Correcting Cylinder Trim

[NoOctoForYou]

This is a recent pool session I had trying to figure out my cylinder trim. From the side view, It is far too low beneath the "center line" and too far removed from my armpit; it does not feel snug nor secure. From the front view, the valves are also pointing horizontally as well. I think this is partly due to the weight of the cylinders (LP80, 9#s @ 2400psi), and improper setup. I have since shortened the length of the loop bungees, moved the waist d ring more towards my butt, and rotated the cylinder boltsnap 45 degrees from the extension post.

Do you guys have any other tips? I know that my long hose is not configured correctly. I was to lazy to route it around my head.

 

[Marie13]

Do you have access to any other tanks? I started SM with HP80s, which worked sorta OK since I’m short (5’5”). I eventually moved to LP50s and LP85s.

Others will have a better idea, but to me, the tanks just seem too short for your height

Could you borrow or rent a pair of HP100s? Might be interesting to see what you can do with a pair of longer tanks.

On my steels, I put the bottom leash directly opposite the valve hand wheel. It works for me. How did you have your bottom leash originally?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

First thing is get rid of the boots.
Next, with steels it is often advantageous to use a butt plate or tail piece on the crotch strap rather than on the waist belt. The tails on steels tend not to float. You have more to work with if you use a butt plate or tail piece and it's easier to play with leash length.
Following this, the top bungees are too short, the left one being more so, and with steels there is no need to unclip the bolt snaps from the D -rings. If a bungee breaks a steel is going to just drop quickly. Maybe fast enough to pull the reg out of your mouth depending on how your hose it routed and the length of them.
Looking at the photos, if I had you in the pool, I'd consider moving the bottom bands down just a tad to bring the cylinders higher up in your armpits as well.
Depending on how you trim out like that.
Those would be the first steps I'd have you do.
Being HP 80s, moving them up may make you a little head heavy, so a blip more air in the drysuit and a couple pounds on the waist strap or even a weight on the crotch strap in the back might help mitigate that.
Consider getting a set of LP85's or if you can find them, a used set of 75.5s. The latter are pretty much what I am now using exclusively for my diving along with a set of 72s. Since I stopped teaching I don't need all the other cylinders I had.
72s are also cheap and easy to find but they tend to behave like al80s when they get breathed down so you end up moving the bottom clips to ones on the waist belt like you would with an al80.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

You shortened the bungee and didn't need to do so. This will put unnecessary torque on the cylinders.

I agree with Jim that you need to 1. Get rid of the boots and 2. Move the bands down on the cylinder to position the valves more in-line with the armpits.

Also, use of drop D-drings on the rear of the harness is a better solution that the current setup with D-rings on the waist.

The biggest suggestion I can give you is to make ONE adjustment at a time. Make it, film yourself and check what that did. Then make a second one if necessary. SM is all about micro-adjustments and all too often, people make three of four at once and become frustrated when they struggle to get the cylinders in trim. It makes it difficult to tell which adjustment worked well and which either didn't work at all, was unnecessary or had a negative affect.