Two backplates, or two complete setups?

[Dr. Lecter]

What Wookie said. If I'm diving singles while traveling, the SS rig is coming with me; if doubles, then the AL rig. The ~4-5lb difference between the plates is beyond meaningless for air travel...and probably, when it comes down to it, doesn't matter that much for the doubles.

 

[Malpaso]

Personally, I think a 40 lb wing is an awful lot of wing even for cold water, if you are diving a single tank

That's what Tobin speced out for me. I wear a 7mm farmer john with a 7mm shorty, and boots, gloves and hood. The water still hasn't gotten over 50*F yet this year here. It takes over 35lbs to sink just the wet suit.

 

[Peter Guy]

Why not use a steel plate in warm water? The six pounds of ballast is just six pounds of lead you don't need. Even if you aren't wearing any exposure protection, the six pounds isn't all that much and, if using an AL 80, will balance out nicely (perhaps 2 or maybe 3 pounds negative with at the end of the dive).

For my money, the only reason to have two different BPs (warm vs. cold) is to avoid spending 10 minutes adjusting the harness -- and I don't find that a very significant reason.

As far as the wing is concerned, I've ended up liking the 25 pound wing for warm water (5 mm suit) and my 35 pound wing for cold water (dry). For what it's worth, I use a Kydex plate for doubles, not because of the weight but because it flexes enough so that it doesn't matter how long (or short) the bolts are.

 

[divad]

1. How easy is it to swap a SS backplate for cold water to an aluminum one for travel to warm water?

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In saltwater with a stainless steal BP and a 3mm wetsuit I use no weights.

 

[Craig66]

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In saltwater with a stainless steal BP and a 3mm wetsuit I use no weights.

I went aluminum on Halcyon as I found that with warm water diving and a 3mm wetsuit I was overweighted with S/S and the couple of times I dove steel I was horribly overweighted with S/S.

Now much happier with AL although still a little overweighted with steel tank.

I also love having the extra 4lbs to play with in my luggage by going from S/S to AL.

 

[Peter_C]

I have an AL plate and a stainless plate, both have their own 40lb wings. The stainless plate is my singles plate and is the one I travel with. The Mach V 40lb wing is very close in size to their 30lb wing. Since I "need" the 40lb wing for cold water diving, I am okay with the once in a while warm water trip using it as I really don't notice a difference from the 30lb I used to use.

For adjustment I have found that a quick crotch strap adjustment works for me. I keep it marked so it can be switched back and forth fairly quickly.

Until they catch on that my backpack is really heavy, weight has not been an issue.

 

[Tortuga68]

In my seemingly never ending search for information on a bp/w for myself, I'm wondering what is involved in diving in cold and warm water. Basically, would I need just two backplates, two complete setups, or use the cold weather setup for both?

1. How easy is it to swap a SS backplate for cold water to an aluminum one for travel to warm water?

2. Is this moot because the 40# wing would be overkill for warm water, and I should have a complete second setup?

3. Could I just use the SS backplate and 40# wing when I travel, even though it's far from ideal?

Just to chime in with some more anecdotal evidence....

1. It's pretty easy if you have the BPs rigged as was already suggested
2. IMO yes 40# is way too much for warm water diving
3. In theory yes, but it would be a little anoyiong for me

Back in the day i had visions of having just one or maybe 2 BPs and swapping them around. Pretty quickly I found myself with:

1. A set of doubles with an SS BP (nowadays I have two sets of complete doubles but that's another story)
2. A single wing (30#) with an SS BP

The above all live in the Philippines where I do not reside but do most of my diving

3. An ALU BP with another single wing (30#) for travel - mostly tropical however I will also use this in 'temperate water' (18-21C) with the weight pockets, can dive up to a 7mm farmer john with that rig

 

[Murf-Diver]

I use an Oxycheq #40 wing for all my single tank diving and then just change the backplate as follows:

North Atlantic & Lakes: Dry Suit & Stainless plate
Med & Winter in the Red Sea: Semi-Dry & Aluminium plate
Tropics: 2mm suit & Plastic Backplate

The Oxycheq 30# wing is only about an inch smaller than the 40# when inflated, so I went with the 40#.
In some locations they offer 15l steel tanks for longer dives so the extra lift on the 40# is useful there also.
I use the same webbing on all three plates, it takes no more than 10 mins to change it around.
The term 'warm water diving' can be misleading as the Red Sea often hits 30c (85F) during the summer but is very salty so you need a lot of lead to get down and hence more lift to get back up.

 

[ajtoady]

A true diver::: a) NEVER has enough gear!!! b)... see a)

 

[Xaryo]

I have both a SS and an alu plate. the harnes is rigged on the alu and if I need the weight of the stee, I just sandwich the wing between the 2 plates.