I'm curious about the rationale for these suggestions, as I've seen this sort of thing come up before and I don't have a good familiarity with what drives the decision.
1.) Is the low pressure inflator hose being a couple inches longer than necessary (if it is, I can't judge it) a hassle? Would it be worth buying a shorter one?
2.) I've often seen people advise the 'single piece of webbing' route, but I thought that was because it's cheaper than the deluxe harnesses, and that if anything happened (say, a strap was somehow cut or so damaged you wanted to replace it), you had to rethread the whole thing.
Looking at that photo, I take it he's already got one of the deluxe (by whatever name) harnesses. Does a single piece of webbing still have some sort of advantage?
3.) The criticism of unnecessary D-rings is one I've heard elsewhere before. They are fairly small and unobstrusive, and I'm guessing the idea is to make sure there're enough (the idea of partially unthreading a harness to add one later is off-putting to me, at least). It is just a matter of taste, or are they seen as problematic? Any thoughts on how many D-rings ought to put on a system?
I've been wondering about some of these things, based on what I've read in other threads, so when you brought it up, I figured this would be a good time to ask somebody.
Thread hijack. Many folks transitioning from a more conventional BC feel the need for a "comfort" harness. These are usually overly festoooned with additional and multiple D-rings and plastic snaps. If a feller likes all of that and enjoys it and may even have use for it, by my leave, I do not care. But, since you asked and perhaps at some point the OP may wish to simplify his rig, a Hog(arthian) rig has three (unbent) D rings, one on each shoulder strap up high at nipple level and one on the left hip. Some folks may add a fourth on the right hip to clip a sausage off. As well, there is usually a scooter (camera) ring on the front of the crotch strap and often another on the crotch strap way up against the plate. That is it, no more D rings. The webbing is usually the stiff or at least the semi-stiff type to ease doffing and donning. Yes, one piece webbing can be a PITA to set up the first time, after that the pain tolerance is grown accustomed too.
I like those Legend regs, nice! Since the OP is a big guy, tall, I would suggest a 24 inch for his secondary and a 22 inch for his BC inflator and a 30 for his spg (or a 26 if good eyesight).
As to plastic clips, well, they are a failure point and an unessacary complication. So, I hear that is silly because they never break. Well they do break/crack, usually along the mold seam. And, there is just no reason to have them. I could say, and it is just an opinion, if a divers wants to go BP/wing, then just do it Hog or Minimalist and leave the fluff and extras behind in the wake. One of my rigs, my most used kit, not pure Hog but close enough, modified to my uses:
A rant, I hate bent D-rings! The D-rings flip up and down so why do we need them bent except to catch on stuff and get in the way, especially if a feller was to have a dozen of them all over.
And on topic, I prefer to get what I ordered and picked out. If a substitution is needed because the product ordered is not available then I would like to have that clarified by the seller before shipping.
James
