beginner diver back plate and wing config

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Exactly. I was asking more as a general rule of thumb about pricing. I understand the high price of the freedom plate as I’ve recently started browsing the threads about it. I understand they are custom made by hand and labor intensive hence the price.

ForceFins are similarly custom-made and labour intensive, and I consider them overpriced. Other people think they're worth the money... Rule of thumb I'd say yes, 80 bucks is about it.
 
ForceFins are similarly custom-made and labour intensive, and I consider them overpriced. Other people think they're worth the money... Rule of thumb I'd say yes, 80 bucks is about it.

Looking at Eric's prices, he is not that much more expensive than some of the other plates on the market. A Halcyon plate which one poster recommended it over $200. That I would call overpriced because it is not going to give you any more enjoyment than a $70 plate from Leisure Pro. Eric's selling point is that it is a plate specially designed for single tank diving, unlike a traditional backplate which was designed for double tank diving.

I believe Eric also sell an Aluminum version of the plate for around $100, which is around the same price as other aluminum plates on the market.

Eric needs to improve his marketing, to better explain the benefits of his product, the different products available and the pricing.
 

Dude your preaching to the choir here. Many dive gear companies have been off-shoring production to China and Mexico while charging a premium price. However just because something looks the same does not mean it is the same. If someone is selling a plate for under $50 shipped from China how much quality control do you think there is? If the plate is defective is anyone going to send it back to China for a refund?

Tobin from DSS often mentioned that most of the products he sold were for single tank divers. The traditional backplate we use was designed for doubles and made to be manufactured using materials and machinery available in a typical metal shop.

Eric's original Freedom Plate was a copy of a vintage fiberglass (maybe plastic) plate that divers used before jacket BCs became popular. A plate specifically designed for single tanks. As a one-off plate it was hand-made. Once people saw it he began to make more and sell them. He has been doing this for a decade at least. Because of the contour of the plate it cannot be made using standard metal shop machinery, it needs specialized machinery. So it is still hand-made.

Whether a diver wants to pay extra for a special singles plate is up to them. Many people see a benefit to this while others don't.
 
I think I am going to go with a Stainless Steel backplate with a OxyCheq #30 wing. Webbing I might just go with a simple DGX webbing
 
Oh, I'm not preaching, I'm just sharing what I found on them interwebs. :D

PS: for my next BCD upgrade I might go with this
https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY-Adjust...HAXD37EE3XH&psc=1&refRID=T90X9V1X0HAXD37EE3XH
shot-filled and paired with one of these
Aquatec BC-002 Horse Collar BCD | Scuba-Do.com
-- if somebody makes a 20lb version with a zippered outer shell. Or maybe cut an inflator and OPV into a $20 snorkeling vest.

Is $35 too much for a backplate?

If you don't need the harness and cam band you can get the same thing at Piranha for $13.00, he even has a nicer one for $15.00.

If you don't mind florescent green I can give you a good deal on the same horse collar. If you want black I have a nice Sea Tec which does have an zipper to access the bladder. You can try modifying a snorkel vest, but I don't see you saving much money over a used horse collar. Also the build quality of cheap snorkel vests is no where near the quality of a scuba horse collar.
 
You can try modifying a snorkel vest, but I don't see you saving much money over a used horse collar. Also the build quality of cheap snorkel vests is no where near the quality of a scuba horse collar.

No doubt.

I suspect they're not so great at actual buoyancy control, though: the air bubble will always be behind your neck turning you head up. Good for a life jacket, not so good for horizontal trim.
 
I think I am going to go with a Stainless Steel backplate with a OxyCheq #30 wing. Webbing I might just go with a simple DGX webbing
I know I said spend your money on the wing, but $390. IMO is too much. There are a lot of good wings in the $250. range.
 
I know I said spend your money on the wing, but $390. IMO is too much. There are a lot of good wings in the $250. range.

Northeast SCUBA Supply has them for $320...

Personally, I'm going to follow the lead and pair my new FC Plate with a VDH 18lbs wing, for $239...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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