Issues fitting new BP

[mthirsc]

Hello,

I recently purchased mny second BP/W, a DSS medium kydex. I am 5'10" tall with a fairly long torso, so maybe equivalent to 5'11" for fitting purposes. 155lbs.

I have the plate riding in the right place on my back (can reach back and touch top of plate w/fingertips) but the waist strap is riding just below my ribcage and is on the verge of interfering with breathing. I cannot loosen the shoulders or tighten the crotch any more. In fact, I just tightened the shoulders a little (it was a little sloppy) but have not dived it yet but I fear the waist strap will be even more against my ribcage.

The waist strap is higher than on the HH plate I am used to... any suggestions to getting it to ride better, farther from the ribcage? I know I am not the only one in the 5'10-5"11 range using the medium plate. I am even wondering if I need a larger plate closer to the standard size put out my most manufacturerers. Not complaining about the DSS plate, I really want to get it dialed in since it is superbly designed.

Thanks!

EDIT: Now I'm thinking crossing the straps may move everything down a little, hold it in place better and solve the problem. I have pretty broad shoulders and I always read it is for folks with narrow shoulders. But this might do the trick. I have enough webbing left to do it. Any thoughts?

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hello,

I recently purchased mny second BP/W, a DSS medium kydex. I am 5'10" tall with a fairly long torso, so maybe equivalent to 5'11" for fitting purposes. 155lbs.

I have the plate riding in the right place on my back (can reach back and touch top of plate w/fingertips) but the waist strap is riding just below my ribcage and is on the verge of interfering with breathing. I cannot loosen the shoulders or tighten the crotch any more. In fact, I just tightened the shoulders a little (it was a little sloppy) but have not dived it yet but I fear the waist strap will be even more against my ribcage.

The waist strap is higher than on the HH plate I am used to... any suggestions to getting it to ride better, farther from the ribcage? I know I am not the only one in the 5'10-5"11 range using the medium plate. I am even wondering if I need a larger plate closer to the standard size put out my most manufacturerers. Not complaining about the DSS plate, I really want to get it dialed in since it is superbly designed.

Thanks!

EDIT: Now I'm thinking crossing the straps may move everything down a little, hold it in place better and solve the problem. I have pretty broad shoulders and I always read it is for folks with narrow shoulders. But this might do the trick. I have enough webbing left to do it. Any thoughts?

If you are diving singles it won't do any harm to lower the top of the plate just a bit.

Crossing the straps will drop the plate about 1.5 inches.

Remember most "one size fits all plates" are ~15.5-15.75" tall. Our medium is 15 inches. This would put the waist strap about 3/4" higher than your previous plate. You should be able to lower the the plate by 3/4".

Tobin

 

[mthirsc]

Thanks for the reply, Tobin. I dive singles and doubles, but dropping the plate 1.5 by crossing the straps would still leave the top of the plate reachable, so I'll give that a try. I can't lower the plate by loosening the straps since it would end up too loose.

 

[David P]

ok, I must be missing something because the main question in my head is, why dont you just loosen the waist belt? Im 6'4" (with short stubby legs and a long body)with a DR and a DSS size L back plate, the waist strap on both plates come in right around the bottom of my ribcage. I don't have problems breathing and i know I have the harness tight enough (DIR instructor didn't comment on sloppy rigs after the first round of adjustments).

 

[mthirsc]

I tried loosening the waist and found that it was not secure enough with doubles. The loose shoulders were annoying with singles. A "standard" plate fits me fine so maybe the large DSS would have worked. A DR plate fits me fine as does a Hammerhead, so the L DSS probably would work.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I tried loosening the waist and found that it was not secure enough with doubles. The loose shoulders were annoying with singles. A "standard" plate fits me fine so maybe the large DSS would have worked. A DR plate fits me fine as does a Hammerhead, so the L DSS probably would work.

I have compared our Medium plate to both a HH and DR plate.

Our medium plate is 15 inches tall, both of the other plates are 15.5" tall.

The Spacing from the top of a HH plate to the lower harness slots is ~ 1/2" longer than the same spacing on our medium plate.

The spacing from the top of a DR plate to the lower harness slots is less than 1/4" longer than the same spacing on our medium plate.

I'm having trouble seeing how a 1/4" longer spacing allows a DR plate to fit without impeding your breathing.

Is there something else I've missed?


Tobin

 

[mthirsc]

The top webbing slots on the DR are closer to the edge tahn the kydex DSS, might make the distance between shoulder and waist straps greater, I dunno. Maybe I sound like an idiot but it just didn't feel right, especially with singles. Maybe the flex of the kydex that occurs with a single (without the tanks as a structural member) had something to do with it. Crossing the shoulder straps helped the alignment a bit but I didn't like that either. Maybe I was just accustomed to a one size fits all type.

Not every plate works for everyone, I wanted it to work for me but life is too short. When I move back to cold water I'll try a Large SS DSS plate. Still loving the LCD 20 though! Adapted the other plates to accept the integrated STA etc.

 

[cool_hardware52]

The top webbing slots on the DR are closer to the edge tahn the kydex DSS, might make the distance between shoulder and waist straps greater, I dunno. Maybe I sound like an idiot but it just didn't feel right, especially with singles. Maybe the flex of the kydex that occurs with a single (without the tanks as a structural member) had something to do with it. Crossing the shoulder straps helped the alignment a bit but I didn't like that either. Maybe I was just accustomed to a one size fits all type.

Not every plate works for everyone, I wanted it to work for me but life is too short. When I move back to cold water I'll try a Large SS DSS plate. Still loving the LCD 20 though! Adapted the other plates to accept the integrated STA etc.

The webbing exits the top slots on the back of the plate, i.e. away from the diver's back. The top of the shoulder strap passes over the top of the plate. You could lower the upper slots 2 inches in the plate and it would have no effect on fit, you'd just need a little more webbing.

The distance from the top edge of the plate to the bottom harness slots determines where the waist strap will hit the diver, assuming the plate position remains the same.

In the water the loads are very small, flex of the kydex has never been a problem for me, or a reported problem by others. Something else must be going on.


Tobin