Help With The First Bp/w Rig

[cool_hardware52]

Just to continue on the subj: I have decided to go with DSS and have ordered the SS + T17.
Yesterday I have received the parcel (thx for a quick turnaround Tobin) and I must admit I was rather surprised - the whole box was smaller than the one from my macbook =)
I was initially quite worried re assembling the rig (being my first BP/W), but took me less than 15 minutes to get it sorted. It meant to be the day of surprises - when I've tried on it was like there was nothing on your shoulders - very comfortable and light. Desperate to try it in action this coming Thursday!

Few questions re harness:
1. How tight should the rig sit - should there be reasonable freedom or it should be extremely tight.

No where near as snug as the jackets you have been using. You should be able to easily fit your hand between the shoulder straps and your suit. Keep in mind that you have shoulder straps, a waist strap and a crotch strap. These act together to position the rig. The typical jacket BC lacks a crotch strap and tries to secure BC using tight shoulder straps and cumberbund

2. How much harness should I cut off? Is it fine to leave say 10-15cm extra just each side?

Most new BP&W divers end up trimming the harness more than once. Remember the shoulder straps become the waist straps. I'd start by leaving 5-6 inches each side. (12-15 cm) You can always cut off more.....

Tobin

 

[tbone1004]

some new divers who were at the quarry last week had never seen a bp/w in the water and asked why it looked like my shoulder straps were so loose. I can easily get a full fist between each strap and my chest when I'm in the water. If the waist and the crotch are snug, there is really no reason for the shoulders to be tight. They are only really there to keep the top of the rig from slopping around, but in good trim it can't do that easily. Only time they should feel tight is at the surface fully geared up and standing up since the rig will "sit" down a little bit. As soon as you're in the water it should come back up about an inch and that will loosen everything up in the shoulders and snug the crotch strap.

 

[eelnoraa]

For this
2. How much harness should I cut off? Is it fine to leave say 10-15cm extra just each side?

Don't trim it too much at once. I would say trim the excessive that get in the way only. Do a few dives first or take the class first, then come back to cut some more. Still but a bit at a time unless you sure how much to cut. I personally think 10-15cm extra is too short. For the left side, you can easily have more and still hide it tidely. For the right side, you want to be able to loose the buckle and the tail don't fall out AND with enough to hang through the buckle so you can easily grab by touch. You should experiment, so don't cut to 10-15cm at once.

 

[tbone1004]

Whenever I get a new harness, I usually put the buckle as far out as I can to where it would hold a canister light on itself, then the left side I leave long enough to go through the crotch strap, left hip d-ring, then into the knife sheath. If there is still extra left on either side I will trim that off. This is with no exposure protection on. I will usually end up leaving it like that since exposure protection is obviously bigger than I am, it will come closer to the middle. I dive without exposure protection, with 5mm wetsuit, and with drysuits pretty regularly and often with the same plate.

 

[cool_hardware52]

For this
2. How much harness should I cut off? Is it fine to leave say 10-15cm extra just each side?

Don't trim it too much at once. I would say trim the excessive that get in the way only. Do a few dives first or take the class first, then come back to cut some more. Still but a bit at a time unless you sure how much to cut. I personally think 10-15cm extra is too short. For the left side, you can easily have more and still hide it tidely. For the right side, you want to be able to loose the buckle and the tail don't fall out AND with enough to hang through the buckle so you can easily grab by touch. You should experiment, so don't cut to 10-15cm at once.

I should have been more specific. The 10-15 cm is past the 15cm I typically leave extending through the buckle. Your advice to trim only what is in your way is better general advice.

If the right waist strap is hitting the left hip dring, or the left waist projects so far past the buckle that it interferes with the a can light cut it back a bit.

Tobin

 

[Roman K]

Thanks all for the advice - I left about 25-30 cm for now so should be fine, my right strap fits into the knife sheath, the buckle is closer to the right hip and the remainings of the left strap touch the BP. It feels good on the surface but will check it on the dive shortly.

left hip d-ring, then into the knife sheath.

I though the sheath should be between the D-ring and the crotch strap? Or is it only DIR config?..

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It depends on how accessible you want it. Knife position is purely personal. Since you should have a cutting tool or tools accessible by either hand it's likely you will end up with more than one. I have a bum right shoulder. Putting the knife too far back on either side means I can't get to it with both hands. I mount mine between the buckle and the d ring. I also have a cutter mounted on the right shoulder and one on my computer wrist strap.
Just a point of info, though mine is mounted between the buckle and the d ring, it's mounted horizontally using strips of inner tube. This way it does not poke into my leg or abdomen when bending over and it's still secure and easily accessed. I just make sure to inspect and change the inner tube on a regular basis. Ten years now like this and the knife on my DSS plate and harness has never been lost or come loose. See photo below. Also attached is a pic of the shoulder strap adjusted to where I like it and this works with my drysuit.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Just a point of info, though mine is mounted between the buckle and the d ring, it's mounted horizontally using strips of inner tube. This way it does not poke into my leg or abdomen when bending over and it's still secure and easily accessed.

That's a really good idea.

 

[tbone1004]

my d-ring is a bit farther forward than the DIR guys put it, and I have my knife right behind it. I don't go for that knife as a first priority, so if it is hidden a bit by any bottles slung over there it isn't the end of the world. I prefer to have my primary and secondary cutting devices on my wrists for easy access

 

[KevinNM]

No caniter light is totally fine for a rec pass.

For wireless transmitter, I think you can leave it on, but you have to be able to turn off the pressure reading. One of my teammate did just that with a Suutto Viper. The Viper can still track consumption, but not display pressure on your wrist unit.. Because one of the class objective is to track your assumption with your brain. So from time to time, between exercises, instructor will ask you for your pressure, you are expect to look at time and depth (average depth), and reply with your pressure. Then you confirm it by reading your SPG. But do ask your instructor about that, or at least bring a HP port plug to the class in case you are required to take it off.

You can run into issues trying to reach the valve on a single tank rig with the transmitter attached. I did. But my instructor said that she felt it was a good idea to remove it but it wasn't required, though when I found I couldn't get to the valve I did pull it. And haven't missed it.