Dive rite, Halcyon or Hollis

[djcheburashka]

I started with a Zeagle stainless steel plate, then used Hollis AL and SS plates, and am now switching to DSS.

The Hollis plates are virtually identical to the Halcyon. The only difference I can discern is in the position of the top-most hole for mounting doubles. I thought my Hollis plates were pretty good. The only problem I had with them was that the aluminum one showed a lot of wear and abrasion around the holes. The Halcyon al might not have that problem, and the Hollis SS plate did not have it. It made me nervous that the AL plate wouldn't last more than a few seasons. It was sure starting to get ugly after 1.5 seasons!

Nick is right that you can use the Hollis plate single tank without an STA. But its really not built for that. Then again, I don't know why people want this. Maybe they're trying to save luggage weight? Anyway I've always used an STA, a Salvo that lets you put in an STA weight if you want.

I'm switching to the DSS... I don't know exactly why, but there are some obvious advantages. First, the webbing doesn't cross-over the tank mounting hole, so you can use ordinary webbing. You don't need webbing with a grommet, or to make a hole in ordinary webbing. Second, the webbing slots at the shoulders are angled, which makes them a little more comfortable and I -think- (maybe Tobin or someone else will correct me) provides a little more range of motion.

The DSS plate is also flatter. That's supposed to be some kind of advantage, but I haven't noticed it. Maybe I will as I get more time on the plate. A downside to that is that some DIR divers make a pocket out of a backplate pad (Halcyon especially promotes this) and stick a lift bag or SMB in the channel in the backplate. You can't really do this with the DSS. Well maybe you can, but I don't know of a pocket that would fit properly, and it would be a pretty tight fit.

I will say that I prefer the DSS plate for some abstract reason I can't fully put my fingers on. It does -feel- firmer, stronger, more sturdy than any other plate I've played with.

Oh - and one other thing I forgot earlier: There are substantial differences among the harnesses offered by each vendor. DSS makes by far the best crotch strap I've played with. Its very soft and has nice hardware.

As for d-rings, I prefer ones with thin wire and a large opening, because I think that makes them easier to clip off. The Hollis and DSS and Halcyon d-rings are all like that. (Apeks and some other harness makers use thicker gauge d-rings.) But the DSS bent d-rings have a larger angle than the Halcyon or Hollis (which I think are the same), or at least they seem that way. I have a slight preference for the Hollis bent d-rings. But you may have a different preference.

One modification I definitely recommend is these instead of, or in addition to, inner tubes to hold the backup lights in place: http://northeastscubasupply.com/sto...ings/utility-keeper-2-to-a-set/prod_1564.html I'm not sure if they're DIR, but (a) they hold the lights in place well but have plenty of "give", and (b) its much easier to put a backup light back on with these than with inner tubes, especially with gloved hands.

 

[cool_hardware52]

The DSS plate is also flatter. That's supposed to be some kind of advantage, but I haven't noticed it.

The advantage to a flatter plate is less tendency to poke the diver in the kidneys, and a flatter plate moves the cylinder closer to the diver. Same reason to avoid using a STA, having the cylinder closer to the diver make valve access easier.

Back plates were originally intended to mount doubles, and when wearing doubles the lower corners of the plate don't contact the diver because the cylinders hit the diver in the butt first.

With a single tank the plate will rotate in and the lower corners do contact the diver. Flatter plates and large radius corners eliminate the need for the "extra" bends found on the lower corners of some plates. These corner bends are needed to reduce the pressure points that steeply bent plates with small radius corners can create.

These "extra" corner bends can end up being high points between the plate and cylinders when mounting doubles.

Maybe I will as I get more time on the plate. A downside to that is that some DIR divers make a pocket out of a backplate pad (Halcyon especially promotes this) and stick a lift bag or SMB in the channel in the backplate. You can't really do this with the DSS. Well maybe you can, but I don't know of a pocket that would fit properly, and it would be a pretty tight fit.

If you need to carry an inflatable, like a lift bag, just make two ~3-4" diameter bungee loops at the bottom of the plate. Roll up the lift bag and store it horizontally across the bottom of the plate. Problem solved with $2-3 worth of bungee.

I will say that I prefer the DSS plate for some abstract reason I can't fully put my fingers on. It does -feel- firmer, stronger, more sturdy than any other plate I've played with.

