What backplate brands do NOT need a STA?

[sea_ledford]

I've never had an issue with any plate not having camband slots or matching a variety of wings. As far as wings go, Oxychek singles wings (the more recent versions, mine from ~2004 needs an STA) have little rolls on next to the slots that act as stabilizers that work really well. Dive rite wings will work without an STA, but due to the webbing style back, they are kinda loosy goosy unless you are using sex bolts to hold them stationary. So the tank is fine, but the wing can move around.

-Chris

 

[Caveeagle]

Do you actually use the same plate for singles and doubles and frequently switch between singles and doubles?

I know it's possible, but without exception the folks I have first hand contact with that dive doubles own multiple plates. They have a "doubles rig" and a "singles rig" Kinda makes sense when often the harness needs to adjusted differently, doubles can require a less negative plate (not always), and there can be other variations driven by can light / no can light etc.

IME once people reach the point where they are diving doubles they are either doing so more of less exclusively, or they are teaching in a LDS mandated jacket BC and diving for fun in doubles. In variably they have a garage full of gear too.

Tobin

Yes.. do switch back from doubles to singles. I have a couple sets of steel doubles that I dive, but also have been a fair amount of cavern/OW diving with kids and friends who are visiting and are diving single tank. In some cases, I dive my doubles just for practice and checking things out, but sometimes room in the car gets restrictive. packing for 4 divers, sometimes just dive a BM single, and maybe a slung 40 as a safety bottle.

And yes, I now have 4 back plates, and at least 4 wings (not counting the kid's).. So, I can swap things around based on the situation. That's why I have a set of cam bands on a STA. So I can easily go from doubles-to-single on a given plate. I used to use a basic hogarthian strap harness, but am about 50# heavier and have found it a lot easier to use a Trans-Plate 'deluxe' type harness that allows some adjustment and quick-release straps. I still see the benefits of the simple harness, but age, weight and bad rotator cuffs has made me go a little soft.

 

[stuartv]

I prefer using STA's if you are doing boat diving and swapping between tanks. I find it easier to spin off the retaining nuts and move the plate and wing from one tank to another *each have their own STA*. For travel it is obviously not ideal as it is an extra 2lbs, and something else to worry about.

As mentioned above, most if not all of the backplates currently being sold have cam band slots. Historically that was not true. Most wings also have slots for cam bands, some like the Halcyon wings do not. You need to make sure that the plate and wing have the cam band slots aligned, so best to buy from the same brand. Realistically if you want to go STA less, DSS has the best design out there because the wing and STA are integrated, but you don't have to remove the cam bands to clean and store the wing.

Using STA's like that means 2 STA's and 2 sets of cam bands. That's a lot of extra money just to make it easier to change tanks on a boat - especially when you're not going to carry the extra STA and bands on a fly-to-dive trip.

Want to rig a plate for single tank diving exclusively and do not want to mess with the bulk of an STA and having the tank far off my back. What brands of plates do not require an STA?

Thanks,

I have a dedicated single tank rig now, but it has a regular SS back plate. I have asked for a VDH Universal Back Plate for Christmas to be my new BP for single tank-only use.

Store - Vintage Double Hose

Other than a Blue Reef Stainless Steel back plate ($70 or less from LeisurePro - my dedicated doubles BP), this is the least expensive back plate I know of. And it will get the tank closer to your center of gravity than any "classic" back plate that will work with doubles. Needless to say (but saying it anyway), this BP does not require use of an STA.

For ease of taking the wing off without undoing cam bands, I use ScubaPro-style DGX Quick Release tank straps. $20 each, so $40/pair.

DGX Tank Strap, Quick Release with S/S Hinge Buckle

I have a DSS BP and had a DSS wing. With regular cam bands, the DSS "windows" in the wing do make it easier to R&R the wing. But, with the QR tank straps, my Hog wing is just as fast.

For making tank changes quick and easy, I tied a loop of cave line through my BP. It lets me "hang" my rig around the neck of the tank - just like the webbing loop on most integrated BCDs - to hold it at the right height while I buckle the QR straps. And no wing nuts, washers, or other little bits to worry about dropping during a tank change on a pitching boat.

