SS or aluminum BP?

[scubachris82]

I recently posted a thread asking whether I should get a zeagle ranger or an oceanic chute 3. A couple people suggested BP/wings setup. I gave it a try (dive rite, backplate with rec wings), and I loved it. So, now I have another question for anyone who can help me out. I'm curious what the differences between the SS and the aluminum plates are (besides weight). Is there some advantage for one set up over another? Right now, I'm leaning towards aluminum because it is almost $100 less, but is there something great about SS that makes it worth that much more. If anyone could help me out, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[fdog]

Well, mostly it's...weight. It is sure nice to have it in the plate and not on a belt.

Some folks, though, have reported trim differences. With an aluminum plate, you tend to place the weight toward your hips on a belt, which can keep you from doing headstands, if that's a problem for you. I can't say I've had this problem with a SS plate.

Aluminum plates don't cut into your weight allowance, if you fly. That's mostly why I have one.

$100 seems like a lot for the difference between the two. Try a FredT plate, they are works of art and less expensive. I seem to recall maybe $40-50 difference between SS and Al.

All the best, James

 

[mempilot]

SS makes a good bp for diving singles since the 6lbs of weight can be shed from your weight belt.

When diving doubles, the weight of the tanks puts some people into a lighter AL bp which can save you a 3lbs or so over the SS.

I dive a SS with my large singles, and I just got an AL to use with my double steel tanks.

It's pretty much just a matter of weight for me and what configuration I need for my tanks and exposure suit choice.

PS. The AL bp I just bought was pretty inexpensive compared to my SS, and the webbing was dirt cheap. If you dive both singles and doubles, buy both or just put a STA(single tank adapter) on an AL to get the added couple of pounds. In the end, either will work just fine.

 

[reubencahn]

What kind of tanks are you using? What kind of exposure protection? How much weight are you carrying? FWIW, I dive an AL bp with a single E-7 100 steel tank. With a 3mm wetsuit, I wear no weight. With a 5mm, I wear 3lb. So a steel plate would overweight me. If I were diving AL80 tanks, I would use the steel to compensate for the + 5lbs. buoyancy of the tank.

Also FredT's plates are great and the price difference between AL and SS is only about $20 IIRC.

 

[ChrisM]

I have two. A halcyon SS for cold water, and a FredT for warm/travel.

For cold water, the benefit is weight. With a SS plate and an LP SS 80, I wear about 6 # of lead (vs 30+# when I was starting out with a traditional bc)

Since it's modular, it's simply an easy swap of the plate

Chris