Hog harness: stop stuff from moving around waist belt?

[emeshuris]

I just hit my 30 dive mark, so that makes me an expert. I switched to a bpw, and have noticed how much overweighted I was. I'm now at 14 down from 24, I'm able to descend and ascend horizontally, I like reply 80, it makes sense, I started doing it because it feels right...

 

[stuartv]

I just re-read this whole thread and now, with 10 more dives under my belt (double the experience!), I have these things to add:

- I tried using the EMT shears in the DGX belt sheath, with nothing extra to keep the shears in, and somewhere around dive # 5, I lost the shears. It was a simple, fairly shallow reef dive. I didn't bump into anything. I MAY have gotten completely inverted once or twice, when I was looking/filming under a ledge that was at the bottom. Anyway, I am now convinced that the DGX belt sheath is not, by itself, sufficient retention for the shears or a knife. I will order some new shears (thank goodness they are pretty cheap!) and try to figure out some way to secure them in the sheath that doesn't make them too hard to deploy in an emergency. I wish the DGX sheath had some Velcro sewn onto the front like the Trilobyte sheath, so I could use some line to tie a Velcro tab to the shears and Velcro them in (like the Trilobyte does). Somebody should make/offer for sale a sheath with the Velcro and mating tab, so you could use it to secure whatever item you want into the sheath. Now I REALLY wish I had remembered to repossess my sewing machine from my brother the last time I visited Tallahassee! I know DIR says to keep the waistbelt sheath more or less in the front/middle of the waistbelt, but I tried that and the bottom end of the sheath really pocked into my crotch whenever I would bend over, so I started keeping it all the way around to the left, almost right up against the left side D-ring. Maybe I should just tie a bolt snap to the shears and snap it to the left D-ring (plus keep them in the sheath, of course)?

- The belt sheath did not move around on my belt when I was in the water (just as y'all said), but it did constantly slip down to the buckle whenever I was donning/doffing my rig or just moving it around. That was a bit annoying, so I will be doing something before my next dive to get it to stay in place. I did already buy a few of the black plastic webbing lock clips from DGX (https://www.divegearexpress.com/hardware/drings.shtml), so I will start with trying one of those, I guess.

- I realized (between diving near Coz in December and diving in Hawaii last week) that the BP I had, being a DSS size Medium, was not 6 #. It was (according to the specs) 4.7 #. So, when I added 10 # of weight, it was still only 14.7#. So, not as heavy as I (and other posters) thought. Before I went to Hawaii, I traded it for a DSS size Large, which is spec'ed at 5.8 #. Neither BP requires a STA and I didn't/don't use one. In Hawaii, I added 8 # of weight (so, 13.8 #, total) and I remembered to burp the air out of my suit when I got in. I did 10 dives and I had no trouble maintaining a SS. MAYBE I could have used even less weight, but 8 was working fine, so I chose not to waste any of my dive time experimenting with less. This was in a 3/2 full suit, with 5mm boots.

- My first 2 dives, I tucked my boots in under my suit. I also had moved my weight pockets (since diving in MX in Dec) from the lower cam band to the upper cam band. During those two dives, I felt like I was having an issue with my trim where I tended to tip head down. My suit (a SP EverFlex) seems to have very good seals and during the dives, it felt like I actually had some air trapped in my boots. Before my next excursion, I moved my weight pockets back down to the lower cam band, and for all subsequent dives I went with my boots on the outside of my suit. No more trouble with trim.

- I have decided I really do not prefer the horseshoe shape of my DSS LCD 30 wing. Because of the aforementioned problem with tending to float head down, I had a couple of incidents where I ended up completely inverted in fairly shallow water and starting to cork. My wing only has 2 dumps - the LPI hose and a butt dump on the left side. When starting to cork while inverted, the butt dump couldn't let out enough air to stop my ascent, as half the air was trapped on the right side. I could only recover to neutral by flipping myself upright and using the LPI to dump more air. I don't feel like this is a huge deal. "Corking" would not happen nearly as rapidly at depth. And I am not normally floating inverted - especially since resolving the trim issue I was having. Nevertheless, not being able to dump air from the right side when floating even just somewhat head down is annoying. I want a smaller wing for warm water diving anyway, so I will be looking for a donut in the 17 - 23 # range.

- All my dives on this trip were boat dives, so I did not carry a snorkel when I was in the water. But, I did get to wondering, what is the DIR prescription for carrying a snorkel, should I choose to? Glue a thigh pocket to my suit? An earlier post (from tbone, I think?) implied that glued-on thigh pockets are not cave-recommended. A waistbelt-mounted utility pocket? I see several pockets on the DGX website. Any particular recommendation? What about the Dive Rite thigh pocket that just straps on around the thigh with a support strap from the waistbelt to hold it up?

