The difference in backplates

[Rebelmarine62]

I'm switching over to bpw and have been shopping around on ebay and other sites for new or used gear. I was just wondering as far as the backplate what are the differences between them? I found a backplate and harness called palantic for 110$ why is it so much cheaper than a dive rite or hollis or dds are they shaped different or something is one more comfortable than the other...has anyone ever used a palantic backplate and do u like it?

 

[Tony387]

I've got one. I like it a lot. Works great with my DR Voyager XT wing. I'm very pleased with it. Nice, smooth edges, standard size and weight..very comfortable, and allows variable placement for wing attachment. However, you have to be careful when matching a backplate with a wing, unless they are both from the same manufacturer. While this plate would work well with several of the DR wings, and fits the XT voyager perfectly in two positions, I'm sure the are some wings that it would not be compatible with.

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[rivers]

as long as the backplate and the wing have the holes 11 inches apart (and most do), it'll be fine

 

[Dr. Lecter]

as long as the backplate and the wing have the holes 11 inches apart (and most do), it'll be fine

Sorta. Some are not very good for doubles because they have too shallow of a bend (DSS). Others are going to eat webbing faster unless you file and/or stone down the edges of the holes cut into the plate because the place you save money is on the finish. The cheapest will be lighter and more prone to bending, because they're a thinner gauge and/or cheaper steel or cheaper alloy.

At the end of the day, there's only so much difference between plates of metal with more or less the same hole pattern, but there are quality differences. Whether the differences are worth the additional coin is between the buyer and themselves.

 

[Locus]

Only some manufacturers produce backplates of varying sizes, which may be relevant for you if you are quite tall or short.

 

[halocline]

as long as the backplate and the wing have the holes 11 inches apart (and most do), it'll be fine

That's only true for doubles or if you are using a STA (single tank adapter). Otherwise the slots in the plate and wing need to line up so you can thread the cam bands. Oxycheq wings have very long slots so they are compatible with pretty much any backplate, dive rite wings have a mostly open center panel which also makes them compatible with most plates, but some other wing/plate combinations won't line up.

It is also true that different plates have a different bend, which can feel different on your back and tends to make the plate optimized for either doubles (steep bend) or single tanks (less bend, flatter profile), but either will work and it's somewhat of a matter of preference.

I'm not sure $110 is that cheap for a plate and harness, although it's been a while since I bought this stuff. I have seen packages of oxycheq wings, a steel plate, and a one piece webbing harness kit, (by far my favorite type of harness) for around $300-$350 at caveadventurers. Most of that cost is the wing.

 

[TSandM]

I learned from the owner of Deep Sea Supply that there are different grades of stainless. Some are more rust and stain resistant than others -- obviously, the better ones are more expensive.

 

[decompression]

Check out cave adventures or diverightin......excellent BP/W packages.


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[Rebelmarine62]

Do I have to have a sta with the palantic or do u have to have a sta with all bpw setups?

 

[Dr. Lecter]

If the palantic has slots for cambands, an STA may not be necessary depending on your wing: the wing must (A) have slots that (B) line up with the slots on the BP.

For example, the current Halcyon single tank wings (excluding the Traveler wings, which H has strangely declined to sell separately so far as I know) have no slots and must be used with an STA. The older Halcyon Pioneer wings, however, not only have slots for cambands, they have integrated rods in the wing that function much like an STA. Great wings if you can find one.