Suspenders for weightbelt

[Tractor Tom]

I took on a small upgrade project yesterday (Sunday). Because I dive with a drysuit, I find myself wearing more than 20 lbs of weight in one of the new style weightbelts (the kind with zipper pockets) and have seen a couple with suspenders on them. When I asked at the LDS I was told it was a $50 custom job to put the shoulder straps on. So, Sunday afternoon, we hit the local fabric shop. I purchased 5 yards of 1" wide webbing, and two fastex adjusters. Along with the new needles for the sewing machine, the cost was around $12. Sat down a the machine and ripped out some pocket seams on the belt so I could unfold it some. Ripped the the seam along the webbing of the belt and slipped the 1" webbing in place to form a loop over the big webbing of the belt and stitched it in place. After that was in place, I stitched the webbing of the belt back in place. Then I crossed the 1" webbing in the back and stitched them together in the back. Then I formed loops and slipped them over the belt in the front and stitched them in place as well and made the connections at the buckles. So now I have adjustable shoulder straps on my weight belt! Seems to work great, will be trying it in Kingston this weekend. The obvious question is, if you have to drop your weight belt, how do you do it? Well, the crotch strap of my backplate keeps everything in place anyway, so I'll release the crotch strap, unbuckle the belt and then cut the straps with my snips and down the belt goes, without removing my backplate. This seems like a good work around....

 

[Bob3]

... it was a $50 custom job to put the shoulder straps on.

Dang!!
The Poseidon weight harnesses sell some places for only $65.
There is an aftermarket set of suspenders available, by the way. Can't recall what it runs though. It's made out of 2" webbing, loops are secured with plain old keepers & the quick releases are plain old weight belt buckles.

 

[Tractor Tom]

I was just at the LDS, they were showing me a weight belt with one of their custom suspenders on it, 2" webbing and two plastic weight belt buckles, all sewn to a weight belt just like mine. I may need to add some pieces of 2" webbing as shoulder pads, as the straps may tend to 'dig in' after a while. I'll try it without at first and se how it works out.

How you been?

 

[Bob3]

... add some pieces of 2" webbing as shoulder pads ...

That's the usual way it was done; I have a couple of old Waterlung steel backpacks that use 1" webbing; there is some 2" in way of the shoulders & it works nicely.
I'm in FL right now, bug season opened today. We're waiting for the price to go up, it usually rises by almost $1 / lb within the first week or 2.

 

[Tractor Tom]

....heading out to Kingston, ON for some wreck diving tomorrow morning. Will dive Fri, Sat and Sun and drive back to MI on Monday all day. Look forward to some good diving in warm water (reports say that Kingston is 70+ degrees at 50 ft. on some of the wrecks. I won't need my big 5mm gloves, or my Softwear Undies this trip!