Bowstone Quick Release weight harness

[berticus]

Is anyone using the Bowstone Quick Release weight harness? If so could you give me some feedback.

In particular, I'm looking for a harness that is:
- safe to use (i.e. weights don't fall off by accident)
- durable
- simple to ditch in an emergency
- detatchable to pass up to a boat

I've looked at a Hydrotech shot harness in my LDS which looks good, but the weights don't come off to pass up to a boat (you either ditch or leave em on).

Any help would be appreciated.

PS. This link is to the bowstone webpage

[Fathoms Down]

I have the non-ditchable weights version and I think its very good. As an added bonus it also looks like a Batman utility belt!

Its very secure, very durable and I haven't ever had any problems taking it off and handing it up to the boat. The only thing is that you have to open each pocket to ditch the weight but I prefer that than risking loosing a whole weight pocket my mistake.

[Tricky]

I have a Bowstone harness. Don't know if it's supposed to be quick release though. The pockets in mine are held firm by velcro fasteners and, while doing my Sports Diver rescue skills, have been found to be less than easy to release. I think the idea is that you don't release them completely, you just pull them out of the harness and let gravity do the rest.

I don't do any diving where need to remove weights anywhere else but on the boat so I can't comment on that, but I'd say it definitely satisfies the first two point in you list.

[Helen F H]

I have just bought one of these.

The one i have has a large amount of velcro and a press stud popper type attachment on the weight pocket. This should give good weight pack retention. I also like the fact that it doesent have looped handles, but toggles which are far less likley to get caught and ditched accidentally. I previously had a N-diver harness which was, quite frankly, crap. I lost a weight pack from it and nearly brained a diver below me - fortunatley it was in Malta and was easily found on the bottom! It seems far more adjustable than the NDiver, but is just as bulky (so might be ditching it for a V weight and back to a bog standard weight belt....ho hum.) Never had to pass the packs up, but they seem to be just right - tight enough not to come out, but loose enough to be able to ditch. Cracking quality as with all bowstone kit.

Cons - that popper - might rust to be sure to rinse it after salt water, and difficult to do up if sand gets in there.

[Tricky]

That's defo the same as mine. It was somewhat unwieldy with 12kg in it, but now I'm down to 6kg it's not so bad.

[tom]

Originally Posted by Porg

Cracking quality as with all bowstone kit.

I'm a big Bowstone fan - as you say, good quality and good value for money too. The bloke who runs the company is very entertaining to talk to as well.

I've noticed there's a remarkable similarity between Bowstone gear and some 'premium brands' - in particular, Narked at 60. Is some of their gear (pockets etc) rebadged Bowstone stuff?

[Helen F H]

[quote=tom][quote=Porg] Cracking quality as with all bowstone kit.

I'm a big Bowstone fan - as you say, good quality and good value for money too. The bloke who runs the company is very entertaining to talk to as well.

I've noticed there's a remarkable similarity between Bowstone gear and some 'premium brands' - in particular, Narked at 60. Is some of their gear (pockets etc) rebadged Bowstone stuff?

have you seen their novelty SMB? 4 foot high "up yours" mwahahahaha dunno if it is DIR though

[abucksdiver]

AFAIK, the older bowstone harnesses did not have the popper in the centre of the velcro patches. I have heard of a couple of people losing one of these types of weight pockets.

However, the newer (at least the last 3 or so years) Bowstones have the popper, and I have not heard of anybody losing one of these pockets.

Both the missus and myself use bowstone harnesses, and find them really good. I haven't noticed any problems with the poppers rusting, or with the popper getting full of sand. I do, however, make sure that I securely "pop" the pockets in, before velcroing them!

HTH

Andrew

PS. I do have a spare bowstone harness that I'd be willing to sell. I bought it second-hand for my wife, but she only used it once. I think the previous owner had shortened the straps, which ment that my wife couldn't get it comfortably adjusted.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by tom

I'm a big Bowstone fan - as you say, good quality and good value for money too. The bloke who runs the company is very entertaining to talk to as well.

I've noticed there's a remarkable similarity between Bowstone gear and some 'premium brands' - in particular, Narked at 60. Is some of their gear (pockets etc) rebadged Bowstone stuff?

NAS get Bowstone to sew their pouches etc.

I own a Bowstone harness and it is, without a doubt, one of the best bits of kit I own. It would be the last thing I sold if I had to flog everything. I have 30 lb of lead in there and if I was wearing a weightbelt it would be round my ankles everytime I walked anywhere.

Porg- the press studs are fine and don't rust as they are stainless I think.
Beaver and ND ones are utter panties and drop to bits if exposed to light or damp.

I have used it RIB diving and it's really easy to release the weights each side and chuck them over the tubes. However they are held very securely when diving. The added bonus is that the ditchable weight is in 2 bits so if to whatis hits the thingummy then you can do a half release and maybe not get a burst lung as you head north rapidly.

[wilbo]

yep.. its the mutts danglies.. use one for my single cylinder diving in the UK..

not heard good things about the competition, whereas heard only good things about the bowstone.