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Gliders

Tri-gliders (also called tri-bars or bar buckles) are the sliding adjustment fittings on BP/W harness webbing that allow length adjustment at the shoulder and crotch straps. They are not quick-release — they hold webbing position under load via friction or serration and are adjusted before diving. The correct tri-glider selection depends on whether the harness uses serrated or non-serrated webbing management and whether D-ring integration is required at that webbing position.

Glider Types

The Tri-glider serrated S.S. (804001) uses teeth on the bar surface that bite into the webbing under load, preventing slip under sustained tension — the preferred choice for shoulder strap adjustment points where the webbing must hold its set length even if the diver arches their back. The Tri-glider non serrated (804003/4) in stainless steel relies on webbing tension and friction rather than serration — easier to adjust with wet hands but with a marginally higher slip risk under heavy load. The Tri-glider non serrated ALU anodized (804002/26/32) provides the same non-serrated function in black anodised aluminium — used where weight reduction is a priority and the harness configuration allows easy re-adjustment between dives. The Tri-glider non serrated SS with curved D ring (252.97) integrates a curved 50mm D-ring into the tri-glider body — this combines the shoulder adjustment fitting and an equipment attachment point in a single component, reducing hardware count on the harness. The Heavy duty S.S. glider serrated with D-ring (804005) is a heavier-duty version of the combined glider-and-D-ring for configurations where higher loads are expected at the shoulder position.

What to Look For

  • Serrated vs. non-serrated — use serrated at shoulder strap positions where the webbing must hold under body movement; non-serrated is acceptable at crotch strap and lower harness positions where the load on the fitting is lower and re-adjustment between dives is more frequent.
  • Integrated D-ring variants — if you attach equipment at shoulder level, the combined glider-D-ring simplifies the harness assembly. If you do not clip anything at shoulder level, the standard glider without D-ring keeps hardware minimised.
  • Webbing width — all gliders here are for 50mm webbing, the BP/W standard. Do not use on narrower harness webbing — a 50mm glider on 38mm webbing will slip sideways under load.
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