Review HOG Stainless Steel backplate

[Wants2divemore]

Bottom line: Wouldn't recommend because of sharp external edges and bottom corners (see Cons below)

Pros:

• Inexpensive compared to other "name brands" - Halcyon, Hollis, etc.
• Standard 11" holes for STA
• Many holes and slots for cam bands if you don't use an STA

Cons:

• Bottom corners are not bent away from the back (like on several others including Hollis and Blue Reef)
• External edges are not rounded and somewhat sharp

The above resulted in my wetsuit getting torn by the bottom backplate corner when putting on my BPW by myself (lifting tank onto one knee, then putting arm into shoulder strap and putting on like a backpack). If you put it on with the BPW stationary (like on a boat or resting the tank on a picnic table) and put it on carefully it can be okay, but the corners still dig into the suit and scrape it up, especially when walking.

 

[lowwall]

If the price is attractive, a couple of minutes with a file will take care of any sharp edges. I don't have any suggestions for bending back the corners on a steel plate though.

 

[Zef]

HOG has excellent customer service. Give them a call and let them know you have a concern about your plate and give them a chance to make it right.

Not all plates have bottom corners bent away from the diver, Dive Rite and Sub-Gravity are a couple along with HOG. None of the 4 divers in my household have a plate with this feature and we have not suffered any ill effects. If you are adventurous/handy you can add this feature yourself.

-Z

 

[happy-diver]

and now instead of having inspected your plate and buying a file you have to buy glue
and a hammer and a vice

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

You can put bends in the lower corners of the plate easily yourself. Just put the corner in a vice and push on the plate, it will take about 2 seconds.
Round over the edges yourself with a file then use an orbital sander with 180-220 grit sandpaper to smooth it out. Spend an hour on it if that and you’ll have a really nice job.

 

[Boarderguy]

You knew the corners/edges were sharp and you still put it on your back? You did this in a quick fashion causing it to not just scrape, but cut into it?

Do you also drive with the check engine light on and a low oil pressure reading while complaining that Ford makes a terrible motor?

 

[runsongas]

the cheaper imported stuff has to cut corners somewhere to hit that lower price point. my blue reef plate has areas where it looks corroded even though it is nominally a stainless plate. i'm not certain exactly whether it is a surface finish or alloy issue at this point.

you get what you pay for

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

the cheaper imported stuff has to cut corners somewhere to hit that lower price point. my blue reef plate has areas where it looks corroded even though it is nominally a stainless plate. i'm not certain exactly whether it is a surface finish or alloy issue at this point.

you get what you pay for

Take a magnet and test it. The cheaper the stainless the more magnetic it will be.
Good US made 304 should be ever so slightly magnetic, but I’ve had some 304 that was almost absent of magnetism. Good domestic 316 should be virtually completely non magnetic. I’ve tested what was supposed to be 316 made in China and it was pretty magnetic. The Chinese have no problem selling us the worst crap and claiming it’s ligit stainless.
Super strong magnets out of old hard drives work the best.

 

[Robert H. Diver]

You knew the corners/edges were sharp and you still put it on your back? You did this in a quick fashion causing it to not just scrape, but cut into it?

Do you also drive with the check engine light on and a low oil pressure reading while complaining that Ford makes a terrible motor?

I mean the 6.0 and 6.4 are pretty bad….

 

[maudiver216]

I am considering purchasing a HOG BPW setup. Are their AL BPs cheap quality as well? What are other alternatives at the similar price points? Thanks