newbie BP/W questions

[hmoffatt]

Hi,

I'm in the market for my first BC of any type and am attracted to the BP/W setup. I have a few questions;

How do you get it sufficiently tight on you, and yet still able to get it on and off your shoulders? Do you need to thread some webbing back through the plate to get it off?

Is a deluxe harness with quick releases a good idea? I see some say it's unnecessary and in some ways inconvenient. I'm looking at the Zeagle in particular but I'm not fussy at this stage.

Would I expect to reduce my weight (ballast) requirements much? In a rental BCJ and a 7mm wetsuit with a steel tank (err, I think) I'm carrying almost 30lb of extra weight. Zeagle has optional weight pockets which attach to the BP, with a max of 20lb. Though I noticed some divers put non-ditchable weights on the back of the rig too. Would you ever get away without a weight belt? Or put weight on the waist strap?

Where do you stash SMBs and the like - with add-on pockets?
Anything else I should know or buy at the same time?

thanks
Hamish

 

[FredT]

The crotch strap snugs the shoulders when you hook it up.
Quick release shoulder straps are a bad thing, a good thing, or a neutral thing based on what type of diving you do.
Cavers don't use them for some VERY good reasons, and wreckers who do wreck penetrations discourage them too. Hunters in entanglement rich low visibility environment want a single shoulder quick exit QR (I fit this model) and the rec reef watchers/photogs like them for convenience sake, but don't really NEED them.

SMB for me is stored at the bottom of the plate on 2 bungees. Others use different methods.

Single steel with a wetsuit and steel plate you shouldn't need much in the way of additional ballast. See what you need on a belt for the diving you do, then you can either add permanent weight to the plate, ditchable weight to the waist strap, or a belt. Fit YOUR rig to what YOU do.

I manufacture custom plates and have seen folks who needed a 1 pound plate to make their ballast and trim, and others who needed a 30 pound plate to get their rig working correctly. Granted they were vastly different divers doing vastly different dives, but the point being was that they had to do some trial dives to get that worked out. Don't be in a hurry to get your gear tuned. Take your time and change one thing, dive it a few times, then see if you need to change something else to improve trim and balance.

 

[scarefaceDM]

This should help you understand.

As for the SMB...as mentioned above or in a back plate storage pack.

Hogarthian Harness Assembly Instructions - Dive Gear Express

https://www.deepseasupply.com/index.php?page=instructions

 

[Colliam7]

How do you get it sufficiently tight on you, and yet still able to get it on and off your shoulders? Do you need to thread some webbing back through the plate to get it off?

You shouldn't have to unthread webbing to don or doff. You can adjust the shoulder straps so they are sufficiently loose to allow your arms to slip into and out of the harness, but sufficiently tight to hold the plate snugly against your back after you bring your shoulders forward to their normal position, As FredT notes, the crotch strap can be an aid in adding snugness and stability (although some divers suggest even a crotch strap is unnecessary).

Is a deluxe harness with quick releases a good idea? I see some say it's unnecessary and in some ways inconvenient.

As FredT also notes, it depends on the type of diving you do (and who you speak to). For single tank, 3mm wetsuit, recreational diving I don't find a quick release useful. However, for drysuit diving (or thick wetsuit diving), I use a harness with a single QR on the left side. It is simply a convenient aid to getting out of the rig at the end of a dive. I can do without it, but I allow myself that luxury. Some deluxe harnesses also have shoulder padding, which is quite unnecessary (unless you are someone who does a great deal of shore diving, requiring a long gear carry to the entry point).

Would I expect to reduce my weight (ballast) requirements much? In a rental BCJ and a 7mm wetsuit with a steel tank (err, I think) I'm carrying almost 30lb of extra weight.

Yes, you would. Most non-BP BCDs are slightly / somewhat positively buoyant. So, you are carrying weight to offset that buoyancy. With a 6 lb SS backplate, a simple peice of webbing and a streamlined wing, you are still negative to begin with.

Would you ever get away without a weight belt?

Possibly. A single steel 120, and a 3mm westuit, and a SS BP does the trick for me, in fresh water. In any event, the amount of weight on my waist is much less with a SS BP.

Or put weight on the waist strap?

I do not. I prefer a weight belt, as I have a knife and canister light and a D-ring on my waist strap already. You can also put a small amount of weight in trim weight pockets that fit on the tank cam bands, or in pockets sold by various manufacturers that attach to the plate itself. But, putting all the weight on the rig just makes it a little more difficult to move around on land.

Where do you stash SMBs and the like - with add-on pockets?

You can attach a SMB to the bottom (or lower side) of the plate with a couple of loops of bungee cord. Or, if you have a Halcyon plate with a MC Storage Pak, or OMS plate with a cover, you can stow the SMB between the cover and the plate, and pull it out when needed. Or, you can get pockets that fit on the waist strap (Halcyon makes a nice, rigid-back pocket). Or, you can get some X-shorts that fit over you wetsuit, and have pockets. Or, you can have pockets sewn / glued on your wetsuit (my 'wet' preference), or get a drysuit with pockets (my overall preference).

 

[tflaris]

Hi,

I'm in the market for my first BC of any type and am attracted to the BP/W setup. I have a few questions;

How do you get it sufficiently tight on you, and yet still able to get it on and off your shoulders? Do you need to thread some webbing back through the plate to get it off?

Is a deluxe harness with quick releases a good idea? I see some say it's unnecessary and in some ways inconvenient. I'm looking at the Zeagle in particular but I'm not fussy at this stage.

