Removing Hog Harness

[Rainer]

I did four dives in my first hog harness yesterday, while also doing my first four dry suit dives. The harness was rock solid in the water, but when it came time to take it off, both in the water (at the surface) for a drill, and out of the water (at a table), I found it rather difficult to get off. I'm hoping to get some tips about getting out of the harness, particularly while in the water (both underneath and at the surface). My biggest problem was getting the left strap over the dry suit exhaust valve. The best I came up with was to lower the stap off my left shoulder to the exhaust valve, then working the stap off of my right shoulder (just a bit), then reaching back and grabbing the tank from the bottom, and attempting to push it up to provide enough slack to get the strap over the exhaust valve. It eventually worked, but it wasn't pretty or fun. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[rjack321]

Make sure the straps aren't too tight (be able to slip a hand underneath)

my 6 step process:
With the long hose in your mouth but unlooped from your head
Deflate the wing
allow the tank to fall a tad deeper
slip your arms out
keep a crook in you left arm and hook the strap
grab inflator with left arm and reinflate the wing

YMMV

 

[MSilvia]

Make sure the wing is deflated. Bend your left arm so that your hand is almost in your arm pit, and then put your hand under the shoulder strap. From that position, it should be easy to get the strap off of your shoulder and free your arm without getting hung up on the dump valve.

I'd be happy to demonstrate in person some time (and help figure out what's wrong) if you're still stuck.

 

[DennisS]

Get a dive-rite deluxe harness, with the chest strap. It's soooo easy to get in and out of. If the chest clip breaks the harness is just a loose hog harness. Yeah I know, failure point, failure point, bad, bad, bad. You could probably use this thing as a parachute harness.

I like it, I changed from the straight hog harness because it was a pain to get in and out of, especially in the water.

http://www.scuba.com/shop/diving.asp_cat_5_scuba_1_gear_266105_pn_DIVE-RITE-DELUXE-HARNESS

 

[Rainer]

I just had a DSS pro-fit harness and replaced it with the hog, so no, I'm not going back (at least npt yet!). I just want to understand how everyone else is getting out so easily! I don't think I have it over-tight, but it didn't seem like I could easily chicken-wing the thing, but I'll try again. Matt, if I can't get it figured out in the next week or so, I'd love to get together for a dive or two to figure it out.

 

[Jasonmh]

I also do it the way that other people mentioned, but one other way is to pull it over your head. I remove the backup reg (if you have it around your neck), undo the waist/crotch strap, and with the primary in my mouth I reach back and grab the first stage/tank valve, and pull it over my head. What you are really doing here is not so much lifting it over your head, but pushing your body under the water and the entire rig just slides across the surface of the water. Hope that makes sense, it is quite easy to do if you try it.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It gets easier with practice. I use the "chicken-wing" method described by MSilvia. Making sure the wing is deflated is important. Of course, if you're doing it in the water you'll need to keep enough air in the wing to float the rig ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Jason B]

I also chicken wing it, but here goes another option.


http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/esm/staff/pages/shartley/projects/gear/harness_doff_surface.mov


http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/esm/staff/pages/shartley/projects/gear/harness_doff_uw.mov

 

[Jasonmh]

I also chicken wing it, but here goes another option.


http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/esm/staff/pages/shartley/projects/gear/harness_doff_surface.mov

Yes, that is what I was trying to describe. The video shows it much better than I described it.

 

[Rainer]

Well that video sure makes it look easy. No one having a problem with that method in a dry suit?