Deciding on BCD or Backplate/Wing

[Diver below 83]

These: DGX Trim Weight Pocket (each) | Dive Gear Express® take a 4 lb (~= 2 kg) bricks and you could probably squeeze in a 5 lb w/ rounded edges if you tried hard enough. 2 on the camband will take the 4 kg you need. I have mine on top band and that placement is good enough for trim. I expect a local equivalent is available.

Steel backplate will spread its weight over your back, unlike a jacket with weight pockets that keep the weight at your waist. Typically adjustment is less of a concern then, and it only takes a bit of weight up high to put you in proper trim. (Alu backplate is not as good in that Alu is less dense than steel and so is more "floaty" in the water: you'll need more lead and its placement becomes more of an issue.)

So if you had a 2 kg steel backplate and 2x1kg weights in trim pockets, that's your 4 kilos. In theory: IRL you'd want to take that for a test drive first, of course.

I was able to fit 5lb each in my dgx trim pockets. Was snug but it fit.

 

[Dredgy]

Thanks all for the advice. I went to buy the wing setup today to get the indecision over with but my bank flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it, so I’m going back tomorrow

Honestly still undecided, and since I realised sidemount with a BPW is not really done, the allure of the backplate has gone down a little. That said the store had weight pockets that could be threaded onto the harness (and ditched), and the fact that the BPW is all set up and ready to go has alleviated a lot of my main concerns (plus the Mares Blue Battle is such a stylish unit) so I’m almost definitely going that way, but I’ll know for sure when I’m at the counter with credit card in hand.

 

[Ayisha]

Thanks all for the advice. I went to buy the wing setup today to get the indecision over with but my bank flagged the transaction as suspicious and blocked it, so I’m going back tomorrow

Honestly still undecided, and since I realised sidemount with a BPW is not really done, the allure of the backplate has gone down a little. That said the store had weight pockets that could be threaded onto the harness (and ditched), and the fact that the BPW is all set up and ready to go has alleviated a lot of my main concerns (plus the Mares Blue Battle is such a stylish unit) so I’m almost definitely going that way, but I’ll know for sure when I’m at the counter with credit card in hand.

UTD has a combination sidemount/backmount bp/w called the Cross Over Alpha/Delta System :

https://www.utdscubaequipment.com/p...lpha-delta-system-backmount-or-side-mount-bcd

 

[lowwall]

Honestly still undecided [...], but I’ll know for sure when I’m at the counter with credit card in hand.

So, did you make the plunge?

If you are still undecided, I'm another happy BP/W user as I prefer the feeling of not being encased in a jacket and how compact the setup is for travelling. I don't use a weight belt for warm water diving. With my steel BP, if I need any additional weight, it fits into a pair of XS Scuba weight pockets - XS Scuba Single Weight Pocket - on the waist strap.

 

[Dredgy]

So, did you make the plunge?

If you are still undecided, I'm another happy BP/W user as I prefer the feeling of not being encased in a jacket and how compact the setup is for travelling. I don't use a weight belt for warm water diving. With my steel BP, if I need any additional weight, it fits into a pair of XS Scuba weight pockets - XS Scuba Single Weight Pocket - on the waist strap.

Yes sure did, got my first cylinder too (12L compact steel) and some weight pockets. I live a long way from the dive store so they did have to ship it, but should be able to dive the new set up this weekend!

 

[PBcatfish]

Different gear is good for different situations. If I am doing something where I expect to be vertical in the water, with my head up most of the time, without heavy current, then I like a jacket BC or a horse collar. Unfortunately, real horse collars for scuba use are hard to find these days so they are no longer a realistic option for most people. If I plan to be horizontal most of the time, then I like a wing. If the current is going to be heavy, then I like a narrow single tank wing. An added benefit of a wing, is that if you gain or loose a lot of weight, you don't have to scrap the entire unit. You just get a few new parts.

