which backplate

[Homunculus]

hi all,
i'm deciding on the backplate and checked quite a few posts here as well as looking at various manufacturers but i it only makes it more difficult.
so... it seems to me that there are 4 main players on the market: dive-rite, oms, dss and oxycheq. two of these offer backplates in different sizes. i'm a rather skinny guy (~5'7"= 175 cm, 142 lbs = 64 kg).
i have several questions and would greatly appreciate your comments:

(1) can any bp accept a wing made by another company?
(2) does shoulder and back padding make any difference? in other words, what are the disadvantages of the minimalistic design? i'm not into dir or gui (i'm not trying to offend anyone). aesthetics is a plus for me but underwater confort is more important.
(3) is it better to get medium size plate (dss or oxycheq, ~ 5 Lb) as opposed one-size-fits-all for my slightly underweight body?
(4) steel is a steel, but is any particualr company better than another? if so, in which aspects.

more about my diving habbits, if it helps at all:
i'm primarily going to dive in cold Boston waters wearing 7 mm (14 mm core) wetsuit. Buying a good canister light system is coming soon on my "to buy" list since visibility is not that great especially for night dives and i'll have to mount it. i'm diving with a single tank but i want the option of having 2 tanks at some point.

 

[rookers]

I love my nearly new hammerhead plate. $99.00 for the plate and STA is a good price and there is joy in rigging one's own harness which adds < $50.00 (depending on your D-ring count )

http://www.hammerheadscuba.com/

Oh... and steel is not steel, there are a myriad number of grades of SS.
With your exposure suit needs, padding is unecessary. I have dove a 3mm with my plate with double 80s and been perfectly comfy.

 

[Arduous]

I&#8217;m also here in Massachusetts, You better get a dry suit.
If you want a good plate, check out FredT. He&#8217;s here on this board, just do a search. There is no better plate made out there. He makes different sizes and different weights.

Padding is not needed with a backplate and wind, and yes you can use anyone&#8217;s wing with any backplate. (providing the wing was made to be used with a backplate, in the first place. And finally steel is not steel, is not steel. There is the good stuff and there is crap! FredT uses only the best marine grade steel.

One more thing, I don&#8217;t know Fred personally, I have never met him, and I have no vested interest in his plate business. However I do own one of his custom made heavy plates and I can assure you, this plate will be here on earth, rust free, many decades after I&#8217;m gone. It&#8217;s that good.

 

[PerroneFord]

i have several questions and would greatly appreciate your comments:

(1) can any bp accept a wing made by another company?
(2) does shoulder and back padding make any difference? in other words, what are the disadvantages of the minimalistic design? i'm not into dir or gui (i'm not trying to offend anyone). aesthetics is a plus for me but underwater confort is more important.
(3) is it better to get medium size plate (dss or oxycheq, ~ 5 Lb) as opposed one-size-fits-all for my slightly underweight body?
(4) steel is a steel, but is any particualr company better than another? if so, in which aspects.

more about my diving habbits, if it helps at all:
i'm primarily going to dive in cold Boston waters wearing 7 mm (14 mm core) wetsuit. Buying a good canister light system is coming soon on my "to buy" list since visibility is not that great especially for night dives and i'll have to mount it. i'm diving with a single tank but i want the option of having 2 tanks at some point.

Halcyon is also a major player in the market. I don't beleive OMS makes their own plate.

1. Yes as long as you use an STA.

2. No, padding makes no difference underwater except it requires you to wear additional weight. Some find the padding more comfortable if the BP is worn for extended periods on land, or if it is used with bare skin.

3. Medium plate (same size as one size fits all) would be perfect for your height.

4. All of the plates you listed are very nice. It is *my opinion* that the DSS plate is less than optimal for doubles, but others may not feel the same. The wing will be far more important than the plate.

 

[Packhorse]

4. It is *my opinion* that the DSS plate is less than optimal for doubles.

Why?

 

[cool_hardware52]

It is *my opinion* that the DSS plate is less than optimal for doubles,

I too would be interested in more specifics.