I am really looking forward to getting the VDH plate and having my single tank rig be even more streamlined than it already is!

 

[tbone1004]

Do you actually use the same plate for singles and doubles and frequently switch between singles and doubles?

I know it's possible, but without exception the folks I have first hand contact with that dive doubles own multiple plates. They have a "doubles rig" and a "singles rig" Kinda makes sense when often the harness needs to adjusted differently, doubles can require a less negative plate (not always), and there can be other variations driven by can light / no can light etc.

IME once people reach the point where they are diving doubles they are either doing so more of less exclusively, or they are teaching in a LDS mandated jacket BC and diving for fun in doubles. In variably they have a garage full of gear too.

Tobin

My kydex plate is doubles only with one exception, and my SS plate will go back and forth which requires adjustment, but I dive singles almost never. It is more a loaner option than anything. The one exception for singles in Kydex was during my instructor skills demos where I had to use a weight belt for stupid gear drills that required removing my rig and staying stable in 8ft of water. Not a normal scenario.... Other than that the Kydex is for wetsuit steel doubles diving when I'm teaching. SS for drysuit doubles diving, and all singles diving since I choose to use AL80's instead of steels if I'm diving in warm water.

I'm weird though, so write that statistic out of the normal realm

@stuartv yes it is, but it also mitigates the risk for pinch flats, and when diving off of the coast of NC, makes tank switches a helluva lot easier. Not something I would do for travel and I think I said that, but if I was regularly diving singles in the mid Atlantic, I'd be using STAs. I don't since I dive doubles, but have plenty of buddies that do. Roughly $60/tank and since you are normally doing 2 tank dives, it's well worth it for the convenience of not having to stabilize the tank, lift the whole rig off, get it stable, try to align the cam bands in the right spot on a pitching boat, hold the rig and pull the cam bands, etc etc. All of that vs 2 quick spin nuts, pull the plate off and lay it down, swap the wing over to the tank that is still strapped in and stable, put the plate on the bolt holes and spin it back on. It's much faster and much easier.

It's a convenience that all of my buddies that still dive singles are willing to pay for. It's a different way of doing things and for travel, the DSS setup is infinitely better overall, but like everything, there are compromises to be made. Pros and cons and you have to base that on what you're doing and make sure the style of diving fits the rig you buy. For me? I'll take my double 120's and not have to swap anything over, but they don't travel particularly well so I have my DSS rig for that.

 

[rhwestfall]

Well, I have multiple plates. One for doubles, one for singles w/ weight plates (dry suit), and one for singles (wet) which is actually kydex. Swapping/threading or rigging a preferred way (slight nuances for each) is too much of a hassle.

Then again, I also have a plate specifically for dh diving.....

Just don't tell my wife.....

 

[Caveeagle]

FWIW, I am using a Dive Rite ABS plastic STA. When boat diving, I don't unbolt it from my wing/plate. I just swap the whole set over as an assembly. Yea, id can get a but fumbly with a pitching boat, but I don't think its much worse than a jacket bc. I like the idea of adding the line/holder. I might try adding a small thin strap directly to the STA since it will only be needed for dingle tank diving.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Well, I have multiple plates. One for doubles, one for singles w/ weight plates (dry suit), and one for singles (wet) which is actually kydex. Swapping/threading or rigging a preferred way (slight nuances for each) is too much of a hassle.

Then again, I also have a plate specifically for dh diving.....

Just don't tell my wife.....

Rest easy, your secrets are safe with me.

Tobin

 

[stuartv]

I might try adding a small thin strap directly to the STA since it will only be needed for dingle tank diving.

Be careful with that dingle tank diving! It can get really confusing if you're diving in brown water. LOL ;-)

 

[Storker]

STA's

It feels really weird correcting a native English speaker about English grammar, but:

STA's: Belongs to the STA
STAs: More than one STA

 

[Caveeagle]

It feels really weird correcting a native English speaker about English grammar, but:

STA's: Belongs to the STA
STAs: More than one STA

It probably should feel weird, because it is. Do you jump in to correct people's grammar during casual conversation?

..And isn't that more punctuation vs grammar?