Shoulder Strap Release for Backplate Harness

I know the arguments against this, but...

I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.

Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.

Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
will not intefere with other gear.

--
Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
(hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.

"Charlie Hammond" <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote in message
news:1C28b.4512$Lb1.795@news.cpqcorp.net...
> I know the arguments against this, but...
>
> I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
> toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
> flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.
>
> Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
> that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
> the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
> the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
> a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
> shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.
>
> Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
> way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
> will not intefere with other gear.
>
> --
> Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
> (hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
> All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.
>

The shoulder strap does not come up from the waist, it comes from behind at
the lower attachment point on the plate. You might want to reconsider. With
the shoulder straps properly adjusted, I have no problem slipping under the
straps, even more so with a cooperative buddy. The straps do not need to be
tight, with the waist belt and (optional) crotch strap, things are very
stable in the water.

"Charlie Hammond" <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote in message
news:1C28b.4512$Lb1.795@news.cpqcorp.net...
> I know the arguments against this, but...
>
> I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
> toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
> flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.
>
> Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
> that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
> the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
> the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
> a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
> shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.
>
> Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
> way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
> will not intefere with other gear.
>
> --
> Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
> (hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
> All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.
>

There is a way to make the shoulder strap larger cutting the harness,
although you do need to have sufficient slack to begin with. Take a look at
the first example at http://www.ukrecscuba.org.uk/ukdiver/harness/index.html

Charlie Hammond wrote:
>
> Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
> that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
> the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
> the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
> a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
> shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.
>
> Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
> way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
> will not intefere with other gear.

13-14 years ago I dove a backpack set up much the way you are describing
except I had the buckle up a bit higher. Since you're bound and
determined to go and screw up a perfectly good system anyway I'll let
you know that in my experience a weight belt buckle is the less than
optimum choice as they pop open when you do not want them to,
frequently. I wouldn't advise going that route.

Brian
Edmonton, Alberta
www.mossmanscubaventures.com

Charlie Hammond <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote:
>I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
>toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
>flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.

Have you ever worked on improving it? It's not about aerobic fitness;
in fact a lot of exercise with no attention to stretching will likely
decrease your flexibility.

As someone else noted, it's not necessary for the straps to be that tight
on a backplate rig. Getting in and out of mine is easy in that regard.
Obviously it's a heavy rig though, so a tailgate or a buddy is good.
--
Jason O'Rourke www.jor.com

In article <1C28b.4512$Lb1.795@news.cpqcorp.net>,
hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com (Charlie Hammond) wrote:

> I know the arguments against this, but...
>
> I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
> toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
> flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.
>
> Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
> that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
> the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
> the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
> a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
> shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.
>
> Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
> way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
> will not intefere with other gear.

It might be difficult to reassemble (hard to reach with both hands) if
it pops open under water.

--
--Chandler

I have a backplate rig that started out ok.
At an instructor's STRONG SUGGESTION (almost insistence)
I put a quick disconnect on the left shoulder strap - I think this
was at about the rescue class level. I dislike it and try to NOT
undo it, partly because all my dangly things get tangled (-:
So, I'm not very flexible either, but the next time I re-thread that
plate it will be WITHOUT the 2 inch fastex on the left.
BTW, another topic, but I would like to invert my tanks partly for
flexibility reasons.

\R



Charlie Hammond wrote:

> I know the arguments against this, but...
>
> I am not a flexible person. I never have been -- I could not touch my
> toes as far back as Jr High Gym class! I am not likely to become more
> flexible as I continue to age. So, I'm considering this.
>
> Since I normally lift my rig onto my right shoulder first, I am thinking
> that the right shoulder strap should remain intact. My idea is to cut
> the left strap fairly low, just above my waist. I would then adjust
> the strap coming up from the waist, making it longer and installing
> a metal, weight belt buckle on it. This would be use to connect the
> shoulder strap. I think this would make gearing-up much easier for me.
>
> Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
> way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
> will not intefere with other gear.
>

"Reg" <2regburgess@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:cw88b.335$u07.116@newsread1.news.atl.earthlin k.net...
> I have a backplate rig that started out ok.
> At an instructor's STRONG SUGGESTION (almost insistence)
> I put a quick disconnect on the left shoulder strap - I think this
> was at about the rescue class level. I dislike it and try to NOT
> undo it, partly because all my dangly things get tangled (-:

If you allowed this--you are the fool.

> So, I'm not very flexible either, but the next time I re-thread that
> plate it will be WITHOUT the 2 inch fastex on the left.

very good.

> BTW, another topic, but I would like to invert my tanks partly for
> flexibility reasons.
>

There multiple reasons not to do this.....

Care to guess?

MDH

On Thu, 11 Sep 2003 17:50:53 GMT, hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com (Charlie
Hammond) wrote:

>Given that I am going to do this, does this sound like a reasonable
>way to do it? I think it places the buckle in a location where it
>will not intefere with other gear.

I tried... no worky.
Below the D-ring interferes with the backup light.
Above the D-ring feels like a brick against your shoulder.
Low enough to clear the backup light and you have to be even more
flexible than you need to be without the QD.



--- Rich
http://richlockyer.tripod.com/

2regburgess@earthlink.net stopped playing nethack just long enough to say:
>
>So, I'm not very flexible either, but the next time I re-thread that
>plate it will be WITHOUT the 2 inch fastex on the left.

Why wait? It only takes a minute to do, and the webbing only costs a
few bucks.

>BTW, another topic, but I would like to invert my tanks partly for
>flexibility reasons.

And you think that doing this will make the tanks easier to doff/don?

-JimG

--
Jim Greenlee (jkg@cc.gatech.edu) *([0-9])@([02468][48]|[2468][048]|
College of Computing [13579][26])|[048]|@(?([0-9]|1[0-7])|
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA 30332 *([0-9])@([02468][048]|[13579][26]))00