aluminum or steel backplate

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

tceylan

Contributor
Messages
120
Reaction score
0
Location
san diego, ca, usa
# of dives
100 - 199
I'm looking into changing my setup to DIR in the future. Currently, I dive with single HP100 steel and AL80's with a zeagle ranger ltd using 7mm wetsuit/boots/hood. I'm a
recreational diver. But I want to do it right, comfortable and safe...

I weigh 176lbs and I use 14lbs with HP100. 4x2 lbs in weight pouches and 3x2lbs in trim pockets at the top tank belt. (I can possibly drop 2 more lbs, but my wetsuit
is new.)

My setup should also be OK with warm water diving as well as cold water (min 50F). I was looking into backplates and I see that there are steel and aluminum backplates.

For cold water, I think SS would trim better since it's about +6lbs, but for warm water (eg. 3mm shorties) this will make me significantly overweighted if I use a steel tank.

But another point is in warm water (caribbean/mediterranian), I'll rarely dive with steels and probably end up wearing a full 3mm which would probably compensate for +6lbs...

But when travelling, 6lbs for steel bp might be too much...

I'm considering a hogarthian setup using oxycheq 30lbs mach v signature wing and an aluminum backplate with 2 trim pockets at the top tank belt.

Or should I get a steel BP?

What is your insight on this? What are the things to consider when choosing between aluminum versus steel BP?
 
Up until this past weekend, the correct choice for me has been steel. Single 80s, 72s, single 95. 5mm Shorty, 6mm farmer. Offshore Gulf diving as well as Florida springs. Even with my AL80 doubles, steel was the answer.

However, with double steel 108s, and a drysuit, the steel backplate is just too much. So I am going with a DSS Kydex plate instead of aluminum. It's less negative than the aluminum plate, and has some give to it.

With the lighter plate, you can always add a couple of pounds in a few ways, so it's plausible to go that way from the start. But frankly, I feel the steel plate is really the right way to go for most people.
 
I prefer the steel plate for most of my diving (drysuit), but I also travel alot and since I also have 40+ lbs of photography gear, it made sense to also get an aluminum plate.

I picked up an OMS aluminum plate on Leissure Pro for about $65 and webbed it specifically for travel. So, for < $100 you can have both, for me, this is much less than 5% of my total scuba gear value and the travel weight advantage made it worth while.

So, I got the steel one first, because it is used more, but the aluminum plate is a valuable piece of gear too and in my case, the flexibility of the modular BP/W system made it worthwhile to have both.

Take care,
John
 
I think if you're serious about traveling a very light 'travel plate' like the DSS one may be an excellent item to own. :)

For my drysuit diving, SS is definitely the way to go
 
I have both, Al and SS. I always dive dry but my undergarment changes from winter to summer. I use the SS plate when it's cold and I'm wearing my thick undergarment (or diving salt in the summer) and my Al in the summer (freshwater) with my thin undergarment.

I don't think anyone can tell you what will work best for you - especially via the internet.
 
Sounds like a DSS hybrid will fit me the best. I keep about 6 lbs in the top
trim pockets anyway and it's nice to have this lbs configurable rather than a
hard set 6 lbs on my back.
 
Since Leisure Pro has already been mentioned check their price for a DR aluminum plate. Divesports.com has a v-weight pouch that will hold 4 lbs of lead shot that is very reasonable so you "could" get by with one plate that would probably meet all your needs. However, why would you want to? Scuba diving to your wallet is like a virus to your stomach. If you do a lot of diving and switch from wet suit to dry suit and aluminum to steel and back and forth you will probably want both rigged with its own harness but if you check around you can come out ok with the one plate. Luck...
 
To the OP, you might also have to factor in the weight of an STA, the harness D-rings and any buoyancy your old BC has. I dive with an aluminum plate, and I wear about 7lbs less with my BP/W than with my pool BC (Tusa ???).

I am wearing:
a Long FredT AL BP (-2.5-3lbs)
with 30# Oxycheq wings (-0)
steel 2-piece STA (-2lbs)
two ScubaPro Cam Bands (-1-1.5lbs)
and five D-Rings. (-1lbs)

Tom
 
tceylan:
I'm looking into changing my setup to DIR in the future. Currently, I dive with single HP100 steel and AL80's with a zeagle ranger ltd using 7mm wetsuit/boots/hood. I'm a
recreational diver. But I want to do it right, comfortable and safe...

I weigh 176lbs and I use 14lbs with HP100. 4x2 lbs in weight pouches and 3x2lbs in trim pockets at the top tank belt. (I can possibly drop 2 more lbs, but my wetsuit
is new.)

My setup should also be OK with warm water diving as well as cold water (min 50F). I was looking into backplates and I see that there are steel and aluminum backplates.

For cold water, I think SS would trim better since it's about +6lbs, but for warm water (eg. 3mm shorties) this will make me significantly overweighted if I use a steel tank.

But another point is in warm water (caribbean/mediterranian), I'll rarely dive with steels and probably end up wearing a full 3mm which would probably compensate for +6lbs...

But when travelling, 6lbs for steel bp might be too much...

I'm considering a hogarthian setup using oxycheq 30lbs mach v signature wing and an aluminum backplate with 2 trim pockets at the top tank belt.

Or should I get a steel BP?

What is your insight on this? What are the things to consider when choosing between aluminum versus steel BP?

For cold water a SS back plate is the better choice, if you need ~14 lbs now the 6 lbs of SS backplate and harness will be helpful.

What about travel? Well most sane folks travel to warm sunny place that require little or no exposure suit, and almost always feature buoyant al 80 tanks.

With a tank that's +4 lbs empty, and say a 2mm suit that's a few lbs positive, the 6 lbs of back plate and harness and the 2 lbs of regulator is often all the ballast a warm water diver needs.

If you are using a lightweight plate, and a buoyant tank, you will need 4-6 lbs in a belt.

Having a buoyant tank on your back and 4-6 lbs of ballast around your waist can make horizontal trim difficult.

How important is saving 3-3.5lbs of dry travel weight? Remember, even with a SS plate a BP&W often packs smaller, and travels as light or lighter than many "full featured" jacket BC's.

My recommendation is buy a SS plate, and the smallest wing that meets your needs for your cold water diving. Take that gear on a trip and see how it travels and dives in warm water.

If you are careful in your selection of a wing for cold water there is every chance that it will work fine in warm water also.

Tobin
 
I dove a SS backplate for cold water diving and warm water diving with a 3 mm suit for two years, and it worked great. I only bought an Al plate when I went to steel doubles and needed to get some weight off my shoulders.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom