Why Are Wing Comfort Harnesses Frowned Upon?

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I used to volunteer at a local aquarium and they had similar "plates" on the emergency gear. Since the max depth was like 15' and it was a pool, I don't think they ever get used. The nice thing about those plates is the big handle, so it's easy to carry the tank around and maintain compliance with safety protocol.

I thought the last one I saw was attached with a metal strap rather than a standard cam band.. maybe I'm mistaken.
 
I thought the last one I saw was attached with a metal strap rather than a standard cam band.. maybe I'm mistaken.

A single ~3" wide x ~20 gauge stainless strap with a a plastic handle that moves vertically was the norm.

This single strap BTW is the reason most wings designed for use with "Hogarthian" style back plates won't work on the blow molded plastic back pack.

Tobin
 
I'll chime in here since I've had a DiveRite TransPlate harness setup since 2011 (before that dived a Scubapro Classic jacket BC since 1994). Yes, plastic buckles can break. I'm a recreational diver, do beach dives involving walks along trails, up and down stairs, and walks across sand. It's a very comfortable setup. I too wondered about continuous webbing being "better", so in 2014 I picked up a lightweight backplate and 11 feet of webbing for a tropical dive vacation, with diving just from a boat. A very experienced tech diver friend helped me set it up and size it correctly, and it fits just fine. However, personally, I can honestly say it's not as comfortable as my TransPlate harness, either walking around on a dive boat or under water

As far as proper "DIR" configuration, a diver who was in a PADI IDC over the weekend had a DSS backplate and continuous webbing harness, and had added a number of D-rings. I was curious about all the D-rings and asked him, and his answer made perfect sense. He was a scientific diver doing collections, including for a local research aquarium, and a lot of his dives involved capturing specimens during the dive. The single D-ring on each shoulder might be fine for tech divers, but for mission specific diving is totally inadequate, so the DIR standard simply doesn't work. It all boils down to what your dive purpose and objectives are, and tailoring your equipment accordingly. Just because it's DIR doesn't make it right for specific functions
 
He was a scientific diver doing collections, including for a local research aquarium, and a lot of his dives involved capturing specimens during the dive. The single D-ring on each shoulder might be fine for tech divers, but for mission specific diving is totally inadequate, so the DIR standard simply doesn't work.

Interestingly enough, the DIR guys have been doing specimen and sample collection for years with their configuration, so to say it doesn't work is a little disingenuous. And unless your IDC friend is a member of the WKPP, I'd be hard pressed to believe that his specimen collection has been done under quite the same rigorous conditions.
 
I guess my first question to the OP is why is it important to you that DIR adhere to your standards? They're a private organization that teaches a specific philosophy. They don't declare, nor pretend, that it should be followed by everyone ... just those who choose to join their organization and follow their practices. How is that different than any other private organization out there? You are free to choose, and dive with, whatever equipment suits your goals and preference. I notice you have DIR Practitioner appellation under your user name. My question to you would be "why?"

These discussions come up from time to time, and their only real purpose ... as in this case ... is to create a controversy where there is none. Sorry, I just don't see a lot of DIR Practitioners ... the real ones ... out there preaching to the masses that they're "doing it wrong" or "gonna die" or any of the other things they're commonly accused of doing. It's a waste of time. Dive however makes you happy ... why should you care what someone else thinks about it?

Well said, Bob. It is like asking why BWMCCA require owners to use a BMW to join their track activities; why playboy magazine only post female models; why Ford dealer only sell Ford, but not Toyota, or why iPhones don't run Andriod .......
 
I guess my first question to the OP is why is it important to you that DIR adhere to your standards? You are free to choose, and dive with, whatever equipment suits your goals and preference. I notice you have DIR Practitioner appellation under your user name. My question to you would be "why?"


