Who here dives or dove with a ABS backpack?

[DeadDiverFL]

I do alot of underwater metal detecting and have been wearing a plastic 3-point backpack without a bc for years. I enjoy diving this way but there are times I would like to add a bladder but can't find one designed to fit the bolt spaceing and or work with a single cam band. I've been thinking about going to a steel or alum backplate so I can easily get wings for it when I want to use one. What I want to know is if the hardplates are as comfortable as the ABS plastic backpacks? The plastic backpacks are contoured to fit the back and are very comfortable with good stability. Are the hardplates the same? I know people say they are comfortable but comfort can be a relative term. If someone has used both I would like to know how they would compare them. Should I join the 21st century and do the bp/w thing?












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[fdog]

With a couple of hundred dives with a contour pack, I can say that when diving with a 3mm or no wet suit that it's more comfortable than a BP of any flavor.

The difference is mostly above the surface, though. Still, with a single the BP does tend to dig occasionally if you twist the right way, and otherwise it's a small difference. And if you wear more than a 3mm you'll never notice the difference.

Tobin at Deep Sea Supply has a Kydex (plastic) BP that I use in the tropics, and I have to say it's a worthy substitute, comfort-wise. And the wings with it, well, it's worth any small comfort issue.


All the best, James

 

[superstar]

I have an old Scubapro bcp that needed a new wing and I put a Deep Outdoors 30lbs wing on it, All I had to do was to punch a few holes the wing with a gasket punch to lign up with holes in the plastic back pack and bolt the two together. It works great. I tried an aluminum back plate with the same wing and it sucked. The contoured plastic pack is much better for me.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I started diving with the SP Bouyancy Control Pack way back when and missed buying one in good condition (sold for something like $17.00 on e-bay) by a couple minutes recently. I also used a Watergill AtPac for a few years and these still show up now and then in near new condition. So when I went to a BP/wing several years ago it was basically going back to my roots.

I use a backplate with a Halcyon Pioneer wing for single tank diving, but also do use a more traditional cam pack now and then for some double hose diving. With a 3mm wetsuit comfort is essentially the same. You can however also add a pad to most backplates (OMS makes one) and that does improve comfort in a t-shirt or dive skin.

OMS and Dive Rite plates are more or less one size fits all. If you are significantly taller or shorter than average there are other suppliers who make plates in larger and smaller sizes.

 

[dannobee]

I have one of these:

Pacific Coast Marine - Boat Repair & Maintenance - Santa Rosa, CA.

It's a lot more comfortable than my "normal" Dive Rite backplate.

 

[spectrum]

A horsecollar would be another option if you like the harness & pack.

 

[Narcosis_Anonymous]

I like the look of that freedom plate. Very cool and looks like it fits snug. I dive 80% of the time with a just t-shirt on. With my plastic backpack the cam band is recessed so it won't rub on my back but on the freedom plate it doesn't look like they are recessed. Do the cam bands dig into the back if I just wear a t-shirt? The DiveRite plastic backplate looks like it may be a good alternative too.

 

[Narcosis_Anonymous]

Thanks to everyone for the info. I started the thread but under the name DeadDiver. I use that name on a non-scuba forum. I like this name better here. "DeadDiver" may creep people out too much here? Cut to the chase... I looked into different wings and couldn't find any that lined up with the tank band correctly on my ABS backpack even if I made my own bolt holes. I also like to use small wings with less than 30lb of lift. Oxycheq has a 18lb wing that would work well for me but I don't know anyone that has one so I can't see how things line up on it. Dannobees post was the first time I ever heard of the Freedom plate. The Mark Meadows plate is the only thing that is similar to it but it's a four point harness(basicaly it looks like a standard backplate with most of it cut away). I bet their going to become popular as more people get into backplates but only want to dive single tanks and don't want to deal with a STA. Looks like it works with most wings. At 5lbs the weight is just about what I'm looking for too. I think I'm gonna have to get me one of those Maybe they will come down a little in price closer to Christmass...

 

[Narcosis_Anonymous]

I've used a horse collar before but their a PITA to put on(not really but I'm lazy). I do alot of shore diving and like to put my harness on by flipping it and my tank over my head. I don't do that on boats though because bad things happen lol

 

[Narcosis_Anonymous]

I have found a Halcyon wing that fits my plastic cam pack! The top bolt hole and top cam band slot on the wing line up with the top bolt hole and cam band on my ABS backpack. This does leave the bottom half of the bladder folpping around though I think if I use a second cam band and just use it to attach the bottom half of the wing to the tank it will work perfectly. This saves me from shopping around for a metal backplate that is as comfortable as my plastic campack I think I will be the only person I have ever seen with this setup. I'm sure there must be others...