The Jet Harness

[oatmeal769]

Good morning all –
SeaJay – Quite the contrary to being offended, I’m really very flattered. I think you offer some really excellent points, and it’s obvious that you took some time to look at the site and really absorb it with an open mind. It definitely speaks volumes about your character. I knew going into this thing that our plate and wings are not DIR, and that we’d probably take some heat, but I’m glad to know there are people out there who approach things with a willingness to think objectively. Glad to know we're on the right track with customer service, We're relying heavily on word of mouth, so customer satisfaction is the most important thing.

Actually, it has been on my list to take a DIR course for a while, if for nothing more than to add it to my hopper, and to get some different perspectives, which is always good. You are absolutely right in that one can always learn more. I like the Dive Training magazine slogan – ‘A good diver is always learning.’ I need to get my full cave stuff done first, and I’m closing in on my instructor rating for DSAT Tec deep, not to mention running a new company, but we’ll see. I hardly have time to dive myself anymore, I went from 8 – 10 dives a week last summer to 2 or 3 a week this year… Uggh! I plan to be in FL this spring for the cave stuff, (already have a trainer) perhaps you know someone in the area you’d recommend for a DIR course? I could kill two birds with one stone that way.

As far as plates, I think I may have dived all the major manufacturers. Right now my tekkie rig is set up on a Highland Millworks plate and hardware, and I’m really happy with it. Like I said though, we are feverishly working to get our own doubles plate out so that we can offer doubles harnesses made completely in house. Right now, we’ll put a harness to any one else’s plate, but I’d rather the plate said Jet Harness on it.

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on the chest strap… For me, it’s a must have, but I have friends who love the continuous design.
A word of advice, you might not want to refer to your significant other as ‘bony’, she might prefer words like ‘lithe’ or ‘willowy’ a little better… : )
Catch you later!

 

[SeaJay]

oatmeal769 once bubbled...
Good morning all –
SeaJay – Quite the contrary to being offended, I’m really very flattered.

Good.

I knew going into this thing that our plate and wings are not DIR, and that we’d probably take some heat...

Yeah, man... Kudos for not letting the debate curb your desire to introduce your product.

Actually, it has been on my list to take a DIR course for a while, if for nothing more than to add it to my hopper, and to get some different perspectives, which is always good.

Yeah, man... I totally agree. People who take the DIR-F course historically value it above any other training that they've had. If someone were to ask me, I'd have to agree with that from my own personal experience with it. In fact, I'm working on taking it again, mainly to prove to myself that my practicing has paid off.

I plan to be in FL this spring for the cave stuff, (already have a trainer) perhaps you know someone in the area you’d recommend for a DIR course? I could kill two birds with one stone that way.

That's a great idea!

The GUE site often shows class schedules, but the list often is incomplete. I recommend giving Extreme Exposure, arguably "the" DIR shop, a phone call. They're in High Springs, Florida... Basically in the heart of cave country.

Extreme's contact information - including their phone number and email address, is at http://www.extreme-exposure.com/contact.shtml. They're great guys there, and will go to greath lengths to help you and help get you into a class.

DIR-F is taught only by a very limited number of people... I believe that the number is something like 35 now, worldwide. I haven't met one individual who is not aimed at a complete and total committment to thier students I took my last DIR-F course from AndrewG (GUE training director) and MHK (Michael "Amazing Talent" Kane), and would recommend these two wholeheartedly... But I don't think there's a bad DIR-F instructor in the group. By the way, Mike is on this board occassionally. Do a search for "MHK" and send him a PM.

Let me know when you plan to take your DIR-F course... I'd be thrilled to buddy up.

As far as plates, I think I may have dived all the major manufacturers.

Very cool.

Perhaps you'll show me one of your plates before/during/after class. I'd love to get the opportunity to dive one.

I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on the chest strap… For me, it’s a must have, but I have friends who love the continuous design.

Interesting.

I've never dived a chest strap on a backplate... Any time I've dived with a chest strap, it's always been on a "regular" BC... So I can't comment on it from personal experience.

With the way that my harness fits me, I can't see the point of a chest strap... In fact, I believe that a chest strap and parallel shoulder straps would make the harness more difficult to doff. Also, there is an inherent stability achieved by shoulder straps that are angled toward each other and lying across a stable part of the diver's body (the end of the pectoral muscles, basically in the armpit). I can't imagine that any other design could be as stable, especially if you purposely pull the strap out of the 'pit and onto a vertical surface, where there is no lateral support for it.

I also believe that the chest strap may interfere with some drysuit inflation valves... Not that I have that problem, since I don't dive dry. But I can imagine that it'd be a problem for many who do dive dry.

...Anyway, those are my beliefs, based on what I've been taught and what I've experienced with chest straps on "regular" BC's. I would love to try it out on a bp/wing, though... Who knows? Perhaps there's something I missed. If you say it's great, then it's definitely worth a good, hard look.

A word of advice, you might not want to refer to your significant other as ‘bony’, she might prefer words like ‘lithe’ or ‘willowy’ a little better… : )
Catch you later!

Good point.

 

[lilzaphod]

Ok, so I have been a lurker for quite some time now, and I thought I should chime in here.