Would I expect to reduce my weight (ballast) requirements much? In a rental BCJ and a 7mm wetsuit with a steel tank (err, I think) I'm carrying almost 30lb of extra weight. Zeagle has optional weight pockets which attach to the BP, with a max of 20lb. Though I noticed some divers put non-ditchable weights on the back of the rig too. Would you ever get away without a weight belt? Or put weight on the waist strap?

Where do you stash SMBs and the like - with add-on pockets?
Anything else I should know or buy at the same time?

thanks
Hamish

Link below:

DIR-diver.com - Adjust the backplate
Adjusting the backplate/harness

by GUE Instructor Cody Gardner (inactive) and Peter Steinhoff.

It's important to have the harness properly adjusted. It doesn't have to be super tight but it shouldn't be sloppy either. This is a guideline that will help you get it right.

If you are tall like me, (6'5", 1.95m) you may need to wear the backplate slightly lower than in the pictures.
When you do the adjustments try to wear something of similar thickness to your underwear or wetsuit.

Adjustment checklist:
Make sure the harness is properly weaved.
Adjust the length of the shoulder straps.
Adjust the height of the shoulder D-rings.
Check that it's evenly adjusted.
Adjust the waist strap.
Adjust the left D-ring.
Adjust the length of the crotch strap.
Adjust the back D-ring.
1. Is the harness properly weaved?
Before we start, make sure you have the harness properly weaved. It should be a one-piece harness and it must be weaved like this to work.
2. The length of the shoulder straps.
Adjust the harness so that you can easily reach back and touch the upper part of the plate. The top of the plate should be an inch or so below your prominent vertebra (the one that sticks out). Don't put on the crotch strap or waist belt just yet.
3. Placement of the shoulder D-rings.
Extend your arms and close your eyes. Make sure your thumbs touch the D-rings when you bring your arms in.

Make sure the D-rings aren't too low - they will restrict your range of motion otherwise.




4. Make sure that the right and left side are the same.
Double-check that you got the same shoulder strap length on both sides and that the D-rings are placed in the same spot. Adjust if necessary.

5. Adjust the waist strap.
The waist strap shouldn't be too tight and it should never restrict your breathing. Make sure the buckle is on your right side. You can place it all the way back to hold the canister light in place but most people use a second buckle for that.

Weave the buckle like this:






6. Adjust the left D-ring.
Align it with the center of your body.

7. Adjust the crotch strap.
The crotch strap should be fairly loose. Pull on it and make it an inch (25mm) longer than what it takes to reach the waist strap.


If you are not flying scooters, you can stow your D-ring like this. We don't do that any more. Always keep the D-ring deployed.



8. Adjust the back D-ring.
Sometimes you need to clip things to your back D-ring. Put it as high as possible but not under your tanks.


Tips and tricks
If you intend to scooter I recommend fixating your crotch strap with bolts or by sewing when you are satisfied with the adjustments. Several people have had the crotch strap come undone on serious dives.

Now you are all set up!
Happy diving!

Hope this helps.

 

[hmoffatt]

Hm thought I posted this from work but obviously went home and forgot it

Thanks for all the info, a couple of follow-up questions;

How does the crotch strap attach to the waist band at the front?

What are all the D rings typically used for, particularly the ones around the waist?

The Zeagle weight system for attachment to the backplate seems to be well regarded on these forums, any drawbacks compared putting it all in a weight belt?

thanks
Hamish

 

[almitywife]

........The Zeagle weight system for attachment to the backplate seems to be well regarded on these forums, any drawbacks compared putting it all in a weight belt?

thanks
Hamish

I use this and i love it - i wont go back to a weightbelt (i dive with 8lbs of lead btw). only thing to mention is that you need to give it an extra hard tug to undo the velcro (as mine is very new) but if i need to dump weights then i guess the adrenaline will be running high enough for that not to be an issue. http://www.divetub.com.au/product.asp?pID=892&cID=17

if you havent already spoke to Chris at DiveTub (mr aussie zeagle) please do so and tell him Lorraine says hi

if youre up in sydney im happy to show you my zeagle gear

cheers

 

[Colliam7]

How does the crotch strap attach to the waist band at the front? What are all the D rings typically used for, particularly the ones around the waist?

Usually, there is a sewn loop on the 'front' end of the crotch strap, that slips over the loose end of the waist strap before buckling. I have also known people to attach a quick release 'half' to a sewn loop, slip that over the waist strap and attach it to the other QR half that is attached to the crotch strap. Waist D-rings are useful for clipping the SPG (left side ring), or a reel (usually the right side ring), or clipping the bottoms of pony bottles or deco bottles (where the top of the bottle is clipped to a chest D-ring).

 

[rongoodman]

My first BC after OW was a BP/W and I've never looked back. As others have mentioned, the shoulder straps don't have to be super snug. I'm having some aggravation with mine now due to a recent arm injury, but they're still workable. Since you mentioned a wet suit, though, one suggestion I have is to just have a couple of pockets glued/sewn onto the legs. If you start putting add-on pockets on the waist belt, it can quickly become crowded and cluttered when combined with the other things that go there, such as knives, can lights, buckles, and D-rings.

 

[hmoffatt]

I use this and i love it - i wont go back to a weightbelt (i dive with 8lbs of lead btw). only thing to mention is that you need to give it an extra hard tug to undo the velcro (as mine is very new) but if i need to dump weights then i guess the adrenaline will be running high enough for that not to be an issue. http://www.divetub.com.au/product.asp?pID=892&cID=17

if you havent already spoke to Chris at DiveTub (mr aussie zeagle) please do so and tell him Lorraine says hi

if youre up in sydney im happy to show you my zeagle gear

cheers

Thanks Lorraine, I've been in touch with Chris via email and he's been great. I'm in Melb so can't take a look but I'm going to go ahead and buy the Zeagle gear.