Info DIY: Simple BCD Handle.

[mattfish]

Nice write-up, thank you. I think I'll do something similar for my back-mount single.

May I ask where you got that blue webbing from?

 

[SlugLife]

Nice write-up, thank you. I think I'll do something similar for my back-mount single.

May I ask where you got that blue webbing from?

1) The light blue webbing is from here, and they have a LOT of great colors. The only down-side of that webbing, is it's very flexible (3/10 stiffness), and not that great for a BCD harness. It's great for other uses, including sewing. I'd use it for just about anything else though.

2) The medium blue webbing is from here. Fewer color selection, but about the perfect stiffness (about 7/10 stiffness) for a BCD harness. I like the blue color in #1 better, but this one is much sturdier, which is better for sidemount usage, when you may have scuba-tanks hanging off of d-rings, on the webbing.

 

[mattfish]

Ahhh ok. I got some webbing from strapworks and found it to be much to soft and flexible for my liking. It seems plenty strong, but I didn't like how slippery and limp it felt. I'll give that teceum stuff a try. Thanks!

 

[SlugLife]

Ahhh ok. I got some webbing from strapworks and found it to be much to soft and flexible for my liking. It seems plenty strong, but I didn't like how slippery and limp it felt. I'll give that teceum stuff a try. Thanks!

Exactly. I even tried making a double-layer thick harness, and it was still too flexible. For a lot of uses, like making sheaths, or sewing, it's great! But for a harness, no so much. Here's an example of Strapworks at the base of my backplate, where I couldn't double-up the webbing. (picture below)

I switched over to the teceum about 1.5 weeks ago. I haven't dove with it yet, but it's much sturdier. That said, it's not quite the ULTRA THICK stuff I've come across occasionally, so you'll still get some adequate flexibility. And it's priced really reasonable too at $13 for 10 yards; I was able to remake my entire harness and have a good amount left over. I can take more pictures of my harness with the new webbing tomorrow.

 

[happy-diver]

And here I was thought all BCs already came with handles the ones that double as shoulder straps
the shoulder straps one of which you throw over your shoulder when you choose to carry your BC

That leave the hands free for carrying things and to break your fall from carrying too many things

So before the worlds supply of webbing goes the same way as helium, due to unnecessary things
a project utilising 20mm webbing a strap to hang your BC on your tank whilst klutzing cam bands

That can double, as a handle, yes another handle

 

[Boarderguy]

And here I was thought all BCs already came with handles the ones that double as shoulder straps
the shoulder straps one of which you throw over your shoulder when you choose to carry your BC

That leave the hands free for carrying things and to break your fall from carrying too many things

So before the worlds supply of webbing goes the same way as helium, due to unnecessary things
a project utilising 20mm webbing a strap to hang your BC on your tank whilst klutzing cam bands

That can double, as a handle, yes another handle

The handle would make the top of the tank the lift point vs way forward with the shoulder straps. It is more controlled and a good bit easier to lift. That said, I still use the straps on my BP and wife's BC.

 

[sprockjohnson]

I made a super simple handle for my KISS Sport rebreather which is mounted on a BP/W. I threaded some paracord through the shoulder strap webbing where it is folded and bolted on the backplate and then ran the paracord through some clear 3/8" tubing before tying the paracord to the other part of the folded webbing. Handle ended up just above the backplate and so far the cheap 550 paracord has held up for the past three years without issue.

 

[SlugLife]

The handle would make the top of the tank the lift point vs way forward with the shoulder straps. It is more controlled and a good bit easier to lift. That said, I still use the straps on my BP and wife's BC.

Agreed. It's a quality-of-life mod; nothing game-changing, but it's also ultra-cheap, fast, and easy to make. Some people may find it useful, and others won't.

I made a super simple handle for my KISS Sport rebreather which is mounted on a BP/W. I threaded some paracord through the shoulder strap webbing where it is folded and bolted on the backplate and then ran the paracord through some clear 3/8" tubing before tying the paracord to the other part of the folded webbing. Handle ended up just above the backplate and so far the cheap 550 paracord has held up for the past three years without issue.

Nice. I use paracord for LOTS of things, and that also sounds very simple!

 

[happy-diver]

So then when you've added a tank to your shemozzle the valve is the handle
and with valve lift your rig the tank the lot, and you put it all on your shoulder then left foot right foot walk
There's a system to lift like this and none of it includes a sloppy webb handle

But back to the original purpose of the op of making a handle for bc hanging

This gorgeous, best looking, all purpose, bc made by our own, Eric Sedletzky

See the black string hanging over the top Made My Own STAs that's the tank
hanger that hangs the BCD at the correct level on your tank every single time
if you look closely, and a couple of extra two inch stiff webbing black handles

Hey you can also use the adjustable string tank at the same level every time as
a handle

And here some more handles isn't it gorgeous without, visualise, imagine, blue webbing and garden hose

Magnificent!

 

[Alaskan Scuba Dude]