Backplates for the Inspiration?

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KentCe

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Location
Bellevue, WA
I assume the Type II backplate from Portland Oceaneering is one of the better solutions for the Inspiration? And from the picture it would seem to work just fine with the stock harness.

Any other comments/suggestions/recommendations?

Thank, Kent
 
Hi Kent,

I'd recommend doing about 100 dives on it before changing anything. When I first got mine their where several things I wanted to change straightaway ( to backplate/wing and the air2 etc. )

Now I don't think I will change anything. Everything has a purpose.

The one bit of advice I'll offer is "when you look at the gauges don't just glance but verify the sensors are working" I mostly just listen to the solinoid now but when I do look, I watch all the readings slowly drop below the setpoint and then I listen for the solinoid and watch them go up again.

Cheers

Dave
 
KentCe once bubbled...
I assume the Type II backplate from Portland Oceaneering is one of the better solutions for the Inspiration? And from the picture it would seem to work just fine with the stock harness.

Any other comments/suggestions/recommendations?

Thank, Kent

I tried it with an OMS plate and it fit fine(a koplin backplate should also fit, since the dimensions are pretty similiar).. I decided it wasn't necessaryfor me and abandoned the backplate.. I ended up too negative since I still need weight behind my head for trim..


The biggest problem with using a backplate if you arent going to still use the stock harness is that its difficult to use sling bottles with a standard harness since the drings are hard to get to.., if you plan on using it to reduce some weight around you waist , its not a bad idea..

WIth 2 layers of polartec (plus sweats) and a dui suit, I dive with 6-8 lbs of lead total on a stock inspiration for size I'm 6ft, 210ish....
On my current unit I use no additional weighting.. With my current bottle positioning the trim is almost perfect...
 
rbdave once bubbled...
Hi Kent,

I'd recommend doing about 100 dives on it before changing anything. When I first got mine their where several things I wanted to change straightaway ( to backplate/wing and the air2 etc. )

Now I don't think I will change anything. Everything has a purpose.

The one bit of advice I'll offer is "when you look at the gauges don't just glance but verify the sensors are working" I mostly just listen to the solinoid now but when I do look, I watch all the readings slowly drop below the setpoint and then I listen for the solinoid and watch them go up again.

Cheers

Dave

I agree... give the rig sometime... I have a totally customized unit (I do lots of wreck penetrations and I wanted a bit more protection for my rig).. I dont advise everyone running out and dropping $1400 on a titanium chasis... but the sock unit is more than adequate (I have done 100M dives on unmodified units)...
I kinda miss hearing the solenoid.. The watmeiser used in the Hammerhead is almost totally silent... Sometimes you can hear the gas, but you cant hear the firing of the solenoid..
 
rbdave once bubbled...
Hi Kent,

I'd recommend doing about 100 dives on it before changing anything. When I first got mine their where several things I wanted to change straightaway ( to backplate/wing and the air2 etc. )

Now I don't think I will change anything. Everything has a purpose.

I'm interested in the backplate to reduce weight on my belt (cold water diver) and attachment point for my canister light. As I had to remove the counterlung to get to the serial number, I started thinking about the backplate.

I'm not going to modify the unit, but I do need to make some "configuration" changes for my diving needs.

1. Move some (just a little) weight off my belt. (Either add two dive-rite 4lb trim weights to the inside D rings or get a backplate).

2. Attach G-Snaps (backordered) to case for RBS (required during class and I hate the dite-rite pony attachment I used) and argon bottle.

3. Attachment point for small canister light. (Most likely the inside D rings).

On the plus side, I'm fine with mouthpiece, BC, harness and my AutoAir just had an "adjustment" due to a small leak during class. Speaking of the AutoAir, after using the Air2 I hate the button placement on the AutoAir. I guess I'm stuck with it for a year (don't understand why replacing the AutoAir with a high end Atomic SS1 would void the warrenty of the entire unit).


[
The one bit of advice I'll offer is "when you look at the gauges don't just glance but verify the sensors are working" I mostly just listen to the solinoid now but when I do look, I watch all the readings slowly drop below the setpoint and then I listen for the solinoid and watch them go up again.

Yep, heavy part of my training.
 
I picked up a backplate from Rusty Berry at Scuba Schools of America in Montclair, California.

I hate much weights on my hips, as it puts weight low when it needs to be up higher. I aldredy have the backplate on with 8 lbs up top.....10 may be better, that way I can take 2 more off the hips....

If I had to do it all again, I have a large counterlung and wing, I would have preferred to get a medium counterlung and an extra large wing, the reason being, when I am on the surface for a longer swim, I noticed that inflating the large wing with the backplate, and all the top pouch weight and 10 or so pounds of hip weight does not keep me partcularly high in the water. This is with a drysuit and a medium thickness undergarment. For those guessing, if I let all the air out of the drysuit and large wing with minimum loop volume, then i can reasonably descend, if I removed 2 pounds from that equation, I would start to have a little difficult descending....so I believe I am balanced properly now....
 
KentCe once bubbled...
I assume the Type II backplate from Portland Oceaneering is one of the better solutions for the Inspiration? And from the picture it would seem to work just fine with the stock harness.

Any other comments/suggestions/recommendations?

Thank, Kent

I ordered the Type II and didn't care for it. The handle on the backplace put too much pressure on the upper hoses. I switched over to the Halcyon backplate and it seems to be a perfect fit with the more rounder top.

And I like the idea of putting Halcyon hardware on my Inspiration. :thumb:
 
KentCe once bubbled...
And I like the idea of putting Halcyon hardware on my Inspiration. :thumb:

Because then, dare I say it, you would be DIR!

(DIVING INSPIRATION REBREATHER):giggle:



I just could not resist that one. I don't know what came over me, I swear it, boss! =-)
 

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