Backplate for travelling

[GiantMoray]

Hi,

I dive an xDeep Zeos BPW, with steel backplate, thinking if getting an Alu backplate for travelling, a. For luggage weight and b. Because I'll either be weighted correctly or possibly overweighted with the steel BP and no additional weight. I also have the possibility if leaving the backplate out there.

I have a couple of questions, does anyone else do this, having one BP for home and one for travel, and if so, do you also have an Alu STA and lighter can bands as I was intending to use my steel STA (£35 for Alu STA and £35 for composite can bands). Additionally do you have a second harness or just rethread the same one? Mine came threaded and I've not yet dared to remove it and rethread!

Thanks

 

[TSandM]

I have a steel plate for single tanks in cold water, an aluminum plate for doubles in cold water (lets me move weight down), and a Kydex plate for warm water (doubles and singles). And yes, the harness on the Kydex plate is adjusted differently. I got tired of either moving harness or putting up with a sloppy rig in warm water.

 

[CT Sean]

Similar to above, I have a steel plate for colder local diving and an AL plate for travel with its own harness and d-rings for convenience purposes.

 

[M-diver]

+1, eventually I ended up with three BP/W setups just the way TSandM described. I also have different wings depending on environment (cold/warm water) and whether I use singles or doubles


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[Scared Silly]

The weight difference between an aluminum and steel plate is barely 3 lbs. If you are that worried about weight ya bigger issues. Like get rid of the !@#$ 12lb roller hag bag and get a plain ole duffle. Much easier.

 

[Nemrod]

The weight difference between an aluminum and steel plate is barely 3 lbs. If you are that worried about weight ya bigger issues. Like get rid of the !@#$ 12lb roller hag bag and get a plain ole duffle. Much easier.

Actually I am worried about it and when you get to 60 hard years old or older that roller bag might be a bit more inviting.

Duffle or not, it is three pounds less I have to carry, three pounds less that fuel has to be burned to sustain level flight which means there is that amount of fuel not burned which means there is just that much less green house gases emitted and just that much less petroleum burned which means just that much less kerosene refined and just that much less imported from some whacko country X millions of large sized, biggie sized people toting crap they do not need to because they have lead at the resorts and on the dive charter boats.

Yeah, I care.

N

 

[scubadiver888]

I have a home BP/W and a travel BP/W. My home kit is an extra heavy steel plate (8 lbs.) with a STA. My travel BP/W is an aluminum plate (under 2lbs.) and the wing has a built in STA. So I save some weight on the STA and lighter plate. Because my kit is a lot lighter, I don't need as much lift to float the kit at the surface. So I have a smaller wing as well. My travel gear takes half the space compared to my home gear. This makes it easier to pack it for travel. My cambands, buckles, etc. are all steel. The weight saving isn't enough to justify going with something which won't last as long.

I DEFINITELY have a harness for each back plate.

 

[sphyrnidus]

Home bp = 5kg SS
Travel bp = 0.8 kg alu
They each have there own webbing as it is a lot of work to get it set up exactly right.
I don't use doubles, so I use the same wing for both.

 

[buddhasummer]

For warm water travel diving I use an AGIR Al plate with AGIR Al STA and AGIR Al cam bands, rather expensive but appealed to my OCD nature. I'm not sure that other than AGIR anyone makes Al STAs or Al cam bands.

 

[Ste Wart]

Hi,

I dive an xDeep Zeos BPW, with steel backplate, thinking if getting an Alu backplate for travelling, a. For luggage weight and b. Because I'll either be weighted correctly or possibly overweighted with the steel BP and no additional weight. I also have the possibility if leaving the backplate out there.

I have a couple of questions, does anyone else do this, having one BP for home and one for travel, and if so, do you also have an Alu STA and lighter can bands as I was intending to use my steel STA (£35 for Alu STA and £35 for composite can bands). Additionally do you have a second harness or just rethread the same one? Mine came threaded and I've not yet dared to remove it and rethread!

Thanks

Try the lightweight STA from Kent Tooling only £16

Twinset Accessories from Kent Tooling Diving Products

You'll have to thread a new harness. Buying the whole set individually often costs around the same as a complete kit. So I'd recommend buying the APEKS OPH kit to save hassle.


Personally I only have the one sta,it does depend on how much weight you are trying to save. I travel to Egypt with one bag and handluggage.

Stash all the regs, computers and torches in your hand luggage, that way (weigh ) you only have Fins and Wetsuits, BP as the main things adding weight to your hold luggage. Ability to wash underwear at the hotel helps too!