Difference in Back Plates and HOG question

I've been window shopping for my BP/W set up and have notice in SS back plates that there is a giant price range. I think Dive rite and HOG have plates for around $90.00. However, Zeagle and Apeks and "higher end" or "mainstream" companies have them for $150 to $180 it think. What is the big difference, to me they look about the same, and the dimensions are close.

Also I would like to open this can of worms... What's with the love/hate relationships with HOG? I've seen other board members call it the HOG law. I see some people that would die for HOG and others that are under the impression that they would die if they purchased/used a HOG product.

Being a newbie this makes no sense to me. Coming from the auto industry I understand that there are just those companies that people don't want to be caught dead in (like I HATE Toyota, and would never purchase one).

I'm just confused about it. It seems the scuba industry is all basically the same with minor advances for different companies.

Thanks for helping me make an informed decision!!

-Sutton

PS: Sorry for the poopstorm that may come from this. Let us keep the butthurt to a minimum please, I would like GOOD information. Not just because I say so information.

I just bought a Dive-rite back plate (and dive-rite wing) about a month ago and had the same quandary. The answers I consistently got to those questions were that the brands were about the same, it's just a matter of what holes are where. After all, it is just a curved piece of metal (or plastic if you're so inclined) with some holes in it. I'm not an expert, so I'll leave any more details beyond that to those that are.

There are differences in the design and manufacturing of back plates -- from how deep or shallow is the bend to if it has slots for cam bands (and where they are positioned). Are these differences significant? Who knows.

Yes, there is a split amongst people on HOG/Edge gear -- and for reasons that may well have nothing to do with the actual piece of equipment!

BTW, I use a lot of HOG gear but then I also use a lot of DSS, Bare, DUI, Aqualung, etc. gear!

How does the hole placement justify a $100.00 difference between all the brands? I understand the stainless is sort of expensive, and don't have a problem with paying the extra money if it goes to something that is better for me. I don't want to buy three different BCs before I find something that I'm comfortable with.

I can have my LDS order in the Apeks back plate and things if I really want them too, but want to make an informed decision.

Liken it to this: In the past, what was the difference between a Camaro and a Firebird?

Is the HOG situation sort of like internet branding for other hobbies. Like you have a mainstream manufacturers/products and those companies that reside online for the most part that have a backing and customer base, but seem way too underpriced to actually be worth a darn. I do believe in a little bit of "you get what you pay for."

---------- Post added April 4th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ----------

rhwestfall:

Liken it to this: In the past, what was the difference between a Camaro and a Firebird?

Click to expand...

The badge, and The Bandit drove a Firebird making it a BADASS. :cool2: In all seriousness though, there isn't much of a price difference between the two cars anymore.

So to take my thought process from the Firebird to the Camaro, get the one that fits my budget, and "mileage?"

What about fit? Is there a way to tell the differences in the slots for comfort?

captainhook426:

Is the HOG situation sort of like internet branding for other hobbies. Like you have a mainstream manufacturers/products and those companies that reside online for the most part that have a backing and customer base, but seem way too underpriced to actually be worth a darn. I do believe in a little bit of "you get what you pay for."

Click to expand...

I'd argue they have the backing of the professional base not the customer base. Most divers go to an LDS, buy whatever they sell and then hardly ever dive. It's the alliances that these LDS's and their employees have with the manufacturers that causes them to want to defend against new brands.

Divers who don't have these conflicts of interest and actually look at the value proposition are the ones that tend to love Hog.

It's not the LDS that is anti HOG. I see it all over the forum. I respect my LDS enough to not bring in questions or comparisons with brands they don't carry. The only thing that they have ever tried to warn me about is buying from a grey market online dealer.

Where can I find some concrete information about HOG? My favorite color combination is Red and Black, so they sort of have a hand up with coloring, but that's about the only thing that catches my eye. I'm pretty naive about the rest of it.

I suspect that the reason some folks hate HOG are quite similar to the reason you hate Toyota.

Paying more on the rational that you "get what you pay for" without clearly understanding just what more you are getting is not very smart. But, if the money is not an issue, then why waste the time and effort to become knowledgeable.

What you are paying for on backplates is essentially the brand and maybe the quality of the finish. While the bend, the holes, and the cam slots change none of that should increase the price. The quality of the finish will. Also remember you can deal with dive shops, so you should be able to buy it at a discount.