Just bought these

[Drewski]

Hi All:

Attached are the photos of my harness, as requested. The set-up includes twin 108s, an OMS 60 wing and a SS backplate. The harness is made out of weight belt webbing, plastic keepers, SS D rings, the OMS 90 and 45 "Billy" rings. I also added hose keepers and the "small" OMS pockets.

As you can see by the last picture, the harness fits more securely and is certainly more comfortable (at least for me) than the traditional style.

Trying something different, I mounted D-rings on the lower portion of the shoulder harness to clip BU lights to. The light mounts along the strap, is clipped to the ring, and can be secured to the strap by cut latex or other means.

As another poster mentioned, the D-ring on the waist strap prevents the system from pulling out. I positioned the waist strap D-rings to provide enough slack for me to go elbows in on the harness wearing my drysuit. Because the harness uses a chest strap, it also provides more slack to enter than a shoulder only system. In use, it works VERY easy. I haven't trimmed and secured the chest strap yet because I haven't dived it wet.

Yep, $120 is EXPENSIVE. I'm thinking the price is high because you are basically buying a prototype model. They are obviously hand-built and OVERBUILT of all SS. Together, they weigh about 3 LBS. If he jobbed it out, they would probably get smaller, better finish and cost $75 a pair.

I'm with rawls on the "comfort," however, it's an OUTSTANDING little piece of equipment!

 

[np251]

The bp harness that i use came with all the pieces needed to make it adjustable in pretty much the same way. In fact, a minor modification to any rig can be made to do this, and it actually adds to your save a dive kit.

Leave the lower right weight keeper that normally sits behind the plate off the harness.

This gives you a right shoulder strap section that can be extended by slipping the webbing back through the slot- leave about a half-foot length to grab once your in. Slip arm through left section, reach back to the expansive right arm section and place arm through, stand up while gripping the half foot of webbing and pull tight. If the harness is wet while doing this (i soak my entire rig at the same time as wetting the cambands prior to assembly) then wear on this section of webbing as you do this is minimal. Might webbing still looks as fresh as it did the day i got it 60 dives ago.

overall cost: - $2.50

 

[adurso]

Another vote in favor of these rollers from the arthritic crowd. Both of my shoulders are ruined, I was looking for an alternative as it was painful to manipulate my arms through my hog harness, and if I loosened the straps such that it was not painful to get into, the straps were too loose. George's rollers solved this

 

[Rick Inman]

Another vote in favor of these rollers from the arthritic crowd.

I have nothing against creative solutions for physical limitations that make standard equipment unusable. But I personally would have some issues with those rollers with my kit.

First of all, I like to keep my HID light canister tight up against my BP, secured by a buckle, so if I unclipped the waist strap the right side strap would not roll through the roller until I removed (or at least loosened) my canister. Also, the D ring on the left side would only allow a couple of inches of strap through the roller as well. So for all that extra metal, I'd have a very tiny benefit.

As to loaning my kit to others, if the harness is looser or tighter on someone than it is on me, and they adjust the waist length through the rollers, then the shoulder D rings are moved into incorrect locations as well. And really, the whole point of a harness system is to custom fit (securely) the system to the users individual body.

One day a buddy (mentor) said something to me for the hundredth time and the concept finally clicked in: Don't ever use gear to make up for training or technique.

If I was physically limited due to injury, I might use whatever it takes to make my system work so I could dive. But until then, I have a mindset that keeps my looking for ways to streamline and use less stuff, not more (however, I just broke this rule by buying a scooter ).

JMHO, YMMV.

 

[adurso]

I have nothing against creative solutions for physical limitations that make standard equipment unusable. But I personally would have some issues with those rollers with my kit.

First of all, I like to keep my HID light canister tight up against my BP, secured by a buckle, so if I unclipped the waist strap the right side strap would not roll through the roller until I removed (or at least loosened) my canister.... [snip]...If I was physically limited due to injury, I might use whatever it takes to make my system work so I could dive. But until then, I have a mindset that keeps my looking for ways to streamline and use less stuff, not more (however, I just broke this rule by buying a scooter ).

JMHO, YMMV.

Not all solutions are equitable. What works for me may not work for you and so on....I also liked anything on my waist snug to the plate, I have to adjust to the new reality.

It was so easy to don my BP much as donning a coat, reach back and shrug into place. After the surgery on the left side if I tried that my collarbone would punch through the front, at least that is what it feels like. The right side just stops.

I must say that this thread was what drew my attention to these rollers, I also saw an ad for the Pterodactyl plate which incorporates rollers into the design. When I was last at Olympus in early November I tried a crewmember's plate with the rollers and was sold. I had gone back to using an old BC because of my limited mobility.

These rollers are one of those things to use to make a system work

 

[Rick Inman]

Not all solutions are equitable. What works for me may not work for you and so on....

...and I am glad that you have found a solution that works after your surgery.:luxhello:

For myself, I tend to be a collector of junk, and if I'm not careful, I'll buy every widget that comes along and end up looking like this:

Thanks to Kenny for the funny pic from DiveMatrix.com.

 

[adurso]

I am far too familiar wih the "buy every cool widget syndrome"; I feel your pain...

 

[dkatchalov]

Oh my god - he's got his mask on his forehead!!! :11:

 

[Jeff Toorish]

The cost is that, if your waist buckle comes undone, your whole rig is then completely unstable.

Having had that happen to me twice, I'll live with the slots in the backplate.

The answer to that would be to use a couple of weight belt buckles (without the belt, of course) to tighten the belt. Just get everything all adjusted and then tighten the belt buckles against the roller and bingo --even if your belt came loose your waist straps would remain snug.

Jeff

 

[Zieg]

Seems to me as if this old backpack will do the job just as good. (took these pictures from the vintage scuba website) It kinda looks like the Pterodactyl.