Tobin

 

[jvdk01]

I have a hammerhead ss plate that I like a lot, although it is the only one I've ever used. I'm pretty sure it is made from 316 ss as opposed to 304 stainless that some others may or may not use. I thought I heard that Zeagle makes a Ti plate. Not many corrosion problems, but you wouldn't get the weight advantage. I don't think corrosion is a huge problem with any of them if you rinse after your dive.

 

[PerroneFord]

Why?

Honestly, the plate's profile is too flat. It places the isolator too close to my head. With a single this is great. You can reach the knob easier. But with doubles, the isolator is RIGHT behind your head, and I like to rest my head on it when I swim. It reminds me to arch my back.

Again, this is just a personal thing, and others may disagree.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've not had my doubles on my DSS plate as yet but one of the things that sold me on this plate was the profile of it. I have had shoulder problems and having valves closer makes life much easier. I have my 95's as singles now and have had both right and left valves on. I can reach either with no problem. I normally do not disagree with Perrrone and have learned some stuff from his posts. In this case dude I believe stating that for your style of diving and the way you swim the plate may be too flat. I'd be cool with that. But to state it the way you did makes it sound like every one would not like the plate. Not getting hostile but I say what's on my mind. IMO the DSS plate is the cat's meow. Not only for design but in overall quality and construction. And the support of the product could be a model for other manufacturers. Disclaimer:" I do not work for DSS but I am seriously trying to get some sold in my shop. " Biased. Dang right and for good reason! It works.

 

[Sadamune]

Hello Mikhail,

I'm in the same position you are in; looking for a good backplate. In addition to the four makes you mentioned above, I would suggest you consider a FredT backplate or a Hammerhead backplate. Regarding your comment that "steel is steel", I would like to point out that there are actually a variety of stainless steel alloys used in marine hardware and one may be more appropriate for one application over another. I know that FredT's backplates use 316L stainless steel, which is generally considered the most corrosion resistant of the affordable grades of stainless. The "L" indicates an especially low carbon content, a desirable characteristic if one is concerned about corrosion. Hammerhead's backplates are also made of 316, as is the Apeks WTX backplate and Agir backplates, but I don't know if they use the low carbon variety or not. Deep Sea Supply uses 300 series stainless steel in their backplates, which has a slightly higher carbon content I believe. Tobin of Deep Sea Supply states that if a piece of stainless is correctly passivated (treated so that a thin layer of oxide is present on the metal surface), it will resist corrosion very well. Halcyon uses 304 stainless in their backplates and then applies a clear coat to help it resist corrosion. The fact that Halcyon applies a clear coat should tell you that corrosion can occur on a piece of stainless, particularly in areas where saltwater can collect or be trapped, e.g. under bolts and washers. Such areas can experience prolonged exposure to saltwater, even after the dive, and if the metal surface has been abraded, scratched, etc., the protective passivation layer cannot reform, which leaves the metal vulnerable to corrosion, albeit minor.

I believe the major reason many manufacturers use 300 series stainless steel is because it is cheaper than 316 and is just as functional. The likelihood of corrosion is higher with 300 series steels, but if a backplate is well cared for, such corrosion will be minimal and easily removed. That said, I prefer the 316 alloy and would seriously consider a Hammerhead backplate or a FredT backplate. They are quite affordable and of very high quality according to what I've heard. Agir makes excellent backplates, but they are quite expensive.

Another thing to consider is the metal finish. I've heard from numerous Halcyon backplate owners that the webbing slots sometimes have sharp edges that cut into the webbing, necessitating the eventual replacement of the harness. Deep Sea Supply uses plastic inserts around the slots which prevents any damage to the webbing, a very nice feature. FredT offers hand finishing on his backplates where he will bevel and smooth the edges. Hammerhead applies a blast finish which takes the edges off their backplates.

I am yet undecided on what backplate I want, but when I want a good overview of what's available, I visit this site: http://www.kidspot.org/personal/scubaboard/bpwing.html

Lots of good information about backplates there.

Regarding Zeagle's titanium backplates, I just received an e-mail from one of Zeagle's people that stated that Zeagle has ceased manufacturing the titanium model, the reason being that titanium has become too expensive. This is unfortunately true for many equipment manufacturers, due mainly to the voracious appetite of the aviation industry for titanium. I wonder if Zeagle has considered buying their titanium material from Russia...

Cheers.

Sadamune