Crotch Strap?

[Schizlor]

I am a BP/W n00b who has a question about the crotch strap.

I just got my new rig yesterday, and had to order a separate crotch strap. I got the Dive Rite 2in CS with a front scooter ring and (re)movable rear D ring. The front of the strap is folded over on itself and sewn, so that the buckle on the harness is fed through that and secures the strap up front, I got that part.

But the other end that attaches to the BP is just a single piece of webbing with a D ring threaded on it. There is no other piece to feed the loose end through and secure it, once the webbing is threaded through the backplate. I tried looking on DR's site to get instructions, but the pdf they have for the 2" strap is actually instructions for the 1" strap (which I believe has a plastic piece to thread the loose end through once threaded through the BP, securing it) See below

The 2" strap however, does not have any of those plastic adjustment clip things that the 1 inch one does:

My question is, how do I secure the strap in the back once threaded? Am I supposed to sew it together somehow? Should there be a piece to secure it that I did not receive? There are no instructions with the package, and like I said the DR website does not have proper instructions. Am I missing something? Am I just an idiot?

Thanks

 

[HenrikBP]

You thread the free end of the crotch strap 1) through the slot in the plate and then 2) *back* through the keeper that holds that second (re)moveable D-ring so that the keeper secures the loop.

Henrik

 

[paddler3d]

What Henrik said.

That is how you adjust the 'length' of the CS for a proper fit.

Put you BP on with the shoulder and waist belt set up. Attach the CS to the waist belt in the front. Have someone else, or do it yourself, feed the CS through the BP in the back and mark it. You want this to be snug. Aside from a point to attach a scooter or an SMB, you want the CS to keep the whole BP/W from riding up, on you riding out the bottom.

 

[Schizlor]

Ok, thanks Henrick.

So the keeper for the removable D ring is treaded twice? First with the harness, then the free end goes in BP slot, back out, and back through the keeper? Or just put the harness (once measured properly) through the slot in the BP, then thread the D ring like normal, and then the keeper actually secures the harness from falling back out of the BP slot?

Sorry if I seem obtuse, it just seems like the keeper is not wide enough to be double-threaded. It probably is and I just havent attempted it yet. I'll play with it when I get home tonight.

Thanks for your help

 

[fisheater]

Yep. The keeper is threaded twice. It's supposed to be tight.

 

[paddler3d]

It is going to be tight.

If you take a lighter, you can heat up the webbing and, carefully, because it is hot nylon, pinch it to sort of taper it. That and a pair of needle nose pliers will help to encourage it to fit.

 

[dkktsunami]

Another way to accomplish this - place another keeper on the strap after it is fed through the plate. This avoids the tedious process of fitting two layers of webbing through one keeper and makes length adjustment for different suits a breeze. Don't know if this will work on all plates. I have a Salvo plate and the keeper lies flat in the recessed groove where the wing nuts are located and I can't feel the keeper pressing on my back. I tidied up the strap by adding about 1 1/2" of inner tube rubber band to make both sides lie flat.

 

[Schizlor]

Perfect. Thanks everyone

 

[Jorgy]

Welcome to the world of the "CS swing and grab"

Others sit to reach it.....

The joys of diving a BP/W setup.............

M

 

[halocline]

Usually you use softer webbing for the crotch strap and it's much easier to get two layers of it through the keeper. Scubatoys sells pretty soft webbing that works perfectly for this purpose. I know you already bought one from Dive rite, but if it's the same resin-impregnated webbing that you use for the rest of the harness, I'd consider returning it.

Another way that lots of divers have attached the crotch strap in the back is with a single small bolt/nut/washers. Just loop the strap through the plate, burn a hole through the strap (both layers) with a soldering iron or hot nail, or something, and bolt it up.