Need advice on keeping my tanks in place

[sitkadiver]

Hello everyone,

I was unable to add a response to the thread in the training section concerning double hose placement, so I'm starting on here.

My question revolves(pun intended) around keeping the harness/tanks from sliding up my back toward my head while I'm in the water. On all of my harnesses, I have the reg adjusted to the middle of my shoulder blades. However, when I get in the water, the whole tank and reg assemble slides up towards my head whenever I am in the head down position. Gravity works, and I can grab onto the crouch strap and sort of wiggle the tanks back down a bit when I go head up, but the assembly keeps migrating up as I dive, but only when I go head down.

I have tightened the crouch strap, so I'm wondering if wearing a drysuit and having the insulation compress a bit underwater is most of my problem.

Also, I'm wondering if I moved the lower band on my duals up a bit, if having less shoulder strap would keep it tigher and therefore not allow the whole rig to slide up.....



I contrast to moving the bands up, I could leave them where they are and then move my weights up have the wiast strap in the weight pockets to act as an anchor.

And how tight do you guys have the crouch strap, my is at the point where it is pulling the waist strap down in a bit of an arch towards my knees.

Anyway, if anyone has some pointers on my set-up or technique, I'm all ears.

[antique diver]

I think you are on the right track about moving the tanks down in the bands. Try going all the way to just where the curve of the tank crown starts. If the crotch strap can be tightened without discomfort and/or damage to yourself, do that too. I find it is more comfortable off to one side (against my leg) instead of in the central discomfort zone.

It is normal for the waist stap to form a V in front when the crotch strap is worn there, but I don't find that to be a problem. Another option that you might like to try is to slip the front loop of the crotch strap over the free end of your weight belt before buckling it up. This also allows for the convenience of putting on your weight belt first, then your tank block, then opening the wt belt buckle to slip on the crotch strap, tighten and re-buckle. Your weight belt will not be captured by the crotch strap if dropped.

[DaleC]

Moving the tank down the backplate and a crotch strap works better for me than loosening the shoulder straps. That alone failed. The big problem though with a longer tank (in my case) is that, as I kick, my butt keeps wanting to work the tank upwards. I wonder if that's why you see some tanks so cockeyed in old diving shows?

[captain]

Shorter the shoulder straps the better. Everyone wants the old harness for vintage coolness but a plate or pack that uses one band allows the shoulder straps to be shortened without having the tank too high.

[Nemrod]

I cannot tell from the photo but a vintage harness such as you are wearing should be adjusted such that the waist strap forms a significant Vee. Yeah, you kinda wear it tight down there, the crotch strap pulls the Vee.

As Captain inferred, and I say outright, somethings look(ed) better than they actually work(ed). The drysuit and the vintage harness is perhaps, being serious, another example of mixing modern and vintage equipment to no good result as in my (most) recent misunderstood thread.

I find the old harnesses are wonderful in a swimsuit or thin wetsuit/shorty, a drysuit, could be a problem getting and keeping the rig adjusted.

James

[captain]

Move the top bands up as high as you can and the lower bands slightly above your waist and as Nem said have the waist strap and crotch strap meet between your navel and Mr. Happy.

[sitkadiver]

Thanks everyone. I will move the bands up and try again this week.

The travel harness is the same sort of two banded set-up as the double bands, and it stays nice and snug, I'm trying to get everything working the same way when I switch between set-ups so, that's why I changed my weight harness configuration.

My previous dive with the doubles, everything stayed in place, then last weekend I ended up diggin around and staying inverted for an extended time and things slid a little. I should point out though, that my modern stuff does the same thing. I think this I-bolt set-up is as functional as any other rig I've dove, and far easier to put together.

I'll post something after I dive it again.