Using elite 2 harness without the shoulder pads?

[eelnoraa]

Because it's Hollis Canada who don't have stock of the large size. And they were the ones saying it is the same.

Im sure I could ask the store to make Hollis send the right pads. But we already built up my new full bpw set up and I don't want to wait weeks for a replacement.
It was part of a pretty huge order of dive kit and it's all pretty much arrived and I want to get out diving while our lakes are not frozen!

And to be honest I don't think the pads really do anything. I think they are purely there to appeal to people switching from a big padded jacket style bcd.

hmmm, there are plenty of place will ship to Canada, such as these
Hollis Elite 2 Adjustable Harness System
Hollis Elite 2 Harness | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba

No?

I just don't like the idea of buying a commodity product (not unique nor exclusive), at the retail price, and still don't get what I really want. If you don't need the paddings, it is all good. But how confident are you about "the only difference is the size of the shoulder pad" part?? I thought you got wrong info from them before.

 

[crunchiespg]

I had an Elite 2. On mine I could not remove the pads because the webbing was stitched to the pads.

Are you sure it wasn't just the lower layer of the webbing threaded through the pad? The webbing doubles up with one layer going through loops in the padding. It couldn't be sewn on or it wouldn't fit through the holes in the back plate.

---------- Post added May 15th, 2015 at 08:28 PM ----------

hmmm, there are plenty of place will ship to Canada, such as these
Hollis Elite 2 Adjustable Harness System
Hollis Elite 2 Harness | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba

No?

I just don't like the idea of buying a commodity product (not unique nor exclusive), at the retail price, and still don't get what I really want. If you don't need the paddings, it is all good. But how confident are you about "the only difference is the size of the shoulder pad" part?? I thought you got wrong info from them before.

Well the only other bit is a big piece of webbing. Which you cut to length. So there's no problem with that part.
Like I said I didn't pay anywhere near retail. I'll contact Hollis and see if they'll send me the right pads. But I'm leaning towards not using them anyway.

and I know the rest is the same as I was comparing them side by side in the other store today that's how I saw the pads were a different size. And they looked a better size for me if I was to use them.

 

[LowDrag]

Are you sure it wasn't just the lower layer of the webbing threaded through the pad? The webbing doubles up with one layer going through loops in the padding. It couldn't be sewn on or it wouldn't fit through the holes in the back plate.

Yes I am quite sure. I tried to adjust the pads so they would be up on my shoulders higher and I could not move them because they were stitched to the webbing.

 

[crunchiespg]

Yes I am quite sure. I tried to adjust the pads so they would be up on my shoulders higher and I could not move them because they were stitched to the webbing.

So how did you get the webbing through the back plate?
mine were threaded through with the bottom layer so you have to remove it completely from the d rings before it can be removed. There's no way they would fit through the backplate on mine if they were stitched on.

i just removed my pads. The harness fits way better and it is more comfortable without them. Plus the pads are probably the most buoyant part of the whole set up. So removing them probably saved a little weight.

 

[LowDrag]

So how did you get the webbing through the back plate?
mine were threaded through with the bottom layer so you have to remove it completely from the d rings before it can be removed. There's no way they would fit through the backplate on mine if they were stitched on.

i just removed my pads. The harness fits way better and it is more comfortable without them. Plus the pads are probably the most buoyant part of the whole set up. So removing them probably saved a little weight.

So, I just went downstairs to my basement where I keep my gear and the pads that came on the harness are definitely stitched on. The harness connects to the backplate by threading from one side to the other at the shoulders and uses a belt at the waist. I cannot say for sure that it is an Elite 2 Harness because it does not say Elite 2 on it but that is what I was told was on the backplate and wing when I bought it from the LDS I dive thru. I expected that even though it said Medium on it that because it was a BP&W I would be able too adjust it but never could adjust it to fit my frame. Just for informational purposes, the wing I bought came with a Hollis Al plate and an S38 wing (all black except the lettering)

 

[crunchiespg]

So, I just went downstairs to my basement where I keep my gear and the pads that came on the harness are definitely stitched on. The harness connects to the backplate by threading from one side to the other at the shoulders and uses a belt at the waist. I cannot say for sure that it is an Elite 2 Harness because it does not say Elite 2 on it but that is what I was told was on the backplate and wing when I bought it from the LDS I dive thru. I expected that even though it said Medium on it that because it was a BP&W I would be able too adjust it but never could adjust it to fit my frame. Just for informational purposes, the wing I bought came with a Hollis Al plate and an S38 wing (all black except the lettering)

weird. There's no way the pads on mine would physically fit through the holes in the backplate.

 

[LowDrag]

weird. There's no way the pads on mine would physically fit through the holes in the backplate.

The pads don't fit thru the backplate slots, the strap does. It is long enough on one side to go over to the other side and connect with the other shoulder pad using a tri-glide from what I am seeing. The long strap even has the metal grommet for the bolt to go thru when attaching the wing to the plate and harness. It is definitely not DIR or Hogarthian or anything else that I have seen.

 

[crunchiespg]

That doesn't sound like an elite harness.
The upper webbing on the elite is all one piece and the pads thread on after you have threaded the webbing through the plate.

 

[PACKRMAN]

The pads don't fit thru the backplate slots, the strap does. It is long enough on one side to go over to the other side and connect with the other shoulder pad using a tri-glide from what I am seeing. The long strap even has the metal grommet for the bolt to go thru when attaching the wing to the plate and harness. It is definitely not DIR or Hogarthian or anything else that I have seen.

This exactly describes the Elite 2 that I own also.

 

[crunchiespg]

Not like this then?
How to Fit the Hollis Elite II Harness System to a Backplate - www.simplyscuba.com - YouTube