- I went on a snorkeling excursion one day to swim with the spinner dolphins. That was really cool! The dolphins swam around with us for almost an hour. For that, I figured I'd be right up near the surface, so there was no need to put the red filter on my GoPro. Mistake. I definitely wish I had put the red filter on, even though I was just snorkeling. Just FYI, in case someone reads this who might contemplate the same choice some day.

 

[gcarter]

I just re-read this whole thread and now, with 10 more dives under my belt (double the experience!), I have these things to add:

- I tried using the EMT shears in the DGX belt sheath, with nothing extra to keep the shears in, and somewhere around dive # 5, I lost the shears. It was a simple, fairly shallow reef dive. I didn't bump into anything. I MAY have gotten completely inverted once or twice, when I was looking/filming under a ledge that was at the bottom. Anyway, I am now convinced that the DGX belt sheath is not, by itself, sufficient retention for the shears or a knife. I will order some new shears (thank goodness they are pretty cheap!) and try to figure out some way to secure them in the sheath that doesn't make them too hard to deploy in an emergency. I wish the DGX sheath had some Velcro sewn onto the front like the Trilobyte sheath, so I could use some line to tie a Velcro tab to the shears and Velcro them in (like the Trilobyte does). Somebody should make/offer for sale a sheath with the Velcro and mating tab, so you could use it to secure whatever item you want into the sheath. Now I REALLY wish I had remembered to repossess my sewing machine from my brother the last time I visited Tallahassee! I know DIR says to keep the waistbelt sheath more or less in the front/middle of the waistbelt, but I tried that and the bottom end of the sheath really pocked into my crotch whenever I would bend over, so I started keeping it all the way around to the left, almost right up against the left side D-ring. Maybe I should just tie a bolt snap to the shears and snap it to the left D-ring (plus keep them in the sheath, of course)?

https://www.divegearexpress.com/tools/daisychain.shtml

DR-AC3222-XL

Lanyard w/Velcro for XL Z-knife

 

[g1138]

Answer to your shear problem.
Tie a loop of bungee about using about 8in. So you have about a 4in long loop.
Loop that around one of the shear finger holes. Stick the shears in the holster and loop your bungee over the entire sheath. The tension will keep the shears in.

When you need it, undo the bungee loop and slip your hand into it. Then pull the shears out. Whala! You now have shears on a lanyard attached to your wrist.



Alternatively, you have to dedicate a sheath to either knife or shears. You should not mix and match tools with the same DIR sheath.
After the nylon sheath goes through a couple wet and dry cycles, it will "harden" in the form of what it contains. Most EMT Shears have a little tab at the cutting end. Sticking that so it's in a corner of the sheath usually does the job at keeping the shears in it's holder once it "hardens" to form. YMMV

Making your own sheath, use about 17in of nylon webbing and neoprene cement. Works just as well as sewing and is easier IMO. Buy a tube for easy application. Tubes also last longer than the Tin & Brush applicators.

---------- Post added March 20th, 2015 at 11:20 PM ----------

Also I go a DIR-inspired approach and put a Dalton knife on my left, slid 5 fingers from the Left D-ring.
That solves the bending over and getting the sheath shoved into the bad places.

Shears go in a separate holster in place of the Can Light I can't afford. Either a Buckle or a Right Hip D-ring is used to secure the shear sheath.
Depends if I'm doing a working dive or a fun dive. I have 2 different Bp/W setups for each.

Working dive I clip off my gear bag and meter tapes to the Right D-ring. SPG & Pony go slung on the left side. SMB & Spool go on crotch strap. Shoulder D-rings are saved for smaller tools or tools in constant use when I'm on site.
Fun dive I'm using a DIR harness. I'm carrying less clutter and have no use for the Right Hip D-Ring.

 

[ams511]

Stuart:

You could always add your own velcro to the sheath with Aquaseal and a trip to Joann's Fabrics or a craft store.

You should be able to use a tri-glide to fix the position of an item on the belt so it does not move.

DIR usually recommends pockets on the suit not on the belt. If you want I assume a pocket can take the place of a can light on the belt.

 

[TSandM]

If you want a snorkel, you can get a roll-up one and either clip the case to your backplate or put it in a pocket. I don't know where you got the idea that glued-on pockets are regarded poorly -- glued-on pockets DO have an issue with peeling off from shear stress, and many people eventually have them sewn on, but glued-on is fine to start with.