Of course the best "general rule" is that there are very few good "general rules."
For this reason I have two BP/harness rigs. One steel and one aluminum. Paired with either a singles wing (+/- STA) or a doubles wing I've got just about any environment knocked:
- fresh water and steel doubles: AL plate
- fresh water and steel singles: steel plate
- fresh water and AL singles: never dive this way, but guessing a steel plate plus weighted STA plus 4-6lbs would do it
- salt water and steel doubles: steel plate
- salt water and steel singles: steel plate plust weighted STA
- salt water and AL singles: steel plate plus weighted STA plus 4-6lbs lead
One question, I understand these are "general rules" but to me it seems like the plate/tank relationship is totally independent of what thermal protection is worn. The reason I bring this up is that I plan on moving to BP/W, have an X7-100 steel tank, and would like to set up double HP100s. I dive in either a dry suit (w/ undergarments) or 6.5mm neoprene semi-dry. For the semi, I would think that a steel plate would be better, but if I double my 100 with another and dive dry, would I really need the -6lbs of the steel? Would it make more sence to go with an ali plate + v-weight (& possibly STA) with single steels and simply remove STA and v-weight when diving doubles?
I'm probably just going to get a steel plate because of the thermal protection I wear, the fact that I will (hopefully) be doing some off-shore wreck dives this year and because I found one for $96 on sale
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