I am now the proud owner of a Jet Harness Flat back plate. This will be my first "true" harness, but not my first harness style BC. I have dove both the Zeagle Ranger and the DiveRite Transpac II rigs. The Ranger was a nice change from the Jacket Style BCs I had been using, and the Transpac II cut off all the extra crap that I felt that Zeagle had tacked on. I also feel that the Transpac II felt a little more solid in my hands than the Ranger did, like the webbeing, etc was a little sturdier. Now enter the Jet Harness. All I can say is wow. This harness feels like it could withstand a nuclear holocaust. I mean it has total Brick $#!t House construction.

The fit when I got it was a little loose, but even though it's "custom built" to my specs, there was a simple slider adjustment that allowed me to snug it up to a perfect fit. This is great, because I dive all three dive seasons. Tropical, California wet, and California Dry. (Ice Diving will never enter my vocab, sorry.) I should be able to adjust it from Dry suit to Birthday suit in just a couple of minutes.

Jeff is a real pleasure to work with, is very knowledgeable about his product, and others out on the market. I really appreciate his "never say no, unless I really have to" mentality. He took the time to make sure I was happy with my harness, and actively wants input into how he can make his company the best.

At this point, all I have left to do is to dive the rig. I'm hoping to get a beach dive in this weekend to try my new rig. I'll drop a line once I have more to report.

 

[wdm]

Has anybody out there used the Jet Pack/Harness & bladder system sold on ebay?

 

[LUBOLD8431]

The search button is your friend. There are a few people here that have used them, and have had positive comments...

Search for "Jet Harness"...

 

[LioKai]

I love the Jet Harness. I have two of them, an ABS and a SS. It is the most comfortable BCD I have ever used, and I've used a lot of them.

The profile of the flat plate is deceiving, it doesn't look like it would fit your back correctly, but it fits like a dream. The custom fitted harness fits perfect, right out of the box. With the flat plate and no STA, the tank is as close to your back as possible, giving the least amount of sway or role to the side, of any back plate and wing combo on the market. A client shot a photo of me wearing the Jet Harness, You couldn't see the harness, plate, or the wing. (we were horizontal and facing each other). I was concerned with the flat plate setting the tank too close and I would hit my head on the valve/first stage, but I was wrong, I didn't even come close to hitting my head. I tried using the tanks with the largest (tallest) valves that we have here, and I still didn't come close to hitting my head. You also can't beat the size and space ratio for traveling.

For diving singles, the Jet cannot be beat for comfort, size, and value. I do about 200 dives a year and I shoot production video of aquatic behaviors. I have been on dives where I've spent several hours patently waiting for fish to spawn. That's a lot of time to decide weither a BCD is comfortable or not. I dive in everything from a skin to a drysuit, and I would not trade the Jet for anything.

A few weeks ago someone posted a comment saying that a backplate and wing is a backplate and wing is a backplate and wing. They obviously have never tried a Jet Harness, or they would not be saying that they are all the same.

I am a big fan of this BCD, as if you couldn't tell.

Matthew J D'Avella

 

[Kncaffrey]

Hi,

I have done my search for the jet harness posts, so don't whack me with a "search function" reply. I also have a BP and wings for doubles, so don't anyone bother asking me if I have tried them first before attempting to try ever newer and ever more different combinations of goodies...I'm a gear head, many can relate. But I want to know anyone's opinion on the jet harness wing in particular. I like the fact that there seems to be a tough, inexpensive alternative to the pioneers and such, but I want to see if anyone has had actual experience with them. Thanks.

KC

 

[LUBOLD8431]

The problem is they only sell thru the internet, and there are no dive shops that are dealers for them and carry them in stock for someone to look at. Also, I dont even remember seeing them at DEMA in October. So, not too many people have had any experience with them at all...

 

[LioKai]

Hi,

I have done my search for the jet harness posts, so don't whack me with a "search function" reply. I also have a BP and wings for doubles, so don't anyone bother asking me if I have tried them first before attempting to try ever newer and ever more different combinations of goodies...I'm a gear head, many can relate. But I want to know anyone's opinion on the jet harness wing in particular. I like the fact that there seems to be a tough, inexpensive alternative to the pioneers and such, but I want to see if anyone has had actual experience with them. Thanks.

KC

Aloha KC
I thought that I answered your question? (see above). You can contact Jeff directly via email or telephone and he will get back to you promptly. Check out his website for specific info.

I have not heard any negative feedback from anyone who has actually tried the Jet Harness. Talk to Jeff about arrangments to try one, or there might be someone in your area that has one for you to check out.

My opinion is to order it, you will love it. As I said before, I have two of them. I know of four people with Jet Harnesses here on the Big Island, and all four of us dive three to five days a week.

Matthew J D'Avella

 

[Kncaffrey]

Yeah, looking back on it, you did answer a bit of my question. I was hoping someone who was a rabid Halcyon nut would compare the 26# Jet wing with the 27# halcyon and tell me how they behaved in the water, but the point above that since they only sell on Ebay there are fewer of them around is well taken. I'm not in a hurry...I'll do my homework. Thanks for the replies. Cheers.

KC