Thanks for the kind words, hope you enjoy the gear.

Tobin

 

[djcheburashka]

The advantage to a flatter plate is less tendency to poke the diver in the kidneys, and a flatter plate moves the cylinder closer to the diver. Same reason to avoid using a STA, having the cylinder closer to the diver make valve access easier.

I never noticed the poking with my old not-bent backplate. Then again, I've noticed that a lot of technical divers aren't so fit...

These "extra" corner bends can end up being high points between the plate and cylinders when mounting doubles.

This I have noticed.

If you need to carry an inflatable, like a lift bag, just make two ~3-4" diameter bungee loops at the bottom of the plate. Roll up the lift bag and store it horizontally across the bottom of the plate. Problem solved with $2-3 worth of bungee.

I ended up attaching a Halcyon stiff harness pocket to the backplate with a medium quicklink, and putting the emergency lift in there. Not that the SMB and spool are so necessary on the kind of dives where I don't have a drysuit with big pockets anyway, but whatever...

Then I mounted the canister light to the right side of the place using quicklinks and this canister mounting strap so it can be cut-off: Light Accessories - Dive Gear Express.

By the way - am I right that the angled shoulder slots allow for greater range of motion?

 

[cool_hardware52]

By the way - am I right that the angled shoulder slots allow for greater range of motion?

Yes.


Tobin

 

[kanonfodr]

I've got another vote for DSS. I love my SS Plate and the fact that I don't need an STA.

FYI, I dive in Hawaii should would probably feature similar water temps to S. Florida. I dive with my SS Plate and steel LP98 tanks, needing no ditchable weight when wearing my 3mm fullsuit, gloves, and boots. I'm maybe a pound negative but it suits me just fine.

Peace,
Greg

 

[Atomic_Diver]

Dive Rite

 

[Splitlip]

The advantage to a flatter plate is less tendency to poke the diver in the kidneys, and a flatter plate moves the cylinder closer to the diver. Same reason to avoid using a STA, having the cylinder closer to the diver make valve access easier.

Back plates were originally intended to mount doubles, and when wearing doubles the lower corners of the plate don't contact the diver because the cylinders hit the diver in the butt first.

With a single tank the plate will rotate in and the lower corners do contact the diver. Flatter plates and large radius corners eliminate the need for the "extra" bends found on the lower corners of some plates. These corner bends are needed to reduce the pressure points that steeply bent plates with small radius corners can create.

These "extra" corner bends can end up being high points between the plate and cylinders when mounting doubles.




If you need to carry an inflatable, like a lift bag, just make two ~3-4" diameter bungee loops at the bottom of the plate. Roll up the lift bag and store it horizontally across the bottom of the plate. Problem solved with $2-3 worth of bungee.



Thanks for the kind words, hope you enjoy the gear.

Tobin

I completely agree with the flatter plate concept, but there are a number of STA's out there today that move the tank a a minimal distance from the plate; unlike the "old" Halcyon STA. Oxy and DiveRite STA's are <= 1/8". I think the Pirahna is the same.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I completely agree with the flatter plate concept, but there are a number of STA's out there today that move the tank a a minimal distance from the plate; unlike the "old" Halcyon STA. Oxy and DiveRite STA's are <= 1/8". I think the Pirahna is the same.

Using a STA adds the following between the tank and the plate:

1) The material of the STA it's self. This is usually about .1" or less

2) The thickness of the carriage bolt head, for a 5/16 bolt this is about .18"

3) The thickness of the camband webbing, typically .1"

This totals .38"

Channel style or weighted STA only increase these values.

In addition the metal grommets found in the center panel of most wings are set through the wing fabric and a piece of 2 in webbing. These grommets are about .25" thick.

Tobin

 

[Slamfire]

Take a look at Hammerhead Backplates. Their prices are very good (half or less than half of what you find out there) and the quality of their backplates is superb. When you deal with them you're dealing directly with the manufacturer and avoiding middlemen.

 

[eliminator]

I personally use Halcyon. I had a chance to compare side by side alot of the big brands and went with what I thought was the best value for the money. Everyone says the "H" stuff is expensive/overpriced, but all the setups I was looking at were roughly the same price.