Any disadvantages of soft backplate for tropical diving?

[AdivingBel]

Ok good to know. I think that's an upgrade I can safely mark off my list.

I don't know, my wife discovered it on her Stiletto and turned me on to it. You might like it.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I measured center-to-center on the grommets (both sets) and got 10.5". Maybe my plate has 10.5" spacing on the holes and the flexible wing is scrunched by 0.5"? I'll check when I get home.

Nylon is hygroscopic. Repeated wetting and drying often leads to shrinkage. The single standard for back plates is at least one set of holes in the center channel at 11" centers.

The location of the grommets in the "spine" of a wing is determined by the cutting / punching die that makes the holes for the grommet.

DSS has always built our dies to punch the grommet holes at 11.5 inches. It's far easier to scrunch a wing a little the holes are slightly too far apart, than it is to try and stretch a piece of weight belt webbing that has dried out and shrunk to less than 11".......

Tobin

 

[Kharon]

Why not just use a small wing? That seems like a solution searching for a problem.

Two reasons - 1. this is more streamlined and 2. it's a hell of a lot less expensive.

 

[ronscuba]

DSS 17 Torus and 17 Travel wing are pretty streamlined. However, I was taking with Tobin about a way to secure the outer edges of the wing to the backplate to make them even more streamlined. He suggested sewing buttons on the outer shell then using bungee to connect the buttons to the plate. He did caution about the possibility of puncturing the inner bladder.

Too risky for me, but I may ask him for pricing for him to do it on a new wing or on my existing. Then again it may be more hassle than it is worth.

 

[dberry]

Nylon is hygroscopic. Repeated wetting and drying often leads to shrinkage.
Tobin

Oh, so THAT'S why I can barely zip my old nylon windbreaker...

 

[uncfnp]

Oh, so THAT'S why I can barely zip my old nylon windbreaker...

Its similar to the characteristics of neoprene when it hangs in the closet.

 

[AdivingBel]

Its similar to the characteristics of neoprene when it hangs in the closet.

Yep, good neoprene hanging in a closet is better than a New Year's resolution any day.

BTW, @uncfnp are you typing in Bonaire as we speak? If so, ...

 

[uncfnp]

Yep, good neoprene hanging in a closet is better than a New Year's resolution any day.

BTW, @uncfnp are you typing in Bonaire as we speak? If so, ...

Guilty.

Just finished my 2 am dives and fresh tuna wraps from Kite City food truck and a quick siesta. Then headed out for an afternoon then evening dive.

I've seen invoked before but I have never figured this one out? But I am guessing I just broke it?

 

[AdivingBel]

I've seen invoked before but I have never figured this one out?

From the ground rules of the MOF/NMOF thread:
40. Being hated because you are diving is an honor in this thread. Going diving whenever possible and being hated is to be cherished.

We hate you but we love you...
Just set our dates for October