Single piece of webbing for harness

[Janos]

I've had a clip fail but it was a crap clip. The AP ones are much better.

I dive a one piece harness because I used to have an adjustable harness but never ever ever adjusted it so thought "what's the point" and now use a one piece harness.

On my MOD 3 I had to remove and replace my kit on the surface. Getting out was easy, but getting back in was hard.

Janos

PS - One piece harnesses aren't DIR harness systems. They were in use when DIR was a gleam in George's eye and are part of the system most people call "Hogarthian" (but not in a gin drinking way )

[nickb]

I wonder how the skipper would have reacted if you'd started ripping into the way he has his boat set up.

I've been on a lot of dive boats and seen some pretty odd ways of doing things, but I'd never consider it appropriate to start listing the things I though to be daft.

[Steve S]

I'm well aware of which forum I'm in so I'll be brief and respectful part of the required kit for a fundamentals course I have read many times is a harness constructed of 2 1/2 inch webbing in a continuous piece, ergo if you want to dive DIR then you have no choice.

I have done hundreds of dives with full breaks, with pinch clips and with the AP valve press clips and never had a problem, I now dive with a continuous one piece harness with an AP clip that when opened gives an extra 9 inch to make doffing it easier.

I use the same configuration for all my diving and it does make life easier, but when diving from a RIB it really comes into it's own. AFAIC there is no fun in being whacked on the noggin when trying to flip or swim out of a 'toit' one piece rig.

Safe diving,
Steve

[ianfirmin]

I work on the basis that being rescued will not happen that often. As long as someone can get you out of the harness reasonably easily by either clips or by cutting the most important thing to me is comfort and security. I like a tight harness and one with clips I find difficult to do up. The BCD cinch down buckles are great to get things tight but then you have all that crap and loose strap hanging out the front. A one piece harness with only the D rings you absolutely need is nice and clean and is my preference. If we moulded our kit configuration on solely what will be best in an emergency then we would have to change a lot more than just the harness config.

Of course, YMMV, IMHO, just my 2p worth, etc etc......

[Alun]

If it was that much of an emergency, you'd be cutting the diver out of their drysuit anyway, so you'd have the trauma shears in your hand...

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by ianfirmin

I work on the basis that being rescued will not happen that often. As long as someone can get you out of the harness reasonably easily by either clips or by cutting the most important thing to me is comfort and security. I like a tight harness and one with clips I find difficult to do up. The BCD cinch down buckles are great to get things tight but then you have all that crap and loose strap hanging out the front. A one piece harness with only the D rings you absolutely need is nice and clean and is my preference. If we moulded our kit configuration on solely what will be best in an emergency then we would have to change a lot more than just the harness config.

Of course, YMMV, IMHO, just my 2p worth, etc etc......

good post.

atb

Mark

[japandiver]

Now either my knife is blunt or others are using bolt-cutters as shears because I'm really not convinced about anyone's ability to cut me out of 50 mm webbing PDQ.

IMHO (and having had to do it on an unconscious diver in the water) to get through webbing you need to saw a fair bit with a serrated blade and I've not come across trauma shears that are anywhere near robust enough.

In a genuine effort to learn, does anyone real-life experience of cutting an unconscious diver out of a harness and can they indicate whether there was an appreciable delay in cutting the harness? My sample of one indicated to me that I'd rather give my rescuer a quicker way to dump my kit on the surface.

Hugh

[Janos]

Oh for goodness sake!

It's easy to pontificate on the internet so I filled the sink with water and cut some webbing for your viewing pleasure:



If anyone is still inconvinced then try it for yourselves.

Janos

[Woz]

You really are bored, aren't you?

[Madfish]

Marvellous stuff Janos, have a green. But why did you thumb the dive? It seemed to be going sooooooooooo well...........

Di