Slide release for BP/W belt

[SpyrosDives]

Hi All,

Currently diving an aluminum backplate with a DGX 25lb donut wing. I use very little weight (1-2KG on a pocket attached to my top cylinder band).

I am planning a trip (to east Indonesia) where I intend to travel only with hand luggage, so I want to shed all excess weight (without compomising safety!). I only do recreational diving and usually dive with people that have BCDs as opposed to BP/W.

I was considering replacing the stainless steel buckle of my BP/W with a plastic slide release one (similar to what most BCDs have). I was thinking that it is much lighter, convenient and it is not bearing much load anyway. It would also be more familiar for my BCD-wearing buddies.

Any concerns regarding this?

Another slight modification: Any reason not to drop the side D-rings? I don’t use them for anything. I am using Air Integration with a small backup gauge (button-style) that I keep together with my inflator hose.

PS: I just bought a soft backplate to make packing easier.

 

[Brian G]

I have not seen side-release buckles that work with the stiff webbing found on most backplates, but there are plastic versions of the standard bpw buckle. I get that the side release would make your bpw more similar to their jacket bcd, and if you can find one that will work with your webbing, I don't think it would be a big deal. Certainly there is no problem removing attachment points that you don't use. You can also get plastic d-rings for the attachment points you do use.

Brian

 

[Alastor]

DGX sells both plastic and aluminium buckles. Same for d-rings: you can get Al ones. I use on my lightweight setup Al buckle and d-rings.
Did you also check for lightweight cam straps ? Can you use just one instead of two ? (I'm sticking with two).
I tried also soft BP, but sooner went back to Al one: the soft one did not have the rigidity to keep the tank from moving side to side, even with S80 was a PITA

 

[stuartv]

I use this glass-filled nylon buckle on all my rigs. I really like it:

XS Scuba Clear-Path Buckle

 

[ajduplessis]

How much weight are you trying to shed? Can’t be more than 1-1.5kg at best. I think you are wasting you time IMO. Look elsewhere...

 

[ScottFL78]

The buckle is the only mechanical thing holding a hogarthian rig on your body. A plastic buckle, when new, may be as strong but not over time. Plastic can become brittle from the sun whereas stainless steel will not. Would a plastic buckle even be that much lighter?

 

[CT Sean]

My Dive Rite stainless buckle weighs 100 grams / 3.7 ounces. I can't find a plastic buckle to weigh, but even if one weighs 0 grams, it doesn't seem the weight savings is worth it.

EDIT - I happen to have a 1.5" fastex buckle that weighs 25 grams - obviously a 2" would be heavier by a little bit.

 

[stuartv]

My XS Scuba Clearpath buckle is not plastic. It is glass-filled nylon with a stainless steel hinge pin. It seems to be very strong. I haven't weighed one, but it quite obviously lighter, when comparing it to any of the stainless buckles I have (which are all now in a storage box).

I am not really sure why some people (particularly in past threads) seem to think the buckle on a BP/W rig needs to be super strong. If your BP/W waist belt buckle is carrying much of any weight, you are doing it wrong. If it's just the issue not getting broken by accident (e.g. setting your tanks down on top of it), well, the XS Scuba buckle seems PLENTY sturdy enough. I have one on each of my BP/W rigs, plus my sidemount rig (so, currently 4), plus one on my weight belt. They are all I have used for something like 3 years now. They are all still like new.

 

[sea_ledford]

Tank straps are going to be a bigger weight savings than the buckle, if you have stainless ones currently. However tempted you are though, don't get the dive rite travel straps. They are great for stages, but for primary tank attachment they just stretch too much.

 

[Alastor]

There are sturdy plastic tank straps that are lighter than steel ones. They could also be fiberglass reinforced nylon. Personally I bought DTD Al ones. Don't know how they compare to the plastic ones. My choice was due the possible degradation of some plastics with salt and sunlight ...
For the buckle waist belt, I confirm that the only strain is due to the pressure to keep the friction on the belt when closed. A soft, but rigid material could be abraded with use and a too thin Al could be bent. I use now an Al thick enough to keep the friction. But it saves probably 50g compared to steel. It is more due the coherence than an effective weight saver...