Crotch Strap, trainable equipment?

[The Chairman]

Must be a PADI instructor. If it isn't in the manual, it doesn't exist.

I disagree. I was reported to an agency for teaching an OW class with back inflate BCs and crotch straps. The non-PADI course director was sure that I was endangering my students. He was always quick to mock PADI, but had issues of his own that he should deal with first! There's an insidious mentality in the Scuba industry that transcends all agencies: "If I don't teach, sell or dive it, it must be crap!" Everyone is quick to slap down an agency they don't teach for, when all of them need improvement. Don't single a single agency out for what all agencies are guilty of doing.

He didn't like their long hose either!

 

[Caveeagle]

He didn't like their long hose either!

Clearly he had his own issues. Lol

 

[tridacna]

I do remember those first few minutes of diving with the crotch strap flying behind me in the current before I finally remembered to always thread it before shutting the buckle. (I only started using one after 25 years of no CS).

 

[Manatee Diver]

Clearly he had his own issues. Lol

Hose envy is just horrible.

 

[grf88]

Maybe he has a concern regarding placement of crotch strap versus weight-belt and how it could effect dumping of weights in an emergency.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@grf88
Maybe he has a concern regarding placement of crotch strap versus weight-belt and how it could effect dumping of weights in an emergency.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good point !
But
Last on...
First off,,,

The weight belt

SDM

 

[Neilwood]

Maybe he has a concern regarding placement of crotch strap versus weight-belt and how it could effect dumping of weights in an emergency.

Even that takes only a few seconds to explain and demonstrate.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Why would a crotch strap affect dumping weights? My split crotch strap buckles are nowhere near the ripcord for my weight dump on my Zeagle. Am I missing something?

 

[grf88]

Why would a crotch strap affect dumping weights? My split crotch strap buckles are nowhere near the ripcord for my weight dump on my Zeagle. Am I missing something?

That is why I used the term weight-belt and not just weights. The usual sequence of donning gear would be typically weight-belt first and then BC If using a crotch strap then doing that would result in the crotch strap over the weight-belt preventing easy dumping. The instructor may be concerned that just demonstrating it in the shop may not be enough for her to unlearn what she has been doing to that point.

 

[CuzzA]

Why would a crotch strap affect dumping weights? My split crotch strap buckles are nowhere near the ripcord for my weight dump on my Zeagle. Am I missing something?

Not everyone dives with integrated ballast. Many, myself included dive with a rubber weight belt with hard lead as it makes it easier to remove your rig at depth and not float away from the BC. Also it makes the rig lighter for the guys who pull rigs over the gunwale. Nevertheless, if you accidentally put the crotch strap over your weight belt you've captured the weight belt and would need to unbuckle the crotch strap first. In an emergency on the surface a diver may not have the mental wherewithal to do that. Conversely, with the belt over your crotch strap you may have to remove the weight belt first to take off your rig.

For all the aforementioned reasons I personally ditched the crotch strap on my rig and have not noticed any negative effects.