dm9876
Registered
I've long thought about better ways to fasten the backplate waist strap and crotch strap. The issue I see with the traditional approach is that if you want to ditch it quickly on the surface then the buckle on the waist strap catches the loop of the crotch strap and you either would need a second (quite tricky) action to free the loop over the buckle, or risk it getting hung up on your fins. On solution is to put the buckle on your left side of the crotch strap loop, which would mean the strap on your right side can slip of more easily out of the crotch strap loop but still the potential exists for it to become stuck.
I saw this old-school solution which seems pretty nice: (point of interest is at 13:29)
I've not seen these commercially available these days, though you can get that same style for a weight belt and could easily fabricate the connection for the crotch strap.
Trident Wire Weight Belt Buckle
http://vintagescuba.proboards.com/thread/3816/wire-weight-belt-buckle
I think the advantage is just one motion to completely free the harness, also another diver unfamiliar with your kit could do the same and not need to have any special knowledge about clearing the crotch strap after releasing the buckle.
Help me see any potential downsides compared to the standard backplate harness. I can see a couple. maybe you have less streamline / more bulky buckle at your stomach, is it a line entrapment issue? The same could be said about a standard buckle though it is maybe more out of the way around to your right side, instead of right on your stomach area ready to catch something.
Thoughts...
I saw this old-school solution which seems pretty nice: (point of interest is at 13:29)
I've not seen these commercially available these days, though you can get that same style for a weight belt and could easily fabricate the connection for the crotch strap.
Trident Wire Weight Belt Buckle
http://vintagescuba.proboards.com/thread/3816/wire-weight-belt-buckle
I think the advantage is just one motion to completely free the harness, also another diver unfamiliar with your kit could do the same and not need to have any special knowledge about clearing the crotch strap after releasing the buckle.
Help me see any potential downsides compared to the standard backplate harness. I can see a couple. maybe you have less streamline / more bulky buckle at your stomach, is it a line entrapment issue? The same could be said about a standard buckle though it is maybe more out of the way around to your right side, instead of right on your stomach area ready to catch something.
Thoughts...