Question Aluminum or Steel Backplate

[sparragus]

Hey everyone,

I've got a gear question and I could really use your advice. I'm all pumped about getting the DGX bp/w package, but I'm stuck on a choice: should I go for the aluminum plate or stainless steel?

My dives mostly happen in warm Puerto Rican waters. Usually, I'm in a t-shirt, but sometimes I use a 3mm shorty. I'm about 5'11" and 165lbs, kinda slim, and I tend to naturally sink.

Right now, I'm using 6lbs of lead and a jacket-style BCD. Here's where I'm hung up – could the 5lb stainless steel plate replace all that lead? Does that mean stainless steel being better for my local dives?

On the flip side, I'm thinking about an aluminum plate with some weight. It sounds nice since I could fine-tune things and maybe make traveling easier someday. That said, in trying to build a kit for local diving. If it turns out Al is best for local, then the travel benefit is great, too!

But if aluminum means I would add weight until I reach the 6lb I’ve been diving with, then I would just go with the ss plate.
I'd really appreciate your wisdom to help me choose. Feel free to ask more questions. Thanks in advance!

 

[eelnoraa]

If I can only have one plate, Al would be my choice. The weight difference is like 3lb. It is extremely easy to carry 3-4lb, and you can add it where you need for trim.

 

[Eric802]

Went through the same thing myself and I ended up with stainless. Your mileage may vary, however.
SS v. aluminum backplate - help me think this through

 

[parzdiver]

Warm water diving and you already don't need much weight, I would recommend aluminum. As you said, you can always add a few pounds for trim. Most jacket style BCs are inherently floaty, so you might only need a couple pounds, or might be able to get away with none.

Enjoy the diving!

 

[rhwestfall]

You will likely drop 4# of lead ditching the jacket in favor of a plate. The couple pounds between steel and aluminum will be nice when you become less tolerant of water temps there and you begin diving with exposure protection.... It is less lead you will add.

 

[sparragus]

You will likely drop 4# of lead ditching the jacket in favor of a plate. The couple pounds between steel and aluminum will be nice when you become less tolerant of water temps there and you begin diving with exposure protection.... It is less lead you will add.

Great to know. The buoyancy difference is quite significant which makes me think SS may be too heavy.

 

[SpeedyJ]

Its far easier to add weight to an aluminum plate when adding exposure protection than it is to remove weight from a stainless plate when diving in a rashie.

 

[sparragus]

Warm water diving and you already don't need much weight, I would recommend aluminum. As you said, you can always add a few pounds for trim. Most jacket style BCs are inherently floaty, so you might only need a couple pounds, or might be able to get away with none.

Enjoy the diving

None would be great. Thanks for sharing.

 

[RobPNW]

My goal is to lose enough bioprene, to be properly weighted with only my SS backplate, in a rash guard and jammers, and go from there. That may take me a while though

 

[FishWatcher747]

I have both but now don't dive locally in cold water, nor do I travel to dive in cold water. I just travel to warm water places especially the Caribbean.

My SS plate is in storage and is very lonely.