Need BP/W Harness Advice

[keb001]

I'm in the process of piecing together my first BP/W. I've been diving a jacket style BC for about 15 yrs, and I've decided to switch for several reasons. Anyhow, I have 2 questions regarding the harness.

1) I want a one-piece style harness, and after looking at all the options, specifically the price ranges, are they all created equal? It appears to just be webbing with a grommet and clips/D-rings, so I struggle to understand why a basic harness ranges from $40 to $100. If they're all the same, should I piece one together or buy a kit?

2) How necessary is a crotch strap? It seems like it would be uncomfortable. I'll be diving this set-up in fresh water with a 3-5mm wetsuit or in warm salt water with no wetsuit.

Thanks is advance.

 

[tbone1004]

1. basically all the same unless you want one with low profile, or thick cold water d-rings, but most are the same.

2. very if you want it to dive properly. The fit of the harness in a jacket is very tight, you cinch down the shoulders and snug the waist belt to keep it from riding up on you. On a backplate, your crotch strap is what keeps the rig from riding up on you and the shoulder straps are left quite loose

I saw on another thread that you were headed to Jocassee for something. If you want to take a look at a couple of plates in person, I have steel and kydex plates from Deep Sea Supply and have access to a few other brands. I highly recommend against trying to piecemeal a bp/w and just buy a full set from someone. Deep Sea Supply is just under $500 all in for high quality Made in USA equipment that will last forever and you can save a few bucks and go with other brands that are all quite good, but you aren't going to save any appreciable amount of money by parting it out.

 

[decompression]

Quick answers
1. Yes, most harnesses are similar. 2" webbing and D rings......the webbing can have different stiffnesses. If you can piece it together yourself, all the better.
2. Yes, a crotch strap is a necessary part. It's not uncomfortable at all. It you are concerned try a 1" strap.

 

[rhwestfall]

Having worn my BP/W with everything from a dry suit and super heavy thermals to just a "jammers" (and many options in between), a crotch strap is really inconsequential (those scootering get to say differently) regarding comfort and essential for rig stability..... I can't imaging diving now without one....

YMMV

 

[victorzamora]

Having worn my BP/W with everything from a dry suit and super heavy thermals to just a "jammers" (and many options in between), a crotch strap is really inconsequential (those scootering get to say differently) regarding comfort and essential for rig stability..... I can't imaging diving now without one....

YMMV

My wife was aggressively opposed to the idea until she tried it. We added the 1" Dive Rite crotch strap to her Aeris ExLite and she hasn't done a dive without a crotch strap since.

As far as scootering, split crotch straps are a VERY, VERY significant improvement over traditional crotch straps.

 

[rhwestfall]

Yep, even my wife has accepted that it is okay..... goodness, was that a battle....

 

[keb001]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Lorenzoid]

My wife was aggressively opposed to the idea until she tried it....

When I first started talking with my wife about the possibility of us transitioning from our jacket-style BCs to BP/Ws, she said "CROTCH STRAP? Sounds like some kind of S&M thing!"

If the BP/W ever really catches on with the major recreational dive gear companies, their marketing departments surely can think up a more user-friendly name for this part.

 

[2airishuman]

I'm in the process of piecing together my first BP/W. I've been diving a jacket style BC for about 15 yrs, and I've decided to switch for several reasons. Anyhow, I have 2 questions regarding the harness.

1) I want a one-piece style harness, and after looking at all the options, specifically the price ranges, are they all created equal? It appears to just be webbing with a grommet and clips/D-rings, so I struggle to understand why a basic harness ranges from $40 to $100. If they're all the same, should I piece one together or buy a kit?

I pieced mine together because it was cheaper, but that was partially because I had some of the D-rings and glides from a transpak that I had scrapped.

I would encourage you to let cost be your guide, but get the pieces from a dive equipment place so that they are suitable for purpose (corrosion, etc).

2) How necessary is a crotch strap? It seems like it would be uncomfortable. I'll be diving this set-up in fresh water with a 3-5mm wetsuit or in warm salt water with no wetsuit.

It is absolutely necessary with these rigs because they have no cummerbund.

I find that 2" webbing will cause some chafing against my thighs when I am not wearing a wetsuit. I use 1" webbing on my tank backpack rig which is one way to solve it however the smaller webbing is more prone to catch the male genitalia in an awkward way. I've thought of sewing the sides of the 2" webbing to form a tube in the thigh area to solve it also but haven't done it.

 

[mattia_v]

1. What the others have said. There are differences in suppleness, however; the webbing on my GF's BP/W (Scubapro X-tek, though I'm not sure what the webbing is; LDS supplied and threaded) is less supple than mine (other LDS, Tecline gear). I prefer the slightly more supple stuff.
2. Crotch strap really helps, and is made of more supple material than the rest of the harnass. You don't notice its there in the water (diving a 3.5mm wetsuit in my case)