Aluminum backplate durability question

[glbirch]

I did take a look at the DSS Kydex hybrid. Interesting, but much more expensive. I'd want to try one on before buying it.

 

[halocline]

if you want lightweight, go with titanium backplate. you might have to fabricate one from one of those pentag0n toilets though.

Sure, great idea.....instead of a $50 AL plate just like the many thousands that are successfully working and have held up for years, spend $500 or more for something that does exactly the same thing.

Actually, I'm pretty sure jet harness used to make a Ti plate. They're out of business now.....

 

[Mitchell Teeters]

I'm sure if scubapro sold them they would be worth every penny! LOL


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[tracydr]

My horse trailer is made of aluminum plating. The 1200 pound beasts haven't kicked a hole in it, yet.
They seem to be able to destroy most anything, including welded steel panels, if that helps you.

 

[eelnoraa]

if you want lightweight, go with titanium backplate. you might have to fabricate one from one of those pentag0n toilets though.

Titanium is NOT lighter than AL. Density is 4.5g/cm^3 for Ti vs 2.7g/cm^3 for Al. So Ti is 50% heavier for the same plate.

Thanks all for the replies, looks like I be ordering an aluminium backplate. Crazy brand options these days, HOG, DiveRite, and OMS seem to be the ones that are easier for me to get my hands on. Of those the HOG looks nice, just need to confirm the specs.

I have owned both OMS and HOG. HOG's bend is noticeably deeper. HOG's plate is also slighter bigger. Its bolt patter also allow STA or double to be mounted lower. It is why I switch from OMS to HOG.

IMO, OMS plate is of higher quality than HOG. OMS's finish is anodized. HOG's is power coated. OMS's finish appears to be harder. After limited use, OMS's finish appear hold up better, more scratch resistant. OMS plate is also slightly thicker. And yes, OMS plate shape/pattern is 95% similar to Halcyon.

 

[cool_hardware52]

with the same care you would give the steel the al holds up just fine. the options are there for the weight. yes steel is stronger but the stregnth differences are not a factor in the environment you are using or miss using them in. Kydex may be something else but like the al plate i have not had problems with it either.

Have you ever seen a Kydex back plate?

Kydex is enormously tough. Toughness is a measure of how a material reacts to loads. A tough material will deform, but not fail catastrophically. We have seen *zero* failures in our kydex plates.

Some earlier all plastic back plates were brittle, in large part due to failure to anneal the parts after thermoforming. Brittle parts are the opposite of tough, they can crack catastrophically.

DSS kydex plates are reinforced at all areas of load concentration with Stainless Steel overlays, riveted in place.

Kydex is widely used for gun holsters, kick panels in aircraft interiors, etc.

Back plates are not highly loaded. I routinely dive LP 85's and E-8 130's with kydex plates. Kydex plates are routinely used on Rebreathers too.

When a Stainless plate will overweight the diver Kydex is a practical and proven alternative.

Tobin

 

[NAM001]

i agree with tobin. i guess because i have one of his kydex plates. as strong as anything. the only thing about the kydex plate is gettng use to it flexing. i found the flex factor quite comfortable.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

Titanium is NOT lighter than AL. Density is 4.5g/cm^3 for Ti vs 2.7g/cm^3 for Al. So Ti is 50% heavier for the same plate.

Titanium is not lighter than AL, but since it is so much stronger, you can use one that is much thinner. They should make steel ones out of those quilted or stamped with those perpendicular pattern like those giant lunch boxes behind pickup trucks, so they can make it thinner while retaining the same strength.

 

[vladimir]

Titanium is not lighter than AL, but since it is so much stronger, you can use one that is much thinner. They should make steel ones out of those quilted or stamped with those perpendicular pattern like those giant lunch boxes behind pickup trucks, so they can make it thinner while retaining the same strength.

Again, they don't use steel for strength, they use it for weight. Making it thinner would defeat the purpose, which is to move some ballast to your plate (and off your belt, usually).

 

[cool_hardware52]

Again, they don't use steel for strength, they use it for weight. Making it thinner would defeat the purpose, which is to move some ballast to your plate (and off your belt, usually).

+1

Tobin