WetAndHappy
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Hello CB,
5 years ago I broke my back and it has since been fixed. I do not have my original strength back yet (~75%) and have gained a bit of weight in part due to the subsequent sedentary lifestyle - I am currently 6'1" and 240lbs. SCUBA was a challenge but in the interim I was able to get a set of gear together which allows me to (almost independently) dive, including shore entry.
My first tip is to look into a back plate harness with a significant back pad and lumbar support. I use a Deep Outdoors LTD harness, and the back support is astounding. I am able to transfer a significant amount of weight on to my hips instead of my shoulders, and the padding on the back mates the curve of my spine well, keeping everything in order. I understand these are not available anymore, but there may be some harnesses with a large back pad (this thing is seriously 2" thick) to cushion the plate. Or get a custom back pad sewn in.
Next, get a weight harness instead of a weight belt. It's a weight belt with shoulder straps. The dump mechanism leaves the harness on you while ditching the ingots. These are great for people with healing spines, and if you have picked up a larger girth (as I have) the shoulder straps keep the belt from falling. My skinny dive buddy thinks they're great too - neither of us (albeit for different reasons) have hips for belts to sit on, and they solve the problem well. Mine was custom manufactured, but if you need a product idea Google the "Seasoft Seawolf Weight Harness" - I have never used this specific product and cannot comment on its performance.
Develop a routine where you can don and doff your equipment in the water. This is much easier on the back. Because I am in a dry suit, it is easy to stay afloat while putting everything on. Inflate your wing, dump it in the water, swim to it, and gear up. The secret to success here is to vary the inflation of your wing (not full, never sinking - I would say I put my 85# wing 1/3 full) then remember that you have all the time in the world. If you surface before the rest of the other divers, take that time to don and doff your equipment repeatedly for practice.
That ends the equipment part, so on to: hire or enlist the aid of a squire. Literally, you're a knight getting dressed in heavy armor to battle sea serpents, so a squire is required. Lucky me, my wife is willing to haul and dress me for a dive, and after a while I built up my strength and her workload has gone down significantly. Now all she does is help me don/doff my dry suit, clip on my fins and ankle weights, and drop my BP/W+Tank in the water. The extra D-rings on the back of the Matrix let the two of us haul the assembly into the water easily.
Reading the other posts, I note some divers have recommended side mount systems - I have no aquatic experience with side mount equipment, and no opinion of them other than I have observed many successful side mount divers. That being said, a fellow at a LDS tried to get me to stand up in one while saddling two filled AL80s... I almost broke my back a second time.
The hardest part? Getting a strong minded, independent, formerly capable person to ask others for help. What can I say, I am a better person for it all.
5 years ago I broke my back and it has since been fixed. I do not have my original strength back yet (~75%) and have gained a bit of weight in part due to the subsequent sedentary lifestyle - I am currently 6'1" and 240lbs. SCUBA was a challenge but in the interim I was able to get a set of gear together which allows me to (almost independently) dive, including shore entry.
My first tip is to look into a back plate harness with a significant back pad and lumbar support. I use a Deep Outdoors LTD harness, and the back support is astounding. I am able to transfer a significant amount of weight on to my hips instead of my shoulders, and the padding on the back mates the curve of my spine well, keeping everything in order. I understand these are not available anymore, but there may be some harnesses with a large back pad (this thing is seriously 2" thick) to cushion the plate. Or get a custom back pad sewn in.
Next, get a weight harness instead of a weight belt. It's a weight belt with shoulder straps. The dump mechanism leaves the harness on you while ditching the ingots. These are great for people with healing spines, and if you have picked up a larger girth (as I have) the shoulder straps keep the belt from falling. My skinny dive buddy thinks they're great too - neither of us (albeit for different reasons) have hips for belts to sit on, and they solve the problem well. Mine was custom manufactured, but if you need a product idea Google the "Seasoft Seawolf Weight Harness" - I have never used this specific product and cannot comment on its performance.
Develop a routine where you can don and doff your equipment in the water. This is much easier on the back. Because I am in a dry suit, it is easy to stay afloat while putting everything on. Inflate your wing, dump it in the water, swim to it, and gear up. The secret to success here is to vary the inflation of your wing (not full, never sinking - I would say I put my 85# wing 1/3 full) then remember that you have all the time in the world. If you surface before the rest of the other divers, take that time to don and doff your equipment repeatedly for practice.
That ends the equipment part, so on to: hire or enlist the aid of a squire. Literally, you're a knight getting dressed in heavy armor to battle sea serpents, so a squire is required. Lucky me, my wife is willing to haul and dress me for a dive, and after a while I built up my strength and her workload has gone down significantly. Now all she does is help me don/doff my dry suit, clip on my fins and ankle weights, and drop my BP/W+Tank in the water. The extra D-rings on the back of the Matrix let the two of us haul the assembly into the water easily.
Reading the other posts, I note some divers have recommended side mount systems - I have no aquatic experience with side mount equipment, and no opinion of them other than I have observed many successful side mount divers. That being said, a fellow at a LDS tried to get me to stand up in one while saddling two filled AL80s... I almost broke my back a second time.
The hardest part? Getting a strong minded, independent, formerly capable person to ask others for help. What can I say, I am a better person for it all.
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