Seems to me what this is really all about is you want to claim membership in the club, but without the bother of paying the club dues or observing the club rules. My advice would be go find a club that's more to your liking, and leave those DIR folks to do their own thing in their own way. Nobody's forcing you to do it their way.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I have to answer this even though it was a few posts back. A couple of others have covered it too but:

The DIR appellation under my name is site driven. I never asked nor wanted such a description. I would rather it say Warm water Diver. It used to say Single diver and my wife didn't like that either. Can't recall what it said before the site change over. Anyway I've never claimed to be DIR, nor do I wish to be. Nor did I suggest that the DIR should change their ways for me.

If I were to do fundies for instance I would dust off my old gear, make it compliant and attend. I would hope at the end of the course I could get the instructor if needed to view my rig to make and fine adjustments they might see as beneficial.

However I do understand that if you writing a standard (as I've written a few) you want to keep the deviation options to a minimum otherwise you get into too many permutations

I do belong to a "Club" as you call it. In fact its a physical BSAC club. but in the spirit of things we have PADI (me) BSAC, IANDT etc people wear wings, BCD's even a couple of re-breathers. No-one gives a hoot, it's not the equipment it's the diver. Perhaps it's an Expat mentality where everyone has been to that place for the first time too that makes people welcoming and non-judgmental and willing to mentor new commers. Its what diving is (or should be) all about in my opinion.

I understood all the technical diving arguments. That's fine. I don't consider myself a technical diver. I hold and Accelerated Deco cert and occasionally do extended deco dives but never go below 40m. Not interested, but I respect others that find that kind of diving to their tastes.

I still like to question. Yes I see peoples perceptions of plastic buckles. But if they were really damage intolerant surely 90% of the BCD's in use world wide wouldn't have them? Also a Plastic buckle isn't likely to fail underwater. If there is going ot be a failure i'll be on the surface kitting up etc. I'm positive most people here have fixed more serious issues with duct tape and cable ties.

I am disappointed that some use the argument about the comfort harnesses having too much buoyant material. While that may be true if you're cold water diving in a thick wetsuit or a drysuit. they forget that others dive in warm with little exposure protection and with steel tanks so like extra buoyancy - too often people just use experience at a justification for everyone.

I still maintain that you need to re-evaluate things. and ask. sometimes people and groups make decisions based upon preduces

I see that some people lust after carbon fiber wrapped Ali tanks (for Re-breathers) I can write you a detailed dissertation why that is wrong on so many levels. For instance sea water + Ali + Carbon = a battery. Thus electrolytic corrosion, or impact of saltwater of resins Or delamination of carbon fibre composites cause by moisture ingress but heck it's the new fangled thing and clearly one to be embraced. Funny how a tech dive would embrace that cluster but eschew the use of plastic components.

So the question of the OP wasn't why WONT DIR allow me to use my harness, but the reasons for them not being acceptable to many people
 
Well said, Bob. It is like asking why BWMCCA require owners to use a BMW to join their track activities; why playboy magazine only post female models; why Ford dealer only sell Ford, but not Toyota, or why iPhones don't run Andriod .......

Except Bob decided that because this site had labeled me a DIR practitioner I must be, When it's actually a label attached to me by this site which I never asked for and don't actually like - given I've never ever suggested I'm DIR nor intent to be
 
Well said, Bob. It is like asking why BWMCCA require owners to use a BMW to join their track activities; why playboy magazine only post female models; why Ford dealer only sell Ford, but not Toyota, or why iPhones don't run Andriod .......
So they've created a brand and will stick with it exclusively regardless of potential improvements, right?

< offtopic >
BTW, Iphones can run android. Plenty of howtos and youtube videos of people who so desire doing just that. There's nothing truly special about android/ios or the hardware that runs them, that's just marketing gobbly gook. Also, I think playboy no longer includes photos of female models. They're banking on the "I only get it for the articles" crowd, I guess.< /offtopic >
 
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One of the things you have to remember is that a lot (most?) of these preferences started with cave divers, and the consequences of failures in a cave are much greater than on a reef. Moreover, you have much greater potential for creating the damage in a cave, especially when you are being propelled by a scooter. If you are diving a more benign environment, these sorts of things don't matter nearly as much, and you can do whatever common sense tells you to do.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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