No-Harness Sidemount Rig - Just a bit of fun ;)

[JamesK]

Hey stetching this idea a bit; I know there is someone who makes the metal pieces to make the sidemount harness.

With the trim pillow, and those metal pieces one could go full harness (thus full tank carrying) for cheap and light.

Who does make those metal pieces?

You don't actually even need metal plates. A large metal ring for the shoulder plate, and a bunch or tri-glides with a dash of imagination can get you set to go.

 

[beanojones]

I clearly do not have enough imagination to see how.

 

[JamesK]

I clearly do not have enough imagination to see how.

LOL. Let me try to explain.

Large metal ring is your shoulder plate. Three pieces of webbing attach here. Two shoulder straps and one spine/crotch strap. You wrap each shoulder strap through and then use a tri glide to attach it back to itself. You do the same with the spine strap. Place this over your shoulders now. Measure where you want the lower "plate" and place tri glide at top and one approx 2" below it. Thread another short piece of webbing through these to create a slot. Now it's time for the waist band. Thread more webbing through the slot you created. Put a tri glide on each side of the slot on the waist strap. Lock it in place with another piece of webbing just like the slot you made on the spine strap. Now put it back on and attach your waist buckle. Bring your crotch strap up and thread it around the waist strap and secure with a tri glide where it olds back over itself. Now for the shoulder straps. Bring these straight down, but at a slight angle, to a comfortable spot in your waist strap. Doing this also makes it easier to deploy backups since they are not hidden behind tanks now. Ok, now thread the shoulder straps and wrap them around your waist strap jut like the crotch strap.

Now just adjust everything to a comfortable yet tight fitting. If you have access to a heavy sewing machine you can sew the slots you made or the back plate and where the shoulder straps and spine strap wrap back. Although leaving the straps at the shoulder plate with tri glides make it easily adjustable. Add drings wherever you like and viola! You can even add harness slots to hold the shoulder straps in the perfect spot on the waist band like you did in the back.

Homemade harness for around $20.

I made one myself but never got a chance to dive it before I took it apart to try other things.

 

[beanojones]

Trim inflation pillow dicontinued April 1, 2013.

So no more fun with this one.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Glad I have mine!

 

[DevonDiver]

Glad I got two!

 

[Jai Bar]

Saw this thread only today, said to myself "Wow, I'm gonna try this one as soon as water is warm enough" and now I see DR pillow is discontinued so some improvisation is needed...

Any recommendations/ideas for a good substitute of similar lift (~10Lb)?

I don't mind DIYing an outer shell imitating the DiveRite pillow (e.g. connection holes for bungee, loops for weight belt etc), but I was never able to make by myself a reliable bladder with both inflator and dump valve mechanism, nor to improvise such a thing out of an MSR waterbag- and they usually are not more than 3Liters anyway.

This looks so awesome- exactly for the type of diving I usually do- thanks for sharing this concept!

 

[beanojones]

Last I checked Dive Gear Express still had them even though DiveRite had discontinued them,

 

[DevonDiver]

I'm sure there's stocks out there - if production was only just discontinued.

 

[beanojones]

I'm sure there's stocks out there - if production was only just discontinued.

Yeah DiveRite only discontinued them April 1st, 2013. (If only it was April fools only).