The slow process of assimilation progresses... Harnesses.

Noel Johnson · March 10th, 2007, 09:59 AM

Good morning all,

At the moment I have my wing, harness, hardware and plate in seperate piles in the garage as I've had some mods done to my Portland Oceaneering backplate, and I see a potential opportunity to simplify a couple of things before it all goes back together. The current harness is a 2 piece affair with pinch clips at both shoulders. I want to lock at least one of them off (the left one) as I'm right handed. I know it's not very DIR hence the question(s) below.

1. If I were to make a 1 piece harness, how much webbing would I need to order (I'm a big(ish) guy) and what is the best type material wise.

2. The crotch strap slot in the plate is 25mm, I thought about getting some softer webbing for this to fold in half to go through the slot (if that makes sense) so I can have a 50mm strap here as well, which grade of webbing would I need for this?

Sorry, daft questions and more than a little cherry picking.

Cheers all,

Noel.

Ahmed Adly, Marlin Inn DC · March 10th, 2007, 10:19 AM

Hi,

I has the same issues as you do now a long time ago. Crotch strap, harnes and all.
I went a got a Halcyon kit and got it over with. You will find the gear will solve a whole range of problems in one fel swoop.

*Clare* · March 10th, 2007, 10:31 AM

Hello Noel.

You need 5 metres of harness to make the shoulders, belt etc. the crotch strap is a seperate affair and to be honest should be of softer webbing to avoid rubbing on your suit (and anything else

).

Even if you want to have a go at doing your own harness (which is very simple) I would recommend buying a crotch strap assembly as it is stiched to avoid unravelling at the most inopportune moment (and yes that can happen). You can get a soft strap through a smaller slot in the backplate - I've seen quite a few of these and with a bit of wriggling you ca do a good job. You can get one here

Hope that helps

sasdasdaf · March 10th, 2007, 12:26 PM

here is a useful link if you are going to web it yourself.

Webbing a Harness

Noel Johnson · March 10th, 2007, 02:12 PM

Thanks chaps, is it the polyproylene stuff I need? does the weave make much difference?

Cheers all,

Noel

Added: Right, the dirty deed is done, I've ordered 10 metres of V weave polyprop and sone serrated sliders. I wanted to get emerald green - Bunny advised me to get black!

Cheers all,

N.

Noel Johnson · March 16th, 2007, 07:37 AM

Well the webbing arrived, but it hasn't been the success I thought it was going to be, I've got 10 metres of it (in 2 5m rolls) but it's quite thin and when I put the Drings and toothed tri-glides on it I can pull them along the webbing, which obviously isn't great.

On the plus side it's good crotch strap material.

Where can one get the thicker heavier duty stuff from? And possibly more importantly which grade do I need?

Cheers all,

Noel

Michael-Fisch · March 16th, 2007, 08:13 AM

I'm not a friend of the soft 2" webbing crotch straps. I find that not only do they make the backplate more difficult to put on without a twist in the crotch strap, but they end up bunching up while scootering which is quite uncomfortable, and will over time give you a longer inseam length

.

The 2" wide heavyweight webbing works better for me. If you fear that the heavyweight webbing will damage your suit, you can sand the edges of the webbing with coarse sandpaper to soften them. I haven't, and all 3 of my drysuits are still dry.

Michael

MarkP · March 16th, 2007, 10:32 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Clare Gledhill)

I would recommend buying a crotch strap assembly as it is stiched to avoid unravelling at the most inopportune moment (and yes that can happen).

No. Never. They also wouldn't tighten up by mistake, making it impossible to pull the buckle through, either. You certainly wouldn't damage your suit with snips as you're cutting yourself out because the stupid cheap (free) soft webbing was catching the buckle. You'd then certainly not get out of the water very fast indeed as the March English Channel poured into the new hole in your suit.

I certainly wouldn't. Well, not again.

Clare's right; buying a ready-made crotch strap is a Good Idea. I have one. Now.

Regards,

Mark

***Fiona*** · March 16th, 2007, 11:06 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by Noel Johnson)

Where can one get the thicker heavier duty stuff from? And possibly more importantly which grade do I need?

Cheers all,

Noel

Noel

Give Brett at ring at Divelife 0161 796 0300 he has some in.

Keiron · March 16th, 2007, 11:58 AM

Even Brett's isn't as rigid as some of the webbing that is around though, and at £2.50 a metre isn't the most economical. I have to confess the hunt for a decent (read cheap) supplier of webbing still goes on!

