Quick release reference?

[Nemrod]

I know it is a dumb question but exactly wear does it say which way the weight belt should release. Please no quotations from the evil PadI. I am looking through my books and I am not finding it. All I find is that it should
be a quick release.

Nem

[captain]

All I ever heard is it should be opposite of the way the tank releases so it isn't accidentally dropped. To me the best assurance of not accidentally releasing the wrong one is different type of buckles for the belt and the tank.

[Nemrod]

Well, the only mention I find is PadI.

The only thing I find in vintage books are opposite the tank harness and must be quick release. Really, all I am finding is it must be quick release.

I just got a NOS Voit Snug Pack to replace the one that was broken this past summer. It came with the buckle on the left section of the waist harness and is set up to have a right release. This is how I rig modern Hog rigs. I am assuming it came that way from the factory since it has never been wet and than is clear and it was sealed in the box.

That makes the belt left release?

N

[Bryan]

I can tell you from 1975 forward…before that someone else will have to chime in..NASDS always taught that your weight belt is released with your right hand, your 2nd stage is removed from your mouth with your right hand and your left hand is only for venting air from your bc so you don’t breach the surface after you drop your weight belt when it’s necessary to do an out of air emergency free ascent. When the 2nd edition of the text book came out they decided to leave then 2nd stage in the divers mouth for obvious reasons but instead you were instructed to release with your right hand and then point your right hand toward the surface. Air sharing was also taught with right hand control of 2nd stage and weight belt if necessary. In 83 it was beat into our heads on a daily basis about the right hand release and if you allowed any of your students to put on their belt with the buckle that released to the left you were penalized by towing two divers home while wearing their weight belts looped around your shoulders…..Part of this was for routine and part was so you learned to pay attention to every little detail of every little thing that your students did. When I did the SSI instructors crossover I don’t think it was mentioned. Most of the book was on how to make students buy computers and not sue you.

[captain]

Most of the backpacks of that time had a quick release on the left shoulder strap which is released with the right hand so it is logical that the waist strap would also be right hand release.
Most likely if there was a general rule it would have been to have the weight belt opposite the waist strap. If I recall correctly all the packs I had and now have had a right hand release waist strap.

[capn_tucker]

All I ever heard is it should be opposite of the way the tank releases so it isn't accidentally dropped. To me the best assurance of not accidentally releasing the wrong one is different type of buckles for the belt and the tank.

Same here. My basic course was YMCA, and all the instructor ever mentioned was make sure the weight belt released opposite from the backpack. Some of my packs are left-hand release, and others right-hand. I just make sure the weight belt is opposite..

[Gilldiver]

In the North East Wreck divers we used two buckels on the weight belt so that if we were bellying under stuff and one buckle opened we would not loose the belt.

I had the weight belt so that I had to pull with my left hand and the tank with the right. I also had the left shoulder buckel that was worked with my right hand.

[Nemrod]

Thank you all, thus far your conclusions seem to be the same as mine, there is no official release direction for the weight belt, only that it should be opposite of the harness release for easy identification by the user.

Nem