BP/wings comfortable?

[tbone1004]

oh, and since @Eric Sedletzky posted in here. 3 of my bp/w's are Freedom plates. One normal for double hose and buddies, one long for single hose diving, and a short one that I keep for female/short buddies. The other two are a SS and Kydex plate from Deep Sea Supply that I use for doubles/rebreather.
As another anecdote. That short plate is currently being borrowed by my mothers cousin. This weekend I did a mentor type day of diving with her as she's relatively new and her husband has been diving for almost 50 years. She has only ever work a jacket bc through her OW, AOW, and buoyancy classes as well as rentals etc. We got her fit in the freedom plate in about 5 minutes, and when she got to the end of the dock *only about a 30yd walk*, she commented about how it was much more comfortable than a jacket ever was. After the first dive she said she'd never go back... which means I won't get my short freedom plate back until she can find one of her own, but alas.

 

[lowwall]

...Went to my LDS this AM to buy one and the owner talked me out of it. Said they were uncomfortable. his comment was 'look at it. It would be like sleeping on a steel pillow'.

I'd be happy to sleep on a steel pillow IN ZERO G.

The owner is talking nonsense. Ask him why almost everyone making really extended dives wear backplates? And then ask why so few divers who have switched from a jacket to backplate ever switch back?

Actually don't, because the owner is clearly in salesman mode and the only way to win in that situation is to walk away.

FWIW, I use a BP/W with no padding and standard harness and find it more comfortable than my previous jacket which chafed on my neck. And that includes a liveaboard trip where I did 5 dives a day with either no shirt or just a rashguard for sun protection.

Finally, if you had to save for 2 years, you are probably paying too much. You can get a high quality plate, harness and wing for $350-$500.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

oh, and since @Eric Sedletzky posted in here. 3 of my bp/w's are Freedom plates. One normal for double hose and buddies, one long for single hose diving, and a short one that I keep for female/short buddies. The other two are a SS and Kydex plate from Deep Sea Supply that I use for doubles/rebreather.
As another anecdote. That short plate is currently being borrowed by my mothers cousin. This weekend I did a mentor type day of diving with her as she's relatively new and her husband has been diving for almost 50 years. She has only ever work a jacket bc through her OW, AOW, and buoyancy classes as well as rentals etc. We got her fit in the freedom plate in about 5 minutes, and when she got to the end of the dock *only about a 30yd walk*, she commented about how it was much more comfortable than a jacket ever was. After the first dive she said she'd never go back... which means I won't get my short freedom plate back until she can find one of her own, but alas.

I’ll put her on the list

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think @MaxBottomtime is absolute king here of the shore diving hike.
What I do up here pales in comparison of what they do in SoCal. I just remember that hike down the cliff at Flat Rock at midnight for the lobster opener and then seeing in daylight from the ocean off a boat the same day what we climbed down! Holy crap!
We all had BP/W, not a jacket in sight.

 

[rhwestfall]

The stiff webbing can for some be a little sharp on the shoulders as the edges are hard. While I have no issue, even with just a rash guard/dry fit T, I put ScubaPro shoulder pads on my wife and daughter's rigs. They are not neoprene, so no "floaty" extras, and are short, so not to interfere with d-ring placement. If you have any type of neoprene on, you probably don't need them, but it is a solution that doesn't cost much.

YMMV

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I started with a “deluxe” BP/W because that was my thought. “It can’t be comfortable with a piece of metal on your back.”

I eventually ditched all of the padding. As was already covered...you don’t notice it in the water if you’re wearing a 3mm+ wetsuit. If it’s digging into your back, your BP is likely not the correct size.

 

[-JD-]

@Scuba1821 do you want the option for diving back-mount doubles or will you be diving singles only?

If the answer is singles only, then I'd suggest you look into @Eric Sedletzky 's Freedom Contour plates. With the overall sculpting and rolled edges, it is notably more comfortable than a "standard" bent doubles plate, and it will hold a single tank significantly closer to your back for better balance.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I used a pad for years with my backplate, but that was mostly because the bolts on the tanks were too long, and I gouged a chunk out of my wetsuit with one...now that I own an angle grinder, all my stuff is trimmed to perfection.

Did you look around the shop during those 2 years, and see BP/W for sale? I've rarely seen a shop discourage buying something that they sell.

For my wife, I have a Dive Rite Hydrolite. It's like the Zeagle stuff, kind of in between a BP/W and a jacket BC. She's never going to use doubles, and she's probably not going to dive enough to wear it out, considering I have taken Dive Rite wings in caves for 12 years without wearing a hole or breaking it.

A well set up BP/W is not going to be uncomfortable, but no BCD or BP/W is going to make heavy tanks lighter...
But if I'm flying somewhere to dive and I have to rent a BC and dive with integrated weights and a snorkel, that's no big deal, not the end of the world at all.

 

[Jackie Treehorn]

300 yards carrying a single with a BP/W should be no big deal.

I use an Apeks steel plate, STA, no pad and their web harness. Thanks to @tbone1004 for advising me here a couple years back on the decision.

I do have the neoprene sleeves but i've been considering cutting them off as they bunch up, take extra time to dry, and just kind of look like crap.

I wear everything from a drysuit with heavy undergarmets all the way down to just a lavacore vest or tshirt. No problems with comfort whatsoever. Including walking with a loaded tank.

People on dive boats always ask two questions, "is it uncomfortable?" and "those bolts don't dig in your back?". I always just smile and say "nope!".

Prior to my BP/W setup I used a Zeagle Stilletto and an Aqualung Outlaw. I gave the Zeagle away and would only use the Outlaw if I had to get on a turboprop where every pound counted (yes, i fly with my SS plate and an STA).

 

[BoltSnap]

The greater majority of my diving here in Libya is from sandy/rocky shores and I often have to swim 300 - 500 meters from shore to get to the dive spot. I also have to walk in sand from the parking space to get to the entry point with my BC. I use both a BP/W and a Scubapro weight integrated jacket. I don't have preference to one over the other, it depends on the mood and diving circumstances. The Scubapro jacket is so comfortable and stable, it doesn't move anywhere. I have the BP/W to use mostly with a drysuit. I had to remove about 3kg from the belt when I switched to the BP/W but the total weight is the same since the backplate weighs about the same as the weight I took of the belt.

All of the big "hoopla" about BP/W being superior to jacket BC's is a very stretched blanket statement. A properly fitting and properly designed jacket BC is just as effective as a BP/W for single tank diving. I love my SP jacket BC and can't find anything wrong with it except when it comes to drysuit diving. A BP/W is a real pain when diving with my 0.5mm suit in contrast to my SP Jacket.