Butt Plate or Back D Ring for Recreational BCDs

[Ankush Mittal]

For recreational diving, I have been using an Aqua Lung Axiom and absolutely love it, but it is getting heavy for travelling and hence am looking at lightweight options such as the Aqualung Zuma or the ScubaPro Hydros Pro.

I am used to clipping things like DSMB and Reel and backup torches to the backside D ring on my Axiom and these lightweight systems don't usually have one on the back.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this? Can I attach a butt plate? Sew in a D Ring etc.

 

[The Chairman]

Without looking at the BC, I have no idea. One of my main criteria in any BC, and why I love the Zeagle Express Tech, is that I need to be able to add a crotch strap, to which I add a small butt plate to. No crotch strap, and the BC is not for me. I do put another D ring in the middle of this, so I have 3 total, and it keeps all danglies out of the way.

 

[runsongas]

Neoprene pocket shorts

 

[Caveeagle]

Without looking at the BC, I have no idea. One of my main criteria in any BC, and why I love the Zeagle Express Tech, is that I need to be able to add a crotch strap, to which I add a small butt plate to. No crotch strap, and the BC is not for me. I do put another D ring in the middle of this, so I have 3 total, and it keeps all danglies out of the way.

View attachment 461357​

That is exactly what I have added to a couple of my BC crotch straps. Makes for a convenient place to clip off things and separate left/right sides.

 

[rhwestfall]

Without looking at the BC, I have no idea. One of my main criteria in any BC, and why I love the Zeagle Express Tech, is that I need to be able to add a crotch strap, to which I add a small butt plate to. No crotch strap, and the BC is not for me. I do put another D ring in the middle of this, so I have 3 total, and it keeps all danglies out of the way.

View attachment 461357​

Agree! Great little clip point, and I have rigged my plates with those for a while. The one thing I truly miss with switching to a split saddle strap (travel rig) is that rear mounting ring/plate. Need to get creative and come up with a solution, but pocket shorts are a substitution for now.

Everything is a compromise.....

 

[ScubaSteve85]

Can't speak to the Zuma, but the Hydroa Pro has a ton of attachment points. They're a little untradtional though. There is a mount on the back for a crotch strap as well as mounting points to secure an SMB with bungie cords. There are also optional mounting points to attach items to the weight pockets.

This video explains the system well:

 

[tbone1004]

Agree! Great little clip point, and I have rigged my plates with those for a while. The one thing I truly miss with switching to a split saddle strap (travel rig) is that rear mounting ring/plate. Need to get creative and come up with a solution, but pocket shorts are a substitution for now.

Everything is a compromise.....

that's the part that is killing me right now. Doing enough DPV diving that I went to split straps on my rigs, but I do very much miss the attachment points back there. I have one of those split d-rings on my single tank rig though and used to on all of my backplates. My sidemount rigs still have rails on them that I don't use for tanks so my stuff gets sent back there

 

[Ankush Mittal]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, while Hydros Pro looks like the ideal option, it is double the price from the other alternatives. I can easily rig something like what The Chairman suggested as I don't use a crotch strap, but it looks like something I can sew onto the BCD.

 

[rhwestfall]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, while Hydros Pro looks like the ideal option, it is double the price from the other alternatives. I can easily rig something like what The Chairman suggested as I don't use a crotch strap, but it looks like something I can sew onto the BCD.

The challenge will be that it might be "floppy". Integral to the crotch strap, it is fixed/stable. Something I am working through with my above mentioned issue...

 

[Ankush Mittal]

The challenge will be that it might be "floppy". Integral to the crotch strap, it is fixed/stable. Something I am working through with my above mentioned issue...

Would you suggest that I should seriously consider adding a crotch strap to recreational diving as well? Haven't really given much of a thought to it till date.