Question Packing a backplate for travel

[justinthedeeps]

It can be easier to pack more gear into your luggage if you separate the cam bands and wing.

Pack the wing neatly away from sharp/hard/pointed objects, ideally without much folding. Thick nylon is strong. But repetitive tight creasing might have effects on inner air bladder material.

A durable duffel type bag can be lighter than many of the wheeled hardshells.
Carbon backplates are wonderfully light, and evidently strong.

There are a lot of destinations where just borrowing or renting a wing/plate/harness is a better option than bringing everything!
It depends on the dive centre. Many places doing 'tech' usually have a half dozen extra of these lying around.

Another vote for light fins.
The RK3 "light" version is plenty for most 'tech' style diving. You don't need heavy Jetfins or the "HD" fins. I use the RK3 light version even in a thick buoyant drysuit. Or once again, it can make sense to borrow/rent these too sometimes.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Anyone here made the backplate backpack that @divezonescuba posted? I'm curious what your experiences have been, particularly with airlines/airport security. This looks amazing if you can get it through security.

No, though a few years ago I was all ready to put one together when I had second thoughts. For me, it would be most useful for the steel backplate I take with me to Mexico when I'm diving Al80s. I also have an aluminum backplate, but since that doesn't weigh so much I have no issues packing it in my checked bag.

 

[Nemrod]

I use an Oxy soft travel plate with an Oxy Mach V 18# wing. I do not take the wing/plate apart. I may sometimes remove the cambands to take up less room. Either way the harness goes upward and the camband side to the bottom. I put my mesh boat bag in the roller bag first. I (leaving the cambands on) stuff my camera pad inbetween the cam bands and fill in other small items. My regulator bag is nested between the shoulder harnesses, mask boxes to head of bag, tools and light bag to the bottom. Then my camera tote goes on top of all that, then my wetsuit and followed by a towel. My bag has a fin pocket on the one side and on the other an accessory pocket that gets all of the DSMBs, knife, scissors and things like that. I may stuff cloths and such here and there. Never had any damage to my gear in many, many trips. The bag however gets the excrement beat out of it and is nearing end of service.

I take old athletic socks and put my second stages in them and sometimes the first stage just so to prevent them getting beat up despite being in a padded regulator bag deep inside the roller bag.

I can see that those who use those large metal plates and the wings that over hang the plate might be concerned with a pinch cut but just not an issue with the Oxy wing and plate.

 

[FreqFlier]

would disconnect the backplate from the wing to protect the wing bladder from potential pinch-friction damage, but I definitely would not unthread the harness.

+1

 

[divezonescuba]

To answer your question. I have used the system for 12-14 international trips for cayman Brac, Egypt, Cozumel, and Bonaire.

I have not had any problems going thru security or taking it on board the plane. The only event was one time someone came up to me and mentioned that he had seen the video.

The most recent carry-on crackdown has changed some things. The plate and wing duffle bag system used to be my carry on sized bag. Now it is my personal sized item. And my personal sized spinner has been replaced with a max sized carry on. That mean that I can no longer put my eddy fins fins or wetsuit in the duffle bag. So, I now use the tusa separable tec fins and put them and the wetsuit in the carryon. There is nothing in the duffle bag except my wing and utility pouch so I can meet the very small sized personal item sized requirements. If they actually change the sizer to the current dimensions, I will be able to collapse the duffle bag around the plate to fit in the 17 x 10 x 9 sizer.

So, I can continue to carry on all my gear on board despite the crackdown.

Here is a video that discusses the effects of the carry on crackdown on my luggage approach.

 

[Horwin]

I avoid taking my bp/w apart whenever possible. Whether I'm flying or diving locally I've always packed my gear in the same way and haven't had issues. If there's room in the bag I'll partially inflate the wing.

 

[happy-diver]

Hey if your bag falls out of the cargo hold of the plane and into the ocean someone will find it so address it well

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

The newer wings that have the thin black fabric type inner bladder are not as prone to pinch flats as the older gum urethane type bladders. If have a wing with older gum urethane bladder I recommend removing it from the plate and surrounding it with towels, clothing, etc. and isolating it away from anything hard edged.
I would also pack a few pieces of urethane peel & stick patches available at any West Marine store or online. One of my wings has several patches on it from various pinch flats in the past and all of them have held up very well.

 

[Elorfindor]

I called Dive Gear Express to see what they recommend, I have their wing and backplate. They said removing the wing is not necessary and fine to pack together.

I also have DGX Gears BPW.
How do you pack, in a duffel or other? I have an Akona Globetrotter, which would necessitate standing on end, and I'm a little leery of that...