Streamlining Your Gear

[roakey]

I am new to diving and also know there is a difference between tech and rec diving. My question is though is it normal to put all your other harnesses and straps across and over you weight belt including directly over the buckle?

For technical diving yes it is, since the failure of losing your weight belt accidentally and getting bent or stuck against the ceiling like a Garfield doll (in a cave) has a much higher probability than actually needing to dump it. If you need to dump your belt, it will take a deliberate action of releasing the buckle, pulling the entire belt away from you and dropping it.

By passing your harness over it, if it releases accidentally it'll get caught by your harness and you'll be able to put it back on.

When diving recreationally, most technical divers change their gear as little as possible, so they continue to dive with the belt under their harness.

Roak

 

[Robert Phillips]

Hi Robert,



And if you move those same pockets up to your waist (in the same orientation) they will still be in the same slipstream, right? Actually more so, since they are closer to the shoulders, and there would be less time/distance for the slipstream to return to static state.

Well, I dive dry and have a can light, so I have a 6cuft bottle on my left and a 4.5WH cannister on my right at the waist, so the logical place for pockets are on my thighs.
If you don't have a can light or dive with stages or such, then put your pockets wherever you want (with streamlining in mind, obviously. )

Sure I do. Well, kind of. I've never had kelp get caught on anything, but I haven't been in a channel as narrow as he describes. However, I fail to see your point on this one. Maybe you could elaborate more? Again, same pockets, same orientation, just higher on the body. As the kelp slides by it hits the pockets in the same way, just a little sooner.

Well, if you pass through a narrow gap in kelp, where you have to part it slightly with your arms in order to get your shoulders through, once it passes your shoulders it will follow the contour of your body (closing the gap.) you see where I'm going with this? Naturally the kelp may get stopped by the profile of the pockets, but is easily removed as there is no sharp edges or snag potential with glued on pockets.

Having things sticking out further than your body parts will be just more things to snag, hang up, get wrapped up... Shortening hoses appropriately and tucking in or removing potential snag hazards should be the objective of every thinking diver (IMHO.)
Robb

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

Well, I dive dry and have a can light, so I have a 6cuft bottle on my left and a 4.5WH cannister on my right at the waist, so the logical place for pockets are on my thighs.

Thanks. That's what I was looking for. It makes sense to have your shoulders, gadgets, and pockets all in a line. I'm still curious how much effect the bilateral motion has, though.

Well, if you pass through a narrow gap in kelp, where you have to part it slightly with your arms in order to get your shoulders through, once it passes your shoulders it will follow the contour of your body (closing the gap.) you see where I'm going with this? Naturally the kelp may get stopped by the profile of the pockets, but is easily removed as there is no sharp edges or snag potential with glued on pockets..

Well, I asked you to elaborate... This description is exactly what I thought you were talking about before. And I still can't see how it would make any difference if the kelp hit the pockets earlier or later. Sorry.

Having things sticking out further than your body parts will be just more things to snag, hang up, get wrapped up... Shortening hoses appropriately and tucking in or removing potential snag hazards should be the objective of every thinking diver (IMHO.)
Robb

If you were still talking to me, then this was taken care of in my initial scenario description. But thanks for the discussion.

 

[Robert Phillips]

If you were still talking to me, then this was taken care of in my initial scenario description. But thanks for the discussion.

No, just an open statement.
We've both been here for a while and I have read many of your posts, so I have an idea of your knowledge, so it was not directed at you