Plate Selection

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

MikadoWu

Contributor
Messages
371
Reaction score
119
Location
Florida
# of dives
200 - 499
Hello All,

I am purchasing my first BP/W. I have gone through the Beginners guide on selecting one.

Other then weight, what other considerations are there in selecting the Back Plate?

Why AL over SS, why Softpack other then travel?

What I dive - I presently own a Dive Rite TravelPac, Zeagle Ranger and Express Tech.

I generally dive on LP85 or HP100, or AL63 for pool sessions.

Also, I am negatively buoyant in generally. Using my Express Tech, 2mm short and al80 I sink.

Thanks you,

Oh, and I will be buying my BP/W from Hog.
 
You sound like a good candidate for an Al plate. No need for the extra mass of an SS plate if you normally sink using an al80 and no lead.
 
Soft plate is for travel ease but not good for doubles. The reason to choose between steel or aluminum is just the weight, nothing fancy.
 
You sound like a good candidate for an Al plate. No need for the extra mass of an SS plate if you normally sink using an al80 and no lead.

Soft plate is for travel ease but not good for doubles. The reason to choose between steel or aluminum is just the weight, nothing fancy.

Thank you both. Sounds like AL is my direction. Is there a comfort different between Soft and AL/SS (guessing AL and SS has no difference)
 
Thank you both. Sounds like AL is my direction. Is there a comfort different between Soft and AL/SS (guessing AL and SS has no difference)

yes sounds like AL plate is best choice for you. as saxman242 said they look uncomfortable however they are not, they are actually very comfy. I would not even bother looking at soft ones IMO kind of useless. I know some people say its to save travel weight but really?? an AL plate weight is about 700-800g basically nothing. If I am single tank diving I can easy pack a bag with all my dive gear and clothes under 23kg and that is with a SS backplate and I fly a lot with dive gear, practically live in airplanes and airports.
 
Metal plates seem like they'd be uncomfortable. They aren't.

yes sounds like AL plate is best choice for you. as saxman242 said they look uncomfortable however they are not, they are actually very comfy. I would not even bother looking at soft ones IMO kind of useless. I know some people say its to save travel weight but really?? an AL plate weight is about 700-800g basically nothing. If I am single tank diving I can easy pack a bag with all my dive gear and clothes under 23kg and that is with a SS backplate and I fly a lot with dive gear, practically live in airplanes and airports.

Thank you both. I really appreciate the information. AL it is. Best of luck to you.
 
Thank you both. Sounds like AL is my direction. Is there a comfort different between Soft and AL/SS (guessing AL and SS has no difference)

There is a comfort difference between Eric's plate and the regular ones. And he makes them in Al now, too.
 
if you are negatively buoyant with an al80 @ 500 psi, in salt water, and an express tech already, you should get a kydex or soft plate.

if that quoted buoyancy is with a full tank or for fresh water but you will dive in salt water predominantly, then an AL or SS plate with more ballast may work fine.
 
Al has relatively low density, actually, so the amount of ballast it provides in the water is not that much. It's more rigid than soft pads, but if you need ballast: go steel.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom