Backplate system: What are each strap for?

[estresao]

Recently I shared a video of me doing some practices to an instructor to be helped in fine tuning some aspects and, one of the comments he made to me was "the way you are wearing the back plate doesn’t let the waist strap do its work".... hold on!!! what's the waist strap of a backplate harness work?

Never thought about these questions and now I'm still with the question not solved..... and searching everywhere, with no success. I’ve had PADI, CMAS and GUE training and never hear about these details.

So, I’ve got two questions:

- What’s the purpose of the waist strap?. I guess knowing that I'll be able to adjust better my backplate.

- Where these kind on information could be read?. I'm "always" flying, so lot of time to read about this and anyother thing whch could be interesting.


Many thanks!

 

[Storker]

What’s the purpose of the waist strap?

Uh, to secure the BP to your body. What else?

To have sufficient mobility, and to get in and out of the harness without too many issues, you have to have some slack in the shoulder straps. The standard advice is to be able to stick a fist under your shoulder strap. Now, this means that the BP is kinda loose on your back unless something else holds it close. With a properly adjusted harness, the waist strap and the crotch strap are what's holding the BP snugly against your back.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

One common mistake when wearing a backplate system (BP/W) is over-tightening the shoulder straps. I’m assuming that’s what this person was getting at. Tighten up the waist strap to secure your setup in place.

You should be able to get your fist between your shoulder strap and your shoulder when you’re in the water. By having the shoulder straps too tight...it’s going to be more work to get out of the harness if you have to.

I’ve seen this discussed in BP/W related threads and the advanced forums.

 

[tbone1004]

there are 2 straps on the backplate harness that matter in the water. First one is the crotch strap, second one is the waist strap. The combo of the two keep the rig in place while diving. The shoulder straps need to be quite loose, as in when you're in the water you should be able to slide them off of your shoulders without any struggle at all. The shoulder straps work when you roll over so the rig doesn't twist, and when you're out of the water to carry them. In the water they don't do much.

 

[estresao]

Interesting! Never heared about that, which I think is fundamental. I"ve read some DIR web page explaning how to aejuat properly the harness, but was told it's already "old"? for example adjust so that you can touch the plate with the tips of your fingers.

 

[rongoodman]

adjust so that you can touch the plate with the tips of your fingers.

That sounds about right.