BP and Harness Comfort with Doubles

[ElectricZombie]

I recently tried out my FredT backplate and harness with a set of steel 72 doubles on land. The rig was easy enough to get on but, the straps were really cutting into my shoulders...kind of painful. I was just wearing a t-shirt so, I figured that it would feel better with a wetsuit. Will the rig feel better once I get into the water? Since it will be about neutral, I guess it should feel better. Can anyone with BP experience tell me how comfortable their rig is underwater? Is this just one of those things that really works better in the water?

[Uncle Pug]

...I find that my double LP104s are very comfortable above or below the water... however the weight is a little too much for me to do jumping jacks with them on... I can get the arm part working but not the jumping part... course maybe the deco bottle clanking around on my left side is the problem... hmmm....

Anyway... I dive with a drysuit and undergarment so perhaps that supplies the requisite padding.

I'll get a T-shirt on and run out to the garage and give it a try...


~~~~~~~~~

Nah... I'm too tired to do that.

[Iguana Don]

No scuba gear is made to be comfortable outta the water. Yes it will be much more comfortable once submerged.

ID

[sheck33]

double 72's are very comfortable in the water, however on land it is less of a pleasure to be wearing them, then again the whole setup is not designed to be comfy on land :)

[Padipro]

I have to agree with the guys above, my double AL 90's are uncomfortable out of the water just because of the weight and the fact that in South FLA we don't wear very heavy wetsuits in the summer so there is little padding. Underwater is another story, the rig is light and a pleasure to swim with. I haven't tried the deco bottle yet so that may change some things but I doubt it.

Scott

[Wendy]

Ihave double LP steel 85's. When I'm n cave country sometimes the walk from the car to the water isn't a short one, but at least I have on 6mm of padding under the harness. It is much better in the water.

But I understand the feeling you get from your harness when only wearnig a t-shirt. I live on the second floor and have to get my doubles on from out of the trunk of a car and then wear them up a very steep long flight of stairs! I get pleanty of strange looks from the neighbors, buts its the only way I can carry them up.

[Iguana Don]

Hey Wendy,

Throwing a rope over the balcony and hauling them up that way?

ID

[ElectricZombie]

I'm glad to hear that the rig feels better in the water. I need to hurry up and order the STA so I can test it out.

[SPEEDSTER]

and not doubles like you asked about? I assume so since you are waiting on a STA? A singles rig is really light and not a problem at all hauling around without any sort of padding.

[JamesK]

Wendy,

Have you tried using a hand truck to move your tanks. This is what I do when staying at hotels. Makes it MUCH easier.

[ElectricZombie]

I would be diving both doubles and singles. Probably just singles for a while until I can set aside some cash for doubles.

[trheeltek]

I also have to schlep a set of doubles (LP104s) up some stairs. It's easiest to carry on my back, but then I have a hard time setting them down on the floor without killing myself. I starting carrying them in reverse, chest against the backplate, arms through the shoulder straps and hands linked in back. I can set them on the floor by squatting, and I don't end up lying there like a turtle. Just a thought. And yes, it does hurt to carry them in a T-shirt, no matter how you do it.

[divernva]

... hide them in the bushes and chain them to the 1st floor balcony.

Just kidding... good workout. Hope you don't forget too many things with the contraption on your back.

[ElectricZombie]

I tried the BP and Doubles this weekend an actual dive, and found them comfortable with a farmer john wetsuit. Even after a long walk, it was still fairly comfortable. The BP was much more streamlined that my old rig...I'll be using the BP from now on.