Stainless backplate for tropical diving

[NitroxSam]

I use a DR SS "Lite". It's about 4# with the harness/hardware, 2.6# bare, so more than an AL, but still relatively light when compared to a full weight SS. I'm in FLA, so it's warm water, and 1-3/2 mm wetsuit if it's "cold" (below 78, lol) pretty much all the time.

 

[dmaziuk]

I had a wing failure 5 minutes into a dive. My buddy had washed our gear after the last dive, removing the dump valve to rinse out my wing, and then not fully screwed it on. It passed pre-dive checks, holding air. I was carrying extra weight to donate if others ended up light on this dive. I had to hand off 1kg shortly after the start of the dive. I used the dump valve. It came off the wing in my hand and my wing filled with water. I was able to swim it up from 12m, but had a little difficulty staying positive on the surface for the swim back to the boat, so I had to inflate my DSMB.

Now you’ve heard of it in real life

Speaking of dump valves, we had them unscrewed from my wife's BCD for drying/storage, then screwed them back on without noticing the rubber disk in the shoulder one got unglued (thank you Cressi). It was fine until she used it a couple of times during the dive and it fell out of its holder. So the dump wouldn't close properly and she had a few very unpleasant moments after coming up -- unpleasant mostly because the failure was unexpected and non-obvious, I was directly under her and had no idea something was wrong (thankfully she didn't drop her weights on me), and the DM was herding the others back to the boat and didn't pay attention to her either.

So yeah: it happens.

 

[Jai Bar]

Speaking of dump valves, we had them unscrewed from my wife's BCD for drying/storage, then screwed them back on without noticing the rubber disk in the shoulder one got unglued (thank you Cressi). It was fine until she used it a couple of times during the dive and it fell out of its holder. So the dump wouldn't close properly and she had a few very unpleasant moments after coming up -- unpleasant mostly because the failure was unexpected and non-obvious, I was directly under her and had no idea something was wrong (thankfully she didn't drop her weights on me), and the DM was herding the others back to the boat and didn't pay attention to her either.

So yeah: it happens.

Got the rubber disk unglued from three Halcyon wings, so it is not only a Cressi thingy... Aqua Seal saved the day, but it is annoying nonetheless,,l especially discovering it last minute.

 

[dmaziuk]

Got the rubber disk unglued from three Halcyon wings, so it is not only a Cressi thingy... Aqua Seal saved the day, but it is annoying nonetheless,,l especially discovering it last minute.

When it happens after the dive, it doesn't stay inflated to keep you on the surface and you don't have enough air to keep pumping it up. Annoying is not quite the right word.

 

[DunningKruger]

Is there any reason not to choose a stainless backplate for tropical diving if:

• I don't care about travel weight
• I am optimizing for simple, clean, streamlined rec diving in tropical water--no cold water or tech.
• I HATE wearing a weight belt and would like the weight to be in/on the plate.
• I'd like to avoid weight on the waist strap if possible
• I am not concerned with ditchable weight--no problem swimming this up
• Currently using 4kg of lead (stuffed in the BCD pockets) with a 3mm shorty, and a rental jacket BCD (Aqualung Wave)

I am buying my first BPW setup. I've had a chance to dive a few different brands and configurations. I love the simplicity, freedom, and trim of the BPW.

Most posts here lean toward aluminum plates for tropical diving, mainly for travel weight reasons. If I have to add 4kg of weight, 3kg of that might as well be the plate itself. Or, maybe stainless is a bad idea for tropical diving for other reasons? Thus my question.

Newly re-certified after a long break. I love it. I had forgotten how amazing it is.

I am spending the next year living in French Polynesia, Tonga, and Fiji and diving there frequently.

Thanks!

Follow Up:
I ordered the DGX backplate and wing (stainless plate) with a continuous webbing harness (blue). I also got the DGX DiveRite XT1/2 streamlined package. I am absolutely thrilled with this setup. I have a few dives on this rig now that we are back in Tahiti. I only needed to add 1kg of weight on the lower cam band. The trim is perfect and the buoyancy is rock solid. Diving in a rash guard and shorts but I found the same with a full Chillproof suit. Super happy with this setup. Simple, easy, solid. It works!

I appreciate all the great comments and suggestions here.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Follow Up:
I ordered the DGX backplate and wing (stainless plate) with a continuous webbing harness (blue). I also got the DGX DiveRite XT1/2 streamlined package. I am absolutely thrilled with this setup. I have a few dives on this rig now that we are back in Tahiti. I only needed to add 1kg of weight on the lower cam band. The trim is perfect and the buoyancy is rock solid. Diving in a rash guard and shorts but I found the same with a full Chillproof suit. Super happy with this setup. Simple, easy, solid. It works!

I appreciate all the great comments and suggestions here.

You did good