purpose of cumberbund

[divad]

Hi all,
what is the point of the cumberbund?

It's a good place to keep your tickets for a black tie event.

 

[flots am]

Hi all,
This is probably a stupid question...but what is the point of the cumberbund?

When you find out, let me know. I took mine off about 10 years ago and tossed it in the closet because "it must be good for something".

So far, it only seems to be good for adding ~$50 to the price of a BC.

flots.

 

[herbdb]

If you are not using the cumberbund, then you have to tighten the straps pretty tight to keep everything in place. I pull the shoulder straps enough to keep the tank from sagging and the other straps stay loose. The elastic cumberbund keeps everything in place without being restrictive. I don't want a BCD to fit like a parachute harness, been there done that.

 

[rambaldi]

The cummerbund is to keep everything sitting tight to your back. The adjustable with quick release buckle shouldn't be used to keep the plastic back plate tight to you. Most jacket style BCDs have part of the inflatable bladder curving around your body, to the quick release buckle. If you have the buckle + strap tight and you need to fully inflate the BCD then the bladder presses against you making it harder to breath. This is more of an issue with newer divers who are more likely to have a fully inflated BCD and require the extra comfort/breathing room due to being a little panicked. Not all BCDs have the bladder fold around as much so this may not be an issue for you, or it may not be an issue for you as the BCD is never inflated enough to impair your breathing.

 

[diverrex]

The cummerbund is to keep everything sitting tight to your back. The adjustable with quick release buckle shouldn't be used to keep the plastic back plate tight to you. Most jacket style BCDs have part of the inflatable bladder curving around your body, to the quick release buckle. If you have the buckle + strap tight and you need to fully inflate the BCD then the bladder presses against you making it harder to breath. This is more of an issue with newer divers who are more likely to have a fully inflated BCD and require the extra comfort/breathing room due to being a little panicked. Not all BCDs have the bladder fold around as much so this may not be an issue for you, or it may not be an issue for you as the BCD is never inflated enough to impair your breathing.

Also not an issue with a back inflate BC, hence that's why the Seaquest Balance doesn't use one

 

[VicScubaVentures]

Also not an issue with a back inflate BC, hence that's why the Seaquest Balance doesn't use one

But the Seaquest Black Diamond does.
It is the one thing I like least about my otherwise perfect (for me) BCD.

C.

 

[cnar]

I have an older TUSA BC with an independent harness. The cummerbund allows the harness to stay snug against my body through depth changes especially during descent where my suit compresses. The other straps are more so for keeping the sides of the BC from flailing in the water. With the TUSA BCJ the the air cell is separate but having the harness snug keeps the tank stable as it is strapped onto the harness. If adjusted properly it may feel a little tight on the surface but at depth its very comfortable. BP/W divers have no need for cummerbunds but many Jackets won't fit well without them unless you add a crotch strap to keep them stable.