March 10th, 2007, 09:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
Noel Johnson(Offline) New Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Burton-upon-Trent Posts: 64	Good morning all, At the moment I have my wing, harness, hardware and plate in seperate piles in the garage as I've had some mods done to my Portland Oceaneering backplate, and I see a potential opportunity to simplify a couple of things before it all goes back together. The current harness is a 2 piece affair with pinch clips at both shoulders. I want to lock at least one of them off (the left one) as I'm right handed. I know it's not very DIR hence the question(s) below. 1. If I were to make a 1 piece harness, how much webbing would I need to order (I'm a big(ish) guy) and what is the best type material wise. 2. The crotch strap slot in the plate is 25mm, I thought about getting some softer webbing for this to fold in half to go through the slot (if that makes sense) so I can have a 50mm strap here as well, which grade of webbing would I need for this? Sorry, daft questions and more than a little cherry picking. Cheers all, Noel. __________________ Team Bunny. Depth before Dishonour.

March 10th, 2007, 10:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ahmed Adly, Marlin Inn DC (Online) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: hurghada Posts: 1,078	Hi, I has the same issues as you do now a long time ago. Crotch strap, harnes and all. I went a got a Halcyon kit and got it over with. You will find the gear will solve a whole range of problems in one fel swoop. __________________ Life and Death, although stemming from one another, seem to conflict as stages of change. Ahmed Adly, www.deepvoyage.com

March 10th, 2007, 10:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
Clare (Online) GUE Instructor Site Admin Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,839	Hello Noel. You need 5 metres of harness to make the shoulders, belt etc. the crotch strap is a seperate affair and to be honest should be of softer webbing to avoid rubbing on your suit (and anything else ). Even if you want to have a go at doing your own harness (which is very simple) I would recommend buying a crotch strap assembly as it is stiched to avoid unravelling at the most inopportune moment (and yes that can happen). You can get a soft strap through a smaller slot in the backplate - I've seen quite a few of these and with a bit of wriggling you ca do a good job. You can get one here Hope that helps __________________ Clare . "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions....Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too can become great." Interested in DIR dive training? Always happy to chat/answer questions so get in touch via PM or visit www.dirdiver.co.uk

March 10th, 2007, 02:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
Noel Johnson(Offline) New Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Burton-upon-Trent Posts: 64	Thanks chaps, is it the polyproylene stuff I need? does the weave make much difference? Cheers all, Noel Added: Right, the dirty deed is done, I've ordered 10 metres of V weave polyprop and sone serrated sliders. I wanted to get emerald green - Bunny advised me to get black! Cheers all, N. __________________ Team Bunny. Depth before Dishonour. Last edited by Noel Johnson; March 10th, 2007 at 04:07 PM..

March 16th, 2007, 07:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
Noel Johnson(Offline) New Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Burton-upon-Trent Posts: 64	Well the webbing arrived, but it hasn't been the success I thought it was going to be, I've got 10 metres of it (in 2 5m rolls) but it's quite thin and when I put the Drings and toothed tri-glides on it I can pull them along the webbing, which obviously isn't great. On the plus side it's good crotch strap material. Where can one get the thicker heavier duty stuff from? And possibly more importantly which grade do I need? Cheers all, Noel __________________ Team Bunny. Depth before Dishonour.

March 10th, 2007, 12:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
sasdasdaf(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 419	here is a useful link if you are going to web it yourself. Webbing a Harness

March 16th, 2007, 08:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
Michael-Fisch(Offline) New Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 287	I'm not a friend of the soft 2" webbing crotch straps. I find that not only do they make the backplate more difficult to put on without a twist in the crotch strap, but they end up bunching up while scootering which is quite uncomfortable, and will over time give you a longer inseam length . The 2" wide heavyweight webbing works better for me. If you fear that the heavyweight webbing will damage your suit, you can sand the edges of the webbing with coarse sandpaper to soften them. I haven't, and all 3 of my drysuits are still dry. Michael

March 16th, 2007, 10:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
MarkP(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 35	Quote: (Originally Posted by Clare Gledhill) I would recommend buying a crotch strap assembly as it is stiched to avoid unravelling at the most inopportune moment (and yes that can happen). No. Never. They also wouldn't tighten up by mistake, making it impossible to pull the buckle through, either. You certainly wouldn't damage your suit with snips as you're cutting yourself out because the stupid cheap (free) soft webbing was catching the buckle. You'd then certainly not get out of the water very fast indeed as the March English Channel poured into the new hole in your suit. I certainly wouldn't. Well, not again. Clare's right; buying a ready-made crotch strap is a Good Idea. I have one. Now. Regards, Mark

March 16th, 2007, 11:06 AM	#9 (permalink)
*Fiona*(Offline) Sister of Darkness Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North West Posts: 1,908	Quote: (Originally Posted by Noel Johnson) Where can one get the thicker heavier duty stuff from? And possibly more importantly which grade do I need? Cheers all, Noel Noel Give Brett at ring at Divelife 0161 796 0300 he has some in. __________________ Fiona It is impossible to make everything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. GUE Member DIVELIFE for everything you need and more

March 16th, 2007, 11:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
Keiron(Offline) New Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chester, UK Posts: 129	Even Brett's isn't as rigid as some of the webbing that is around though, and at £2.50 a metre isn't the most economical. I have to confess the hunt for a decent (read cheap) supplier of webbing still goes on!