Dive Rite Transpac VS Metal Backplate

[Selachimorpha]

Hi there,

so I know I want to purchase a Dive Rite Travel EXP wing for single tank diving. At first I was considering getting a metal backplate (aluminium) with a basic harness. I am now however leaning more towards the Transpac.

If I later decide to buy a bigger wing for use with doubles, is it still possible to use the Transpac, and more importantly, does it work well?

Can anyone think of advantages and disadvantages of transpac vs metal backplate?
Please bear in mind that I will be using it mainly for singles now, but possibly doubles or more in the future.

Many thanks!

 

[ScubaRich]

Dive my Transpac with steel double Hp 80's & 100'S with a Rec wing. I love it! Very comfortable.

 

[Cave Bum]

Yes, there are several advantages to the Transpac. I use both a BP/W and a Transpac/wing (and even a Nomad which is the Transpac custom made for sidemount).

For travel, the Transpac is an all around versatile set up. It's easily convertible for all uses: singles, doubles and sidemount. You need to use stabilizer plates with it when using doubles. You buy those separately.

With a BP/W you have to use a single tank adaptor because of the ridge in the middle that goes between the doubles. Otherwise the single tank tends to flop around. All these solid parts tend to be hard to pack and carry if you're traveling.

I agree with the above comment about the rec wing also. The rec wing has bungies that hold it closed for singles and adjust out for doubles. I've used my rec wing with everthing from single alum 80's up to double LP 121's with an AL80 stage and an AL40 Deco bottle. It had enough lift for all those combinations.

I've seen people say that the Transpac is not as stable with doubles as a BP/W but I disagree. If you rig it correctly it's just as stable. There is a video on the Dive Rite web site showing how to rig it.

 

[divelifemagazine]

trans plate all the way

 

[vioch]

Yes, there are several advantages to the Transpac.

Couldn't find any advantages of the Transpac in comparison with metal backplate (Nomad isn't taken into account)...

 

[vioch]

I was considering getting a metal backplate (aluminium) with a basic harness

Can anyone think of advantages and disadvantages of transpac vs metal backplate?

Metal backplate with basic harness is a way to go!

Transpac vs metal backplate with basic harness

- a lot of unnecessary straps, buckles, d-rings, etc
- not so universal in size as basic harness, so you have to choose right size
- worn out straps, etc should be replaced with new Transpac - one piece of continuous webbing costs nothing
- does not allow to place some weight on the back - metal backplate does that by itself
- has its own positive buoyancy, which should be compensated by additional lead at you weight belt
- heavy when wet
- needed much time to dry
- more expensive by far
- etc.

"Many choose to start with a more complex (and expensive) harness. Over time most will either remove a good portion of the "extras" or will refit their plate with a "Hog" harness. Very few start with a Hog harness, and move to a more complex harness, that alone should be telling."

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Couldn't find any advantages of the Transpac in comparison with metal backplate (Nomad isn't taken into account)...

Be careful...I made virtually the same statement and got dumped on by Cave Bum, not once but twice...he is an ardent transpac fan and not real subtle about it when someone says differently.

But I still agree with you completely - unless sidemounting is in a diver's fairly imminent future, I don't see the advantage.

Even using the little stabilizing plates with the the transpac I have never gotten the same solid feel or stability that I get with a plate and wing (cave bum response: I must not have known how to set it up properly) and I am in pretty good company in that regard. The transpac works better than a plate with the rec wing when it comes to doubles, not from a stability standpoint as that still lags, but from the perspective of getting full inflation from the wing. I found that with large diameter doubles that the fairly narrow rec wing would get pinched between the plate and tanks due to its narrow overall width limiting the space the wing had to inflate and not allowing it to reach it's full rated lift. The narrow width is needed to get it to work with a single tank. So in that regard the rec wing and transac are well matched to each other. I as also not a real fan of the rec wing with a single tank - it worked but not as well as a decidcated single wing. Still it is one of the few wings that can do double duty between singles and doubles reasonably well.

In general I have found a plate with a one piece webbing harness to be ideal and much more preferrable to the more complex transpac harness. A webbing harness is simple, easy and cheap to replace, fast drying and pretty much infinitely adjustable.

 

[Selachimorpha]

Thanks for the responses guys, do you find much different in terms of comfort, both while diving and on land (eg walking to a dive site wearing gear)? Metal backplate looks uncomfortable, but of course looks can be deceiving....

 

[vioch]

If you don't plan to walk "miles" to a dive site wearing gear - no essential difference in terms of comfort on land.
And you will not be noticing basic harness at all, while diving.

 

[Dive Rite]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the interesting posts. Like most pieces of gear, there are always strong proponents for one choice or another...it always comes down to personal preference.

I'll throw out my 2 cents as the manufacturer rep as well as my own experience. Here goes:

I was an ardent metal backplate/continuous webbing girl for years. Dove single tank and doubles. Anytime someone said it looked uncomfortable I scoffed. It was the BEST rig in my mind.

Then I went to work for Dive Rite. Lamar put me in a Transplate and a TransPac for comparison so I would understand all three types of harness systems.

I LOVE my TransPac and my Transplate. The reason is for comfort. OMG. When cave diving, I dive dry and with my continuous webbing harness, I used to get bruising on my shoulders after a dive (we don't add much air to our drysuits in cave diving because it is difficult to rid the suit of air in tight areas, diving in horizontal trim). Anyway, I began diving a Transplate and voila...no more drysuit hickies! The reason is where the shoulders straps fall on the Transplate...a continuous webbing harness "cuts" off circulation if you will as it goes across the outermost portion of the shoulder versus the Transplate which sits more in the middle of the shoulder. Who knew!

Same experience with the TransPac. It is just so damn comfortable. When traveling and using a single tank, I remove the lumbar pad for even more streamlining. Also, it is not positively buoyant at all. The material are made for quick draining so you aren't lugging a big, web BCD around at all. I dive one with my O2ptima in salt water and love it. One thing I did is to bungee down the shoulder strap pieces that are the excess after tightening. Keeps them from dangling and I can easily undo them if I need to adjust.

Enjoy whatever rig you choose.

Best,
Kathleen