Aluminium or steel backplate for my setup?

[Doc Harry]

So there will be enough buoyancy in the 7mm wetsuit, at let's say 90 feet, so that if I release all the drop able weights in an emergency I can easily swim this rig up, even with a non-functioning wing?

That's something you are going to have check for yourself. I don't use wet suits.

 

[chrpai]

BTW, I can't imagine trying to do cold water and tropics with the same BP/W, primarily from a travel weight standpoint. My "cold" water setup (15C) is a 6 pound plate (6mm Al) and my tropics setup Is an ultra light plate that comes in around 1 pound including webbing.

I hear you, except I doubt I'll be flying to Cozumel enough ($650 r/t OUCH!) to justify a different plate and webbing. I suspect the Flower Gardens is the closest I'll get for awhile and since it's salt water, all that weight should be a good thing. But if I do go to Coz, I know who to be nice to.

 

[Doc Harry]

I hear you, except I doubt I'll be flying to Cozumel enough ($650 r/t OUCH!) to justify a different plate and webbing. I suspect the Flower Gardens is the closest I'll get for awhile and since it's salt water, all that weight should be a good thing. But if I do go to Coz, I know who to be nice to.

We fly Pittsburgh to Coz for $350 RT. Cheaper than going to Florida!

 

[redacted]

I hear you, except I doubt I'll be flying to Cozumel enough ($650 r/t OUCH!) to justify a different plate and webbing. I suspect the Flower Gardens is the closest I'll get for awhile and since it's salt water, all that weight should be a good thing. But if I do go to Coz, I know who to be nice to.

FGB in July/August is warm enough for no wet suit (and a pleasure to dive that way). With a heavy plate and HP100 (great tank for FGB) I am a bit overweighted. I made a 2nd lighter plate just for that condition.

 

[g1138]

The safe choice that you can work with:
Al plate for doubles
Halcyon AL plate with 6lbs removable-weighted STA for singles

You get the best of both worlds, a choice between a 2lbs plate and an 8lbs plate. If you can't make up your mind with the info that's on scubaboard, I say go with that.

Honestly which plate material you get depends on your weighting characteristics and where you want to put that weight to make a stable balanced rig. Not knowing your weight for single tank use I can't really help you.
For doubles (twinsets?) in a wetsuit, same deal, although it may be better to have more ditchable weight since you lose the buoyancy char of your wetsuit at depth. For this case I recommend an Al plate.

 

[mainedvr]

Haha, yeah but that is a good thing! That means that I will still be able to carry drop able weights for safety even with the SS backplate.

By the way, what do you think has most buoyancy, a 7mm wetsuit or a drysuit with only enough gas to be comfortable?

I am by no means an expert but have been doing a great deal of research on new gear bpw set up. What I have found about weighting (proper weighting) is that you should in an emergency be able to swim your rig to the surface with out the bladder. And then once on the surface drop your weights to stay afloat.

That being said I went with SS , did our first dive in it yesterday and dropped 8lbs of weight and could have probably dropped more off my rig. Now this was the first time I have really dove fresh water so that was a factor. I dove a 5mm pin moreno and my wife has a total of 7mm and she also used a lot less weight. So I think you should be able to carry some droppable weights with SS depending on what your needs are and what the rest of your rig consist of Steel tanks, doubles or singles, and so on.

 

[chrpai]

FGB in July/August is warm enough for no wet suit (and a pleasure to dive that way). With a heavy plate and HP100 (great tank for FGB) I am a bit overweighted. I made a 2nd lighter plate just for that condition.

Was diving an HP100 in travis today to see how it would be. I used to be about 14 lbs in salt. Switch to steel BP/W and PST 100 and I might need a couple more lbs. I won't know until I get there I guess. I'd like to say steel would be a bit heavy but well, I am a bit heavy.
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[alice1212]

I can't imagine trying to do cold water and tropics with the same BP/W, primarily from a travel weight standpoint.:kiss2:

 

[SailfishX]

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.

 

[doctormike]

I can't imagine trying to do cold water and tropics with the same BP/W, primarily from a travel weight standpoint.:kiss2:

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.