Back Plate: Steel or Aluminum?

[cool_hardware52]

This like running a poll for shoe size and not having a category for "what fits"

Much better to understand *why* each plate type is used to their best advantage than to make a choice based on what is "most popular"

Tobin

 

[Lorenzoid]

The difference in a 6 lb. SS plate w/wing and a jacket style BC in my case was only a couple of pounds. I carry all my dive gear in carry on (which they never weigh, Thank God) and if I HAVE to check anything, it's the light stuff. YMMV.

I didn't say I'm diving a jacket-style BC when I travel. I have been taking my Zeagle Express Tech, which is essentially a plastic backplate and wing (and metal D-rings I've added). I generally take a lot of gear because I sometimes travel for three or four weeks at a time, doing more than just diving (but that's another thread). The replies here saying that the difference between Al and SS is just 3-4 lbs make the choice even more difficult. Is it reasonable thinking that if I will need to carry, say, 4 lbs. of lead with a SS backplate or 8 lbs. of lead with an Al backplate, I might as well get the Al and save the luggage weight? It's not like I will be able to get away with zero lead in either case.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I didn't say I'm diving a jacket-style BC when I travel. I have been taking my Zeagle Express Tech, which is essentially a plastic backplate and wing (and metal D-rings I've added). I generally take a lot of gear because I sometimes travel for three or four weeks at a time, doing more than just diving (but that's another thread). The replies here saying that the difference between Al and SS is just 3-4 lbs make the choice even more difficult. Is it reasonable thinking that if I will need to carry, say, 4 lbs. of lead with a SS backplate or 8 lbs. of lead with an Al backplate, I might as well get the Al and save the luggage weight? It's not like I will be able to get away with zero lead in either case.

Stainless steel is ~495 lbs / cuft. Aluminum is nearly exactly 1/3 as dense, ~165 lbs / cu ft.

If one had two back plates of identical thickness and geometry, and the SS plate was 5.0 lbs (which is pretty typical) then the aluminum version would be 5/3 = 1.67 lbs, making the difference between the two is 3.33 lbs.

That's not quite the whole story however. Most SS plates are not 1/8" thick but are 11 gauge which is .115. Most al plates are 1/8" thick, or .125" That means the delta between the SS version and al verison is even less. Typically the real world difference in DRY TRAVEL WEIGHT is just over 3 lbs.

DSS Kydex / Stainless hybrid plates are just a bit lighter than al plates, and less negative. For a medium sized plate the SS version will be about 3.1 lbs heavier than the kydex version.

Tobin

 

[spoolin01]

Aluminum. Tank is already heavy enough. I prefer to have the weight firmly attached and close to the main axis of rotation.

Plastic for travel. Where's that option?

 

[Instructor_Tom]

aluminum for doubles - if your tech diving with steel tanks your already heavy enough and you want to shave weight where ever you can.

Steel for singles - when diving recreation singles especially AL80s the steel plate may be all you need to sink and avoid adding weight pockets to your rig.


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