Ranger & Backplate - How & Why

[pollywogg]

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your help.
Now to more practical matters. I'm considering a steel backplate so I can take some weight off of my belt. What is the weight/negative buouyancy of the Zeagle steel backplate? Can any backplate be used with the Ranger, or is there something specific about the Zeagle plate as far as holes or slots go?
That's all for now....I'm sure there will be more to come.
Thanks in advance.

 

[crpntr133]

Thanks, guys, I appreciate your help.
Now to more practical matters. I'm considering a steel backplate so I can take some weight off of my belt. What is the weight/negative buouyancy of the Zeagle steel backplate? Can any backplate be used with the Ranger, or is there something specific about the Zeagle plate as far as holes or slots go?
That's all for now....I'm sure there will be more to come.
Thanks in advance.

6lbs negative is the SS plate. Personally that would be the way to go. AL plates are useless for most of us when it comes to dropping weight. But they do have their place.
I'm pretty sure that any plate could be used with a Ranger but be careful. Some plates have one hole at the top and the slot at the bottom. Unless the Zeagle plates have changed they have three holes. This helps with getting trimmed out level.

 

[gibby_z]

The zeagle steel backplate is about 5.5 pounds.
You can drop that right off the belt or the pockets.

 

[darkstar]

Couple years ago, I used a Tech with both an OMS and a DiveRight plate. Either plate worked fine as the gromet holes in the Ranger and Tech are the same as a standard plate. I didn't need to remove the lumbar pad, just pushed it up to allow the screw to pass through. It worked OK, but ultimately I went to a standard BP/W set up which was much easier to adjust for trim.

I looked pretty seriously at the Zeagle plates, because they allow you to use the Zeagle bladders and I just liked the quality of Zeagle stuff. In the end, I decided that the whole point of BP/W was that you could use whatever bladder fit with the type of diving you happened to be doing.

Hey Scott, the new 44lb donut looks great. Wish you'd had these years ago. Hope you follow up with a 20 - 24lb tropical donut sans bungees.

 

[crpntr133]

I looked pretty seriously at the Zeagle plates, because they allow you to use the Zeagle bladders and I just liked the quality of Zeagle stuff. In the end, I decided that the whole point of BP/W was that you could use whatever bladder fit with the type of diving you happened to be doing.

You can use any bladder with a Zeagle plate but not the other way around.

 

[darkstar]

You can use any bladder with a Zeagle plate but not the other way around.

As far as I know, that is correct. Well, mostly correct.

The Zeagle plate has the standard holes for wings and harnesses. In addition, the Zeagle plate has little brackets that screw to the plate so that you can use the wing from a Ranger, Tech, or any of the other Zeagle BC's were the bladder is attached by the two straps.

Back plates from other companies wouldn't have those brackets or the screw holes to mount a Tech or Ranger bladder.

All of the backplate style Zeagle wings (donuts, Bertha, Manta, retractable) will fit on any standard plate. Even plates not made by Zeagle.

I don't think many people take their Rangers apart to dive the bladder with a plate. The Ranger/Tech bladder wasn't really designed as a backplate wing. In practice, it just makes more sense to keep the Ranger for singles and dive a plate with a doubles wing for doubles. Four years ago, Zeagle didn't have much selection in the universal wing department. It's good to see that's changed.

 

[Puffer Fish]

As far as I know, that is correct. Well, mostly correct.

The Zeagle plate has the standard holes for wings and harnesses. In addition, the Zeagle plate has little brackets that screw to the plate so that you can use the wing from a Ranger, Tech, or any of the other Zeagle BC's were the bladder is attached by the two straps.

Back plates from other companies wouldn't have those brackets or the screw holes to mount a Tech or Ranger bladder.

All of the backplate style Zeagle wings (donuts, Bertha, Manta, retractable) will fit on any standard plate. Even plates not made by Zeagle.

I don't think many people take their Rangers apart to dive the bladder with a plate. The Ranger/Tech bladder wasn't really designed as a backplate wing. In practice, it just makes more sense to keep the Ranger for singles and dive a plate with a doubles wing for doubles. Four years ago, Zeagle didn't have much selection in the universal wing department. It's good to see that's changed.

There are several of us that have ranger or ranger LTD bags on plates...they tend to be more stable on the surface than the donut is (I have both)..They work very well...as a note, they were bought like that.