Dive Rite Transpac XT vs Transplate

[Dogbowl]

Calling @Diving Dubai and others who have experience with both the Dive Rite Transpac XT and the Transplate.

I’m a beginner diver that will be diving on vacation in warm tropical waters several times a year. I’ve done a lot of research here and cannot decide between these 2.

I guess my main concerns are buoyancy and travel weight. First, which is heavier? Assuming both are trimmed out with the same sized wing, weight pockets and cam bands, and the Transplate has the stainless steel lite backplate?

Second, I’m concerned with the buoyancy characteristics. Will I need more weight to sink the Transpac and is it significant?

Other observations about these 2 rigs also appreciated. Thank you!

 

[tbone1004]

for reference, I own a transpac, and used to own a transplate, so it's direct experience.

Transpac is 5lbs in XXL
Transplate is 3lbs, plus the weight of the backplate which is 2.5lbs for the XT Lite backplate, or 5lbs for the standard. Extra half pound for the Transplate with XT Lite

Transplate with XT-Lite will need 4 ish pounds less lead than the Transpac, and 6ishlbs less with the standard SS backplate. If used with a Dive Rite wing, the Transplate will need some sort of STA to have a stable tank since there is no roll stabilization in the Dive Rite wings.

all info available on Dive Rites website btw.

If you are going with the Transpac, I'd just get the Travelpac which is a lot cheaper and the same basic thing.

I think both are needlessly expensive and you can purchase high quality, better functioning products for less money for what you are doing. I do very much love Dive Rite, and these products have their place, but that is for hiking with doubles, which you won't be doing. If you are going with Dive Rite, then I would just get a standard harness and put shoulder pad sleeves on it if you are concerned about comfort. Only time I'd really do that is if you are shore diving without a shirt on. If you're boat diving, or have a rash guard/wetsuit on, it's not necessary

 

[Dogbowl]

@tbone1004 , that’s very helpful, especially the bit about the Transplate requiring an STA, which I didn’t know.

I know their website has weights for the Transpac, Transplate harness and plates but it wasn’t totally clear to me if the Transpac’s weight included the cam bands, and whether the separate cam band weights were for 2 or 1. So even after adding things up, I wasn’t totally sure if I got it right.

 

[tbone1004]

@Dogbowl the STA requirement is more of a strong suggestion and is for the dive rite wings on a hard backplate, not the transplate which is just a harness.

The transpac is only a backplate/harness system, so it is equivalent to a Transplate+hard backplate. Weights will not include cam band, wing, crotch strap *HIGHLY recommended*, and anything else you put on there.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I think @tbone1004 has pretty much nailed it. If you're only making a few dives per year, then the travelpac is fine

For reference, and I know tbone only said it was a strong suggestion, but I don't use an STA on either on my rigs and suffer no instability, whether I dive a standard Ali 80 or my usual Steel 15l (HP120?)

I originally moved to the transpac for two reasons.

1. I'd recovered form a back operation and wanted to protect myself, the fat that this harness placed the tank weight on my hips was a help, my only diving at this time was off boats, but you still needed to walk around on deck and climb the boarding ladder
2. the second reason for the transpac, was that with my Steel cylinder and single webbing rig I was over weighted in the summer. Not by a great deal but enough. The transpac helped in this respect. The rear pad is claimed to be neutral but I find it to be a couple of lbs positive.

My Transplate is rigged for drysuit diving where I want extra weight. I could use an STA on this but don't because I prefer the tank to be close to me and not stood off.

On my transplate I've removed the shoulder pads to remove any additional buoyancy.

I like the ease of set up and adjustment of the harnesses as opposed to the single webbing way. I've had both and this is my personal preference.

On both I harnesses I have weight pockets on the upper tank band, on my transplate, I have additional ones on the waistband, as I don't like weight belts - although the down side of this is that it makes the kit heavy when moving it or changing tanks. Pro's and cons to every decision.

As to quality, well my diving generally consists of using Arabian dhows. These aren't set up as dive boats which means your kit gets laid on deck (these boats roll a lot) also its exposed to the heat and high UV of the Arabian sun. this and divign predominately salt water is quite hard on the materials, but so far there has been little if any degradation, especially to the plastic buckles. (Often plastics get brittle and break when exposed to UV) That said lots of other people don't dive DR kit and there's hold up well too.

Finally I can't get hung up about kit weight. I prefer to use what suits me the best, rather than basing it on the needs of occasional travel (based on the ratio of local diving vs vacation diving) I prefer not to travel light anyway because I'd rather no compromise on my gear, so I take extra regs for instance just in case - but everyone is different.

