Imported post
I meant to post this earlier,mainly for Dominic who was after some decent webbing.One of the many reasons I see for people adopting one piece harnesses etc.(and rightly so really)is the potential failiure point phenomenon surrounding the clips,buckles etc.Having only ever used either older gear "won" from the Old Man et al,or commercial kit,I must admit that I wondered what all the fuss was about.As I read around DIR for instance,I thought that they were perhaps overdoing it a bit as I'd never really experienced any problems,eg backplates failing?
Anyway,I became involved in various things for people and beimng the sort who's happy to use whatever he can borrow/scrounge I began using current rec.gear.
I must say,(and I did look at/use a lot)that the majority of it is indeed diabolical.Many of the clips etc.I experienced were very flimsy to say the least.Many were broken/deformed beyond use with having a cylinder put on top of them,I cringe to think that divers actually take this equipment aboard boats etc.and entrust their lives to it.
I appreciate now where the for higher quality gear thing lies.I'm amazed that the diving world actually allowed much of this stuff to become commonplace anyway,much of it being by major manufacturers.I'm not saying the older gear I have is better,but it is all very substantial.The commercial gear is too,you have'nt got time to be thinking about harness problems etc.in the 1st place,just use something that's right anyway,obviously the same standards don't apply.
Here's a couple of pics.of some commercial harnesses,they're not that clear and the crutch straps are most likely not in use(rarely used).They are typical of the harnesses in use however,with v,sustantial ss buckles,good webbing,stiching etc.Consider the age of some of this kit and the abuse it gets and you'lll see my point.Stuff like this can often be acquired 2nd hand through various commercial dive suppliers eg SMS.
Regards,Hobby.
<a href="http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new3.jpg
" target="_blank">http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new3.jpg
</a> <a href="http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new10.jpg
(Edited" target="_blank">http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images....(Edited</a> by Bren Tierney at 4:18 pm on Jan. 21, 2003)
I meant to post this earlier,mainly for Dominic who was after some decent webbing.One of the many reasons I see for people adopting one piece harnesses etc.(and rightly so really)is the potential failiure point phenomenon surrounding the clips,buckles etc.Having only ever used either older gear "won" from the Old Man et al,or commercial kit,I must admit that I wondered what all the fuss was about.As I read around DIR for instance,I thought that they were perhaps overdoing it a bit as I'd never really experienced any problems,eg backplates failing?
Anyway,I became involved in various things for people and beimng the sort who's happy to use whatever he can borrow/scrounge I began using current rec.gear.
I must say,(and I did look at/use a lot)that the majority of it is indeed diabolical.Many of the clips etc.I experienced were very flimsy to say the least.Many were broken/deformed beyond use with having a cylinder put on top of them,I cringe to think that divers actually take this equipment aboard boats etc.and entrust their lives to it.
I appreciate now where the for higher quality gear thing lies.I'm amazed that the diving world actually allowed much of this stuff to become commonplace anyway,much of it being by major manufacturers.I'm not saying the older gear I have is better,but it is all very substantial.The commercial gear is too,you have'nt got time to be thinking about harness problems etc.in the 1st place,just use something that's right anyway,obviously the same standards don't apply.
Here's a couple of pics.of some commercial harnesses,they're not that clear and the crutch straps are most likely not in use(rarely used).They are typical of the harnesses in use however,with v,sustantial ss buckles,good webbing,stiching etc.Consider the age of some of this kit and the abuse it gets and you'lll see my point.Stuff like this can often be acquired 2nd hand through various commercial dive suppliers eg SMS.
Regards,Hobby.
<a href="http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new3.jpg
" target="_blank">http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new3.jpg
</a> <a href="http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images/large/new10.jpg
(Edited" target="_blank">http://www.commercialdivers.co.uk/images....(Edited</a> by Bren Tierney at 4:18 pm on Jan. 21, 2003)