No real difference. Both hold you in just as well.
I've always had the latch/link system.
The knock on latch/link is that it can be inadvertently opened, by snagging
on the latch when you do not intend to.
As has been mentioned, Simpson among others devised a fix with a little
cover on the latch velcro'd to the belt so you cannot snag it.
I took it off. With gloves on, I found it almost impossible just to open the
dang belt when I WANTED to. With gloves on, I cannot distinguish the Velcro
cover from the belt. Besides, in my car, the latch handle faces left (it's
on the leftside lap belt) but I am snug enough it is almost impossible to
open it with my left hand with my door closed. Either I open the door first,
or I reach across with my right hand -- all of which means an inadvertent
snag is extremely unlikely.
Racing, it has never been a problem. This is largely because racing I am
wearing gauntlet gloves which go over the cuffed sleeves of my driving suit.
I.e. nothing to snag the latch. You'd be wearing much the same in a Solo I.
The only time I EVER inadvertently snagged a buckle open was in a Solo II.
That it happened to be the first-ever Solo II Nationals is beside the
point -- suffice it to say I crossed the finish sitting on the handbrake!
:-O On that occasion I was wearing a light windbreaker with open cuffs and
driving barehanded. The cuff of the coat snagged the latch. However, it
hasn't happened again in 30 years. Also -- on that occasion I was in a Pinto
(Showroom Stock/G Stock). Since then I've been in a Production/Prepared
Spitfire. I had a lot more room in the Pinto and it was much easier to snag
the buckle.
Since going road racing, I'm just accustomed now to wearing my driving
gloves in all competition situations, including Solo II. And if I am in
long-sleeve attire, tucking the sleeves into the glove's gauntlet solves the
problem.
But even if you should snag the buckle open in a Solo II, it is not the
problem it is in a Solo I or a road race.
Another design improvement (at least on my Simpson belts). Back 30 years
ago, the latch was just this thing that stuck out to the side. Now the latch
looks like a duckhead with the "beak" down touching the buckle when closed.
Much harder to snag.
Sit in your car. Envision the access you will have to the buckle. Which way
will you point the latch? Which hand will you use to open it? Will it be
easy to open with the other hand? I suspect you may find the Miata's seating
confining the same way my Spitfire's is, which translates to less
likelihood of snagging the buckle than if you were in, say, a CP car. (I ran
a borrowed Miata once last year in a Solo II and it felt more like my
Spitfire than any other car I've ever driven, including other Spitfires!).
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Kirchner" <Teegeek@netrax.net>
To: <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 12:19 AM
Subject: Quick question.
> I own a 91 miata, im setting it up for solo 1 and 2... Is there any
difference
> in safety for a 5pt harness with a latch and link system vs a 5pt harness
with
> a camlock system?
> I'd like to save a few bucks if its the same safety wise and go with the
latch
> and link.
>
> -TJ
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