Hope that helps

 

[ams511]

This has caught my eye: Deep Outdoors Matrix Standard Pack

Seems similar to a transpac but much cheaper. So in case you hate it you are not out much.

 

[Dogbowl]

@Diving Dubai, thanks for your input. Yes, very helpful.

I’ve considered the Travelpac for its simplicity, ease of use (i.e. diveable right out of the box) and cost but was scared off by what it says on the website about its lift capacity:

With its compact and streamlined design, the TravelPac’s 25 lbs. (11.3kg) of lift will support one 80ft3 (12L) aluminum tank with up to an additional 10 lbs. of weight.

I currently require 12 lbs in a 5mm wetsuit in tropical water, which is already above what the Travelpac is advertised to handle. And I can see myself going to a 7mm wetsuit for slightly cooler water or more conecutive dives over several days, so the Travelpac just won’t be enough lift. I’m just a floaty beginner and get cold easily. After just 3 days of diving in the cenotes, I was ready to change into a 7mm.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

I have both. I really can't decide where one is better than the other. Weight wise for travel, the Transpac will get a slight advantage, but not enough to effect the 50# limit in the bag with 2 full sets of gear. The Transpac is more comfortable on the surface. Once you are in the water, they are both fine. The Transpac is a little shifty with a steel 120 tank, but literally not enough to care about. I use 4# of weight with a dive skin.

My Transplate is hooked to a HOG aluminum plate with a Hog 23# wing. I don't use a sta and have dove aluminum 80's and 100's with it as well at the steel 120's. I use no weight with a dive skin.

The Transpac has a 36# Dive Rite Venture wing and cheap Velcro pockets for weights. Transplate has Halcyon quick release weight pockets that take up a lot of room on the belt and are not necessary for warm water diving.

Really my only issue with the Transpac is the tiny d rings down the sides make clipping a SMB/reel a bit on a pain. The rigidity and width on the Backplate makes this much easier.

There is really no advantage I can see between the two. The Transpac is the go to rig, especially for diving where I have to walk to the shore. I prefer the Dive Rite wing over the Hog because the Hog wing has the elbow centered and makes the hose shorter than I prefer. I understand the new 23# wings have it over the left shoulder.

Since both of these are still modular systems, they can be set up to your personal preferences. I don't think you can go wrong either way. All of my rigs were bought either used, or at Black Friday specials that were cheaper then used. That helped make the decision to purchase the Transplate after I had the Transpac.

Sorry I don't have any information to make the decision easier.

Good luck,
Jay

 

[Dogbowl]

I have both. I really can't decide where one is better than the other. Weight wise for travel, the Transpac will get a slight advantage, but not enough to effect the 50# limit in the bag with 2 full sets of gear. The Transpac is more comfortable on the surface. Once you are in the water, they are both fine. The Transpac is a little shifty with a steel 120 tank, but literally not enough to care about. I use 4# of weight with a dive skin.

My Transplate is hooked to a HOG aluminum plate with a Hog 23# wing. I don't use a sta and have dove aluminum 80's and 100's with it as well at the steel 120's. I use no weight with a dive skin.

The Transpac has a 36# Dive Rite Venture wing and cheap Velcro pockets for weights. Transplate has Halcyon quick release weight pockets that take up a lot of room on the belt and are not necessary for warm water diving.

Really my only issue with the Transpac is the tiny d rings down the sides make clipping a SMB/reel a bit on a pain. The rigidity and width on the Backplate makes this much easier.

There is really no advantage I can see between the two. The Transpac is the go to rig, especially for diving where I have to walk to the shore. I prefer the Dive Rite wing over the Hog because the Hog wing has the elbow centered and makes the hose shorter than I prefer. I understand the new 23# wings have it over the left shoulder.

Since both of these are still modular systems, they can be set up to your personal preferences. I don't think you can go wrong either way. All of my rigs were bought either used, or at Black Friday specials that were cheaper then used. That helped make the decision to purchase the Transplate after I had the Transpac.

Sorry I don't have any information to make the decision easier.

Good luck,
Jay

Thanks Jay!

 

[tbone1004]

@Diving Dubai
this guy is all you need if you're using a DR wing. Doesn't stand it off any farther than the wing, but it has the rolll control in there. I do find a significant improvement with the backplates that I have tried since the tank wants to roll off of the spine of the plate.
OMS Soft Stabilizing Adapter