Aluminium or steel backplate for my setup?

[cool_hardware52]

Really? I have been doing it for years.

It's an extra six pounds (actually, five, since the aluminum plate weighs something). So you would simply need to decide whether taking an additional five pounds of baggage with you is worth not having to duplicate the backplate, webbing and whatever you have attached to it, and not having to wear a weight belt when you are there.

I think you will find the weight difference between your aluminum plate and stainless plate is about 3 lbs.

Aluminum plates don't levitate entire dive bags and cause them to float over to the plane.

When compared to the typical "full featured" BC many BP&W's are lighter even when a SS plate is used.

Tobin

 

[decompression]

I also want to point out that the reason that I use a wetsuit instead of a drysuit is because the surface temperature in the southern part of Norway gets quite hot during the summers, 70-75 degrees. When I dive in my usual diving range, 30-60 feet, the temperature is usually around 50 degrees.

If those are your usuall depths then a wetsuit is an understandable choice ( summer temps for me are 80-90 deg air and 46-48 deg water), as mentioned the weight difference between the 2 are minor, I think a SS plate would be fine.

 

[arthurmnev]

standard size SS plate from

Halcyon (I think) ​

is 6 lbs ~ 2.7 KG.
Travel means AL is a better choice unless you like paying the airlines.

Overall, I think it depends on how much weight you put on. If you are doing 7mm / 14mm suit (Farmer John) you might need to go heavy on weights -- not having ~18lbs hanging on your front sometimes is a good thing, also some counterbalance will naturally be in place though it matters less with SS tanks.

---------- Post added ----------

standard size SS plate from

Halcyon (I think) ​

is 6 lbs ~ 2.7 KG.
Travel means AL is a better choice unless you like paying the airlines.

Overall, I think it depends on how much weight you put on. If you are doing 7mm / 14mm suit (Farmer John) you might need to go heavy on weights -- not having ~18lbs hanging on your front sometimes is a good thing, also some counterbalance will naturally be in place though it matters less with SS tanks.

 

[cbrich]

I have both, Al and SS, and use only my SS. I got my Aluminum because I went to Sipadan Water Village, and the Al plate did not save me much weight over my SS plate. I had 50lb bag limits and my bags came in at 42lbs and 37lbs, guess which bag my bp was in.

 

[doctormike]

Travel means AL is a better choice unless you like paying the airlines.

Not sure what you mean.

Renting all of your gear at your destination is a better choice, since you can then just travel with a carry on, and not even pay for the first bag.

Unless you like paying the airlines...

 

[James R]

I have both as well and each has its own harness. To change them back and forth would be, in my opinion, ridiculous.

I use my AL with:
-Steel doubles (Faber HP100s or Faber LP85s) both wet and dry to reduce negative buoyancy.
-Diving a single Faber HP100 w/wetsuit in both salt & fresh water b/c the SS is a bit too negative (especially in a 3mm or 1.5mm suit).

I use the SS with:
-Single HP100 & drysuit. I use 4lbs of weights with that setup.
-I travel with it...it's super comfy (Halcyon SS plate, H cinch harness, H Infinity pads) and I don't need a weight belt w/AL80 tank & 3mm full suit.

To be honest when I pack my gear bag for travel I can't tell the difference between the two with all my gear packed up. The bag makes weight either way, as well... usually right at 40lbs w/all the stuff I check.

 

[arthurmnev]

I think you will find the weight difference between your aluminum plate and stainless plate is about 3 lbs.

Aluminum plates don't levitate entire dive bags and cause them to float over to the plane.

When compared to the typical "full featured" BC many BP&W's are lighter even when a SS plate is used.

Tobin

Halcyon 4lbs difference, Scubapro about 7+ (AL plate I think is 8.8oz whereas SS is 8lbs)

---------- Post added ----------

Not sure what you mean.

Renting all of your gear at your destination is a better choice, since you can then just travel with a carry on, and not even pay for the first bag.

Unless you like paying the airlines...

Renting your gear will cost you. Putting 8lbs SS plate in your language with the rest of the gear might tip the airline scales towards your wallet. And I like diving with my own gear -- I trust it, I don't trust rentals on the islands.


If I travel international, I can bring 50lbs on the first bag. My gear is about 33 lbs that leaves about 10' for stuff as the bag is about 7 lbs as well. I can fit most of my clothes into 10 lbs. However, if I throw SS plate in there instead of AL, I get to bring 2 lbs of 'stuff' which pretty much means shorts and t-shirts and (maybe) 1 pair of socks That is not really suitable for me if I want to avoid an additional payment to airlines and my wetsuit for underwear :-

Getting regulator past TSA as carry sometimes causes issues, though, I'd typically try to have my laptop, camera, reg, kindle and 1 set of clothes in my carryon.

 

[doctormike]

Renting your gear will cost you. Putting 8lbs SS plate in your language with the rest of the gear might tip the airline scales towards your wallet. And I like diving with my own gear -- I trust it, I don't trust rentals on the islands.


If I travel international, I can bring 50lbs on the first bag. My gear is about 33 lbs that leaves about 10' for stuff as the bag is about 7 lbs as well. I can fit most of my clothes into 10 lbs. However, if I throw SS plate in there instead of AL, I get to bring 2 lbs of 'stuff' which pretty much means shorts and t-shirts and (maybe) 1 pair of socks That is not really suitable for me if I want to avoid an additional payment to airlines and my wetsuit for underwear :-

Getting regulator past TSA as carry sometimes causes issues, though, I'd typically try to have my laptop, camera, reg, kindle and 1 set of clothes in my carryon.

OK, OK... I was just trying (unsuccessfully!) to be funny.

I was just saying that there are some good reasons for using an SS plate in the Caribbean, it's not just a matter of whether or not you want to give the airlines some money. But I agree, if you are close to the limit, it is more of a tradeoff. I bring all my own gear as well, I wouldn't really rent to save airline fees...

 

[Frosty]

On this subject -The backplates Ive been looking at have fixed weights in them. Clearly you dont take 5kg of lead with you so how do you go regarding this setup when travelling