Anyone diving Apeks WTX-D Ultralight Plate

[Ghost Diver #]

Was looking around and thinking about trying out one of these...
Anyone use one and have any feedback?

Apeks WTX-D Ultralight Plate

 

[happy-diver]

Well it removes the weight from your back where it should be
compromising your centre of gravity, leaving you to fiddle with
these
or alternative weighting options

sort of stuff

 

[cruisekingkris]

@Ghost Diver # I dive it on my warm water dives. I was not a fan of it until I made a modification to the webbing. The plate sat to high on my back when I would secure the harness. Normally there is a belt slide on the webbing behind the plate on the lower sections by the hips holding the webbing in its place. This Apeks plates doesn't have that option. I ended up bolting the lower part of the shoulder webbing to the waist webbing. This way it wont slide when snugging up the webbing and donning the rig. Apeks gives you a loop to run the webbing through, not the two slots that a regular plate has. So there is no way to secure the webbing and make it a rigid fit without sliding. You can see on the bottom picture what I mean. I used three screws with flat bolts on the back end to secure the webbing from sliding. I will add an actual picture up close when I get home from work today. I don't know if I'm missing something or this is a design flaw. As for weighting options, this is only for warm water with little weight needed in my mind. I use (2) XS scuba weight pouches with 2#'s in each pocket on my waist when diving a AL80 and no wet suit. If I'm diving a wet suit, I'm diving my metal plate.

 

[Ghost Diver #]

Great thanks, that is good info, I’ve been looking for a new plate and harness to use with my back mounted doubles. I came across this, I wasn’t planned on using it for that application but was wondering how other’s liked it in warm low weight situations! Thanks a lot for the feed back. I’m not sure if I’m considering it or not haha I’m always considering some sort of new gear option!

 

[runsongas]

i would stick to an aluminum or lightweight steel plate if you are running doubles.

i have one with a d18 wing and it pretty much is strictly for tropical single al80 dives.

 

[ams511]

I have not used the Apeks plate but have used the Oxycheq and Mares soft plates. They are good if you travel and need something that is light and packs flat. However, if you are not traveling, I would recommend a hard plate, to me at least they seem to hold the tank better and I prefer the weight off my belt.