Pro-Fit Harness Question

[BurBunny]

Have decided on the short DSS plate (thank you so much Tobin for recognizing there are short divers out there! At under 5' tall, while I can wear a traditional medium plate, this is just a much better fit). Since I often dive in situations where I have to take off my rig in the water (not to mention preferring to do so in most other circumstances), am looking at the Pro-Fit Harness over a Hog setup. But have a question.

The plastic closures on the shoulders don't give me any hesitation at all. I'm a rec diver and don't see those as a great risk for me. Not to mention the benefits for me outweigh the negligible risk. Neither do I think the plastic waist buckle is a problem, but I think I'd prefer a traditional stainless buckle for comfort and ease with customizing the fit (with weights on the webbing and possibly one pocket). Is this a possibility at all? Or is the waist buckle easily adjustable so I can fasten then adjust if I want? I sometimes like to tighten at depth when I have the full weight of my tank on my back as I can get it more snug than when I'm trying to brace myself against the tank on the dive boat. We short people have some definite challenges in equipment!

 

[Biodiversity_guy]

The pro-fit harness webbing is pretty soft. I am not sure it would work well to add weight on the waist band. Tobin would be a better one to answer this. You might want to PM him directly (his email is on his DSS website).

In the dives I have done with my DSS /pro fit harness, I have not had a problem with the plastic buckle.

I got a dive rite thigh pocket, for wetsuit use, that straps on the waist band and also on my thigh.

 

[fishb0y]

I bought both the Hog and the pro-fit harness. Save your money and get the hog.

While I am fond of all the work that Tobin put into the design of his harness, I feel the material is too flimsy and unless you have the straps Velcro'd together perfectly, the Velcro would dig into my neck. While it sounds extremely uncomfortable, it was more of a minor distraction.

When I started diving doubles with my DSS kit, I switched over to the hog harness and found it better in all areas such as comfort and easy or donning and doffing.

 

[BSea]

I had a similar concern. I modified the harness quite a bit to get exactly what I wanted. 1st I bought some stiff weight belt webbing and I use that for the belt with a stainless buckle like you are describing. I Just went through the outer slots and across the back of the BP. I then put a grommet in the center, and put the bolt that holds the wing to the plate through the webbing also.

Next I shortened the adjusting straps to go though the 2 slots on each side, and used a stainless weight keeper to keep it together. I've made about 25 dives with it rigged this way, and love it. I was a little concerned about the failure points, but I've checked them frequently, and they haven't budged.

I realise that what I described might be hard to visualise. If you're interested, I'd be glad to e-mail you some pictures of how I did it.

Having said all that, I found that once I had the adjustment right, I never used the adjustment straps since then. I added a sternum strap to the harness when I 1st got it, and that provides all the adjustment I need, and gives me plenty of slack to get in/out without using the plactic buckels on the sides. That may change when I get my dry suit.

I just bought my 2nd plate (AL for travel & warm water), and since I never had to make any adjustments to my 1st harness once it was set, I went with the Dive right deluxe harness. It has the sternum strap to give the slack, but no adjusting straps.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I had a similar concern. I modified the harness quite a bit to get exactly what I wanted. 1st I bought some stiff weight belt webbing and I use that for the belt with a stainless buckle like you are describing. I Just went through the outer slots and across the back of the BP. I then put a grommet in the center, and put the bolt that holds the wing to the plate through the webbing also.

Bsea,
We do not recommend bolting the wing to the plate. This defeats a primary benefit of our design, the quick and easy removal of the wing from the plate. The most common cause of damaged bladders is dropping a backplate with the wing attached, often in transport. Easy removal of the wing reduces the potential for such damage, makes clean up easier too.

Next I shortened the adjusting straps to go though the 2 slots on each side, and used a stainless weight keeper to keep it together. I've made about 25 dives with it rigged this way, and love it. I was a little concerned about the failure points, but I've checked them frequently, and they haven't budged.

If you don't need adjustment I'd recommend the Hogarthian harness.

Having said all that, I found that once I had the adjustment right, I never used the adjustment straps since then. I added a sternum strap to the harness when I 1st got it, and that provides all the adjustment I need, and gives me plenty of slack to get in/out without using the plactic buckels on the sides. That may change when I get my dry suit.

This is exactly why we no longer include the chest strap. (It's available optionally) Leaving the shoulder straps loose and drawing them together with the chest strap can imped breathing. A better solution is to have the shoulder straps properly adjusted to start with, then there is no need for a chest strap.


Regards,


Tobin

 

[BurBunny]

Thanks everyone for the input, and especially to Tobin for helping in PM.

BSea - hear you on the chest strap, but being busty, I've found those horribly uncomfortable, and definitely understand Tobin's point about potential breathing issues.

Am going for now with a Hogarthian harness, to be tested in the pool to see if I can easily doff and don unassisted. Will be good practice before the next trip in October.