wing doesn't eliminate the need for weight. If you opt for a stainless steel BP, though, you can remove a bit from your belt.

And BTW, the weight belt should but on before the harness. At least during technical dives, you're much more likely to get hurt rocketing to the surface because you lost your belt than to get hurt because you were stuck on the bottom for ten seconds.

- Warren

 

[Divesherpa]

I use Al in the Ocean, ABS in the caves. I've been using PST 104's in freshwater, but recently switched to sidemounting OMS 112's. With my drysuit, ABS Plate, the 112's, and 2 stages, I'm heavy as can be. I can't figure out where else to drop weight. The PST's and 2 stages overpower the Halcyon wing I'm using.
Any suggestions?

 

[Lost Yooper]

Umm...I think I would go with double 80's if I was that negative. That's kinda strange. You must be naturally really negative or something, eh? I'm more positive than most.

Mike

 

[trymixdiver]

maybe sherpas a bodybuilder, muscle is heavier than fat after all

TMD

 

[martinjc]

Mike (Yooper) - I have been wearing my weight belt OVER my crotch strap (makes for some fun acrobatics putting that baby on by myself - luckily my buddy has been willing to help out - but I digress...)

Anyway - I was thinking about your routing solution to prevent unintended surface 'flight' from an accidental unbuckling - and I was wondering, why the additional buckle on the weight belt? If I unbuckeld the weight belt to ditch - I would simply have to undue the front buckle that keeps my crotch strap attached to my BC waist strap - freeing it to drop to the sand...wouldn't this work??

This would force me to deliberatley unbuckle twice (belt and crotch strap)to ditch...which seems like enough redundancy...of course I would have to be sure my buddy was well aware of this set-up as well.

You have a lot more experience at this then me - let me know what you think...Thanks!

 

[Lost Yooper]

Right. By having the weight belt under the crotch strap you have to unbuckle your waist strap first then unbuckle the weight belt. It is simply my own preferrence to use two weight belt buckles - a third redundancy. The deal with the crotch strap catching the weight belt is fine, but once it happens to you, you'll find that getting it back on is a bit tricky -- especially a heavy belt. That said, at least having the crotch strap catch the belt, you may have saved yourself a trip to the chamber or worse.

Personally, I don't want my belt coming off unless I really, really want it off (which has never happened to me). The second buckle only takes a millisecond to undue, but dramatically decreases the odds of the belt accidentally coming off. Is it necessary? I don't know, but it makes me feel better, and it doesn't pose a significant threat of any sorts.

That's just how I do it .

Mike

PS. Yeah, you have to make sure your buddy knows what's going on by doing it this way. My buddy does it the same way -- if we were to use a weight belt, which we don't very often.