Help with Harnesses - Q&A?

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by Finless

How easy is it to get out of a one piece harness that doesn't have shoulder clips/looseners? I have seen people on boats have a bit of a struggle to get into the harness.

My concern (about my getting one) is if I got snagged during a dive and had release myself from the wing in oder to turn round and cut some monofilament line free from the first stages - is it easy to do?

I also need to do a cylinder hitch to do a valve shutdown - my existing kit is quick to get released from.

How about the one piece harness set up?

So why get one?
Has your one ever failed?
1,000,000's of BCD's out there with plastic clips on so point me to the incident report where failure of a plastic clip has resulted in injury

Do you know what happens if the single shoulder clip comes undone when your wearing twin 12's and two stages?

I do I tried it

Nothing happened the waste band and the chest strap kept the rig in place. I popped the chest strap as well just to see, and found rolling to the right was not a good plan and keeping a little vertical kept everything in its proper place. Score for drama out of 10 errrr 2 I reckon.

The buckles ad fastex connectors are most likely to fail on the boat or getting back up the ladder. The whole one piece harness rig argument is rubbish IMHO. The one I tried was very difficult to get on, flopped all over the place in the water and impossible to get out of without help.

ATB

Mark Chase

[Finless]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

So why get one?
Has your one ever failed?

Mark,

I need another wing because mine (Mares) is only rated up to twin 10s. I have an alu 3 ltr as well and I'm a bit low in the water after my dives. I have a 5 ltr steel (bought at LIDS) which I have never used because of weight considerations. Apart from the fact that I am on my 3rd plastic backplate there is nothing wrong with what I've got.

Seriously, I do like my Mares wing but I need more lift as also want to upgrade to twin 12s. I have no worries about the plastic pinch clips. A DIY wing is cheaper to put together than buying an "off the shelf" version.

Perhaps I'll wait a bit longer and see if I am the lucky winner of the Dive YBOD comp.

Bryan.

[Helen F H]

I have had a shoulder buckle pop on me while climbing a ladder with the twins on. It made it bloody heavy on the other shoulder, but it didnt fall off (and neither did i, before one of you sarky buggers chips in). However, i do now have a once piece harness, and am really quite looking forwards to having a play.

Helen

[JohnK]

I had a transpak harness and the clips never caused a problem or failed. I changed to a one peice harness (home made) and again no problems. I am actually considering adding a single pinch clip for emergencies. Given the idea that a pinchclip with a longer loop, if the set doesnt move if it fails them I have a feeling the extra webbing might flap around and possibly get in the way - just my 2p worth.

I rigged up a seperate BP with one pinchclip for use with singles - much easier for rib diving and boats etc. I, too, find it difficult to get out of a one peice. If the shit ever hits the fan I suppose thats where a good sharp knife comes in !!!

[FOX]

I've got a one piece harness and find it easy enough to get in and out of and it doesn't present any problems of cylinder roll. I think a lot of problems can occur from the harness not being set-up properly, mine is set up a'la http://www.halcyon.net/manuals/halcyon_MC2003_web.pdf and it works really well. I suppose it's horses for courses!


Ian

[siltmonkey]

I have seen plastic pinch-clips fail on a number of occasions, all above water. People step on them, drop tanks on them, or they just become brittle from a few season's wear and snap when they are twisted.

This was reason enough for me to want a one-piece harness - it's not really about safety underwater, it's about not missing dives due to ruined kit.

I have a pinch clip on one side of my harness, as shown in Dom's picture earlier, without any break in the webbing, but I have never needed to use it.

A properly-fitted one-piece harness is very easy to get out of, even with computers and compasses on your arms.

You simply pull one of the shoulder d-rings out to one side using your thumb under the ring, then push your arm through between your body and the webbing, hand-first. Then you just undo the crotch strap. It takes no more than 5 seconds, not counting detatching drysuit hoses and weightbelts etc.

You do the same with a large rucksack - they don't have pinch-clips either.

It is not difficult, but as with most things it helps to have someone show you how its done.



:-)

r

[Padowan]

I ditched the standard harness on my CD wing, not because of any fears of a failure, but to reduce the clutter. I didn't like the dangly ends of the adjustment straps, or the chest strap.... what I ended up with was a harness that stole ideas from all over the place and works really well for me.

[Padowan]

Originally Posted by Dominic

Mine is kind of like this, but I used 2 additional 3-bar slides (one above and below the clip) to prevent the extra section sliding through the clip - I think if you grabbed the 2 loose ends of that setup in the picture and pulled it would pull through. (oh, and my webbing was black of course! )

[Dominic]

It was only a scrap of webbing and a spare clip used to show the principle - I don't actually have on on my harness.

Which isn't blue, I might add.

It's yellow

[gunsentry]

Anyone know a good source of quality harness webbing and if possible good price?

Thanks.