In the past, I had twin 50's, twin 72's, triple 40's & a slew of other odd balls for different uses. Back then, tank sizes were limited & a 72 cf was considered big. Today, you can get a single tank that holds 100, 120, 149cf, etc. Since I don't plan to do tech or cave diving going forward, I don't expect that I will need anything other than a single from now on, so when I recently replaced my old doubles wing, I got a slim single instead, for reduced drag. I chose this because I do a fair amount of heavy current diving these days & in that situation, reduced drag means a lot. Your needs may vary depending on what kind of diving you want to do.

All sorts of accessories are available for wings. You can get a variety of weight pockets, gear pickets, pads, rings, custom straps, etc. Wing rigs can be quite versatile.

 

[Hatul]

For local diving here in S California in 7mm or a drysuit I use a steel backplate/wing to take advantage of the 6 lb plate evenly distributed over the torso. The backplate system works best with a weight belt and storage pockets on your wetsuit or drysuit. I use a rubber weight belt as nylon belts fall off my pot belly. Trying to add pockets or integrating weights to a backplate never worked for me.

For tropical diving I use a Zeagle Escape BC (similar to the current Stilleto) for the weight integration and built in pockets. I don't need a heavy plate for warm water diving.

 

[Dredgy]

For local diving here in S California in 7mm or a drysuit I use a steel backplate/wing to take advantage of the 6 lb plate evenly distributed over the torso. The backplate system works best with a weight belt and storage pockets on your wetsuit or drysuit. I use a rubber weight belt as nylon belts fall off my pot belly. Trying to add pockets or integrating weights to a backplate never worked for me.

For tropical diving I use a Zeagle Escape BC (similar to the current Stilleto) for the weight integration and built in pockets. I don't need a heavy plate for warm water diving.

I tried the Stiletto and didn’t like it very much, but with backplate we will see how we go.
I ordered the Mares XR Blue Battle (only one available that was preassembled) which is aluminium so shouldn’t be too heavy, I got a 12L compact cylinder as well, which is heavier than a standard steel, so I should be able to offset a kilogram at least from that.

I have weight pockets as well, which I will thread on even if I don’t use them, but as mentioned I hate weight belts and can never tighten them all the way so if I do need weight it will be in the side pockets (assuming I’m actually able to thread them ) or on the tank band.

The backplate/wing is actually lost in the mail, but the rest of the consignment has arrived so I have the tank, weight pockets, plus the rest of the crap I bought but still haven’t been able to dive.

 

[HellRaZoR]

Hi Dredgy, I Have a question, I also ordered the Blue Battle XR BC, do the cut outs on the backplate rub against your wetsuit? Does it Damage the wetsuit ? I'm skeptical.
Cheers and safe diving
Hellrazor

 

[Brett Hatch]

Hi Dredgy, I Have a question, I also ordered the Blue Battle XR BC, do the cut outs on the backplate rub against your wetsuit? Does it Damage the wetsuit ? I'm skeptical.
Cheers and safe diving
Hellrazor

Hey there. I do not have the Mares Blue Battle, but I dive a very similar BP/W from OMS. The backplate rides directly on the back of my wetsuit. Since I wear it fairly loose, it does rub a bit against the wetsuit, as you can see from the pictures, it also has a bunch of holes like the Mares, which you might think would snag on the wetsuit. After 40 dives or so on this setup, the back of my wetsuit looks almost brand-new. So no, it does not seem to damage the wetsuit, even though it might rub a bit. Others on this forum have reports of hundreds of dives with a backplate + wetsuit without issues, so I think this is a non-issue.

To the OP: I hope your stuff has arrive by now and you have had a chance to check it out. I just wanted to throw out there that I hated weight belts as well, until I discovered rubber belts. MAKO produces a fine rubber belt, and is an active member and supporter of this forum to boot. Because they are stretchy, they do not need to be fastened super tightly to stay in place, and they will resize themselves as your exposure gear contracts and expands with depth. After trying this, I greatly prefer the rubber weