Single Tank Backplates

[bfenne]

I believe in the DIR approach but want to apply it to single tank configuration geared at recreational diving.

What backplates(brands) are geared better for single tank set up?

Thanks

 

[northcoast_diver]

Get a Single Tank Adaptor [STA] and attach it to any backplate. That will secure your single tank to your plate.

If your plate is aluminum, you can drill it yourself, if you need to. If its steel, then you just need special drill bits, and the drilling is more difficult.

A backplate is just an enlarged version of the smaller harnesses that have been around for 50 years. There is nothing magical about them.

GUE's rules about using backplates are fine. You will look a little funny travelling the warm waters of the tropics with a backplate stuffed into your luggage for single tank diving, but with increasing frequency this is becoming less and less surprising, so eventually nobody will probably notice.

If you are mix qualified, you can use your plate for tech diving in Roatan, Puerto Rico, Midway, etc. If not, you can always pretend that you do.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I believe in the DIR approach but want to apply it to single tank configuration geared at recreational diving.

What backplates(brands) are geared better for single tank set up?

Thanks

bfenne,

Take a look at our plates and wings. http://www.ddepseasupply.com

Our plates feature a flatter overall bend, shallow center channel and a direct mount or "no single tank adapter required" solution.

Our single wing includes an elastomeric cradle to prevent wobble, and does not interfer with rollong up the wing. Unfortunately this feature is not shown well on website.

There has been much debate about how important it is to have the tank close to your back. Some say that it makes you more stable or less likely to turn turtle, other point out the reduced swimming drag. While stability and drag are important, I think having the valve closer is a clear advantage.

I can think of no advantages to having the tank further away.

Our plates do but a single tank as much as 1.5 inches closer than competing plates with STA's.

If your interested in DIR keep in mind that our harness is "non compliant" but nothing about our plate prevents using a single piece "Hogarthian" harness.

I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.


Regards,


Tobin George

 

[Quarrior]

I have and love my DiveRite Stainless Steel BP coupled with the Oxycheq 45 wing. Works great. No STA required.

I believe in the DIR approach but want to apply it to single tank configuration geared at recreational diving.

What backplates(brands) are geared better for single tank set up?

Thanks

 

[JimC]

Any backplate will do. Some require an STA, some work (if you can call it that) without. The wing is the important bit - everything else kinda falls from there. So lets start with the wing.

There are 4 major players in the single wing market, and there are others that I know nothing about. They may or may not be DIR. You are looking for a wing with between 25# and 40# of lift depending on where you dive and what kind of exposure protection you use designed for a single tank. Your looking for a "robust" wing that has:
- Short inflator hose
- Rear dump on left
- No pull dump on inflator
- Sized for single tank use

We have Halcyon, in 2 makes being the pioneer and the eclipse. Eclipse is more "robust" with a seperate out bag and bladder but it requires an STA where the pioneer has an integrated STA. Both are DIR wings.

Dive Rite has a player in the single wing market with the venture. It has a pull dump and a butt dump ball which need to be removed. I beleive it requires a shorter corigated hose as well. I requires an STA.

OMS has a single tank wing. It also has a butt dump ball to remove. The stock inflator is just a touch to long, but servicable. Its 2 bag construction and looks quite "robust". The only real failure here is that it is a horseshoe wing and not a dognut, makeing it slightly harder to use - but this isn't a huge deal. It has an integrated STA which is better than the Pioneer version - but not much.

Oxycheck has a single tank wing aswell. Long inflator and butt dump ball again, btu its double bag and horseshoe. Requires an STA.

Any of the above wings are solid and will serve well.


Matching the backplate. This is rather simple. You need 11inch center bolt holes, something that every major backplate has. You may also need tank cam band slots if you want to use an integrated STA, these are not needed if your using a real STA. Brand is prety much irrelivant as long as you get the cam band slots if you need them.


Ofcourse the harness is easy, its some webbing and d-rings. The only caution here is some harneses come with billy rings, chest strap, right hip d-rings and other confusion that is not DIR.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

In my experience, a well designed STA puts the tank slightly higher above the backplate (and higher is less desirable) but provides a more stable attachment for a single tank.

 

[bfenne]

Thanks, It seems that the DIR approach is very very black and white but yet there seems to be some grey area here!

Is there not a set standard for material quality and demensions for both single and double config. back plates?

It seem that people make do with what is out there. I don't want to just make do and adapt after my purchase.

It seems that dive rite makes plates that will allow you to attach tank straps to the plate with or without an STA. Do any others?

Is it better to use an STA for singles? Why or why not?

What exactly does an STA do in terms of the backplate and is the one or two inch height increase really that noticable while diving?

Whose plates are 304 and 316 stainless? Is one better than the other?

What about Fred T & Koplin plates?

I know it is alot of question so thanks in advance for your insights.

