dvankirk
Contributor
Both, steel for doubles & aluminum for my steel singles.
Back Plate: Steel or Aluminum?
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Steel, two piece 7mm FJ, steel tank, local, 4kgs on belt, heavy fins
AL, full one piece 5mm, AL80, tropical, 3kgs on belt, light fins
AL, full one piece 5mm, AL80, tropical, 3kgs on belt, light fins
Last edited:
Griffo
Contributor
Both. Steel locally for singles and doubles, Al for travel plate.
My local singles kit with steel plate and CAM straps, and F1 fins weighs 18# for instance. My Travel BC with Al plate, Delrin cam straps, and F2 fins weighs 9#. I can add the weight back in via weight pockets. That makes a very large difference with airline restrictions.
My local singles kit with steel plate and CAM straps, and F1 fins weighs 18# for instance. My Travel BC with Al plate, Delrin cam straps, and F2 fins weighs 9#. I can add the weight back in via weight pockets. That makes a very large difference with airline restrictions.
Single tank: Aluminum 80, 3mm wet suit, stainless plate, 4 lb. weight belt.
Doubles: Aluminum 80's, Santi drysuit w/ summer undergarment, stainless plate, 8 lb. v-weight, 21 watt light w/13.5 amp battery, 8 lb. weight belt.
Doubles: Aluminum 80's, Santi drysuit w/ summer undergarment, stainless plate, 8 lb. v-weight, 21 watt light w/13.5 amp battery, 8 lb. weight belt.
I have 3x SS and 1x ALU
SS: 2x doubles plus 1x single, tropical waters, dive wet, all live in the Philppines (some local travel)
ALU: Single, temperate to tropical, wet, international travel (air)
SS: 2x doubles plus 1x single, tropical waters, dive wet, all live in the Philppines (some local travel)
ALU: Single, temperate to tropical, wet, international travel (air)
eelnoraa
Contributor
Both for me too
SS for single tank home(50F, drysuit 400g undergarment) and double LP80/LP85/HP100
AL for single tank tropic (3mm or t-shirt), and double bigger than the above
SS for single tank home(50F, drysuit 400g undergarment) and double LP80/LP85/HP100
AL for single tank tropic (3mm or t-shirt), and double bigger than the above
OP
Very good input, y'all. I think this will help newer divers and those considering BP/W understand how and why plate choices are made and can match some of your comments to their diving environment. 
chrpai
Contributor
For someone who lives on an island with nothing but ocean diving, I'd expect that person to be diving a steel plate.
For someone who lives in a very cold location with nothing but freshwater dry suit diving and ocean diving trips, I'd still expect a steel plate.
For someone who lives in a temperate location with shifts in temp and/or alternating between fresh and salt water diving, I'd expect they would own both.
They are both fine materials. It's just all about how much fixed ballast you need and where you need it.
Is there anything else to cover?
For someone who lives in a very cold location with nothing but freshwater dry suit diving and ocean diving trips, I'd still expect a steel plate.
For someone who lives in a temperate location with shifts in temp and/or alternating between fresh and salt water diving, I'd expect they would own both.
They are both fine materials. It's just all about how much fixed ballast you need and where you need it.
Is there anything else to cover?
I have steel and will probably always have steel due to the "floaty" nature of my body. If someone I lose 100 lbs without losing a limb, MAYBE I'd move to an aluminum or kydex plate. For a short time I was using the Express Tech for travel, but it didn't save me all that much in weight and it wasn't as stable as my plate.
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