 

[JimC]

Thanks, It seems that the DIR approach is very very black and white but yet there seems to be some grey area here!

Is there not a set standard for material quality and demensions for both single and double config. back plates?

Backplates are the same for singles and dubs. Material quality depends on who you but it from, most are high qualt SS or AL

It seem that people make do with what is out there. I don't want to just make do and adapt after my purchase.

It seems that dive rite makes plates that will allow you to attach tank straps to the plate with or without an STA. Do any others?

Halcyon, OMS, Fred T all have the slots for the cam bands.. not sure about others

Is it better to use an STA for singles? Why or why not?

What exactly does an STA do in terms of the backplate and is the one or two inch height increase really that noticable while diving?

I DISPISE integrated STA's. I think they SUCK. So I made an STA. My STA moves my single back a bout 1/4 of an inch, if that. It is SO much better, more stable and easier to assmble I would never use an integrated STA again.

Whose plates are 304 and 316 stainless? Is one better than the other?

What about Fred T & Koplin plates?

I know it is alot of question so thanks in advance for your insights.

Thats a question for Fred T, he is a metal expert.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks, It seems that the DIR approach is very very black and white but yet there seems to be some grey area here!

Is there not a set standard for material quality and demensions for both single and double config. back plates?

It seem that people make do with what is out there. I don't want to just make do and adapt after my purchase.

It seems that dive rite makes plates that will allow you to attach tank straps to the plate with or without an STA. Do any others?

Is it better to use an STA for singles? Why or why not?

What exactly does an STA do in terms of the backplate and is the one or two inch height increase really that noticable while diving?

Whose plates are 304 and 316 stainless? Is one better than the other?

What about Fred T & Koplin plates?

I know it is alot of question so thanks in advance for your insights.

bfenne,

I was hoping some of your questions would be answered by our website, but here goes anyway.

Dimensionally the ONLY standard is holes at 11" centers for mounting banded manifolded doubles. All dimensions are purely the choice of the designer. All slot locations, perimeter holes bend angle, channel depth etc are variable amoung design.

Materials:

300 Series Stainless, Aluminum (5052 usually) and Plastic.

304 and 316 SS are both widely used. 316 is more corrosion resistant than 304, but 304 will perform quite well if treated to remove ferric particles in the surface. This treatment is called passivation. Passivated 304 vs un passivated 316 = little difference. SS is 495 lbs per cuft.

Aluminum is used to save weight and cost. Works OK weighs ~165 lbs per cuft.

Plastic is used to reduce cost and weight, and to some claim to reduce webbing wear. Plastic ~ 80lbs per cuft.

Most plastic plates are ABS, ~ 1/4" thick and have been fairly successful, although there are reports of them failing.

Our new plastic, or hybrid plate is different. Thinner, slightly flexible, and reinforced at all load points. http://www.deepseasupply.com/page8.html

Sta'sSingle Tank Adapters)

First a short history of BP's. BP's were developed to mount heavy double tanks, as no good solution existed. Nobody thought to use BP's with singles in the beginning. Wings were wide and had gromets in the center panel to permit the banded manifolded doubles to bolt on to the BP thru the wings.

Divers found that BP's were pretty cool, and they wanted to also use them with single tanks.

The STA was invented. It bolted onto the BP same as a set of doubles, and at least in the beginning the same double wings were used.

Some bright enterprising sole decided that the STA was just another unnecessary piece of hardware that could be dispensed with iff only BP's AND THE MATING WING had slots to accept the cam straps. The "Sta-Less" was born.

Like many things the "A" model was not yet optomised.

The real problem with almost all STA-Less designs is tha the wings still have grommets in the center panel and people bol the wings onto the BP. This leaves two hard points for the tank to rest on. This generally allow the tank to rock from side to side.

Avoidance of this tank rock is what makes many people prefer a STA. (Our solution eliminates all tank rock even without a STA)

Other advantages of a STA are the added weight if one needs more ballast, and the relative ease of converting from single to doubles.

The disadvantages of a STA are cost and added height. Stability and hydrodynamic drag are not enhanced by raising the tank off your back, but my primary complaint is tank valve access. It's problematic now, please don't move that @#$@#$ valve any further away.

I will leave the specifics of other makers plates to........others.



Regards,




Tobin

 

[cool_hardware52]

I DISPISE integrated STA's. I think they SUCK. So I made an STA. My STA moves my single back a bout 1/4 of an inch, if that. It is SO much better, more stable and easier to assmble I would never use an integrated STA again.

Jim,


Seems you had one "Rock and Roll" integrated STA's. I do agree that some of the earlier solutions were terrible.

It is exactly this problem that we have solved. With our design the tank is solidly retained.

Sta's do have their place, if one needs the added weight, or frequently swaps from singles to Doubles, but many BP/w users will never dive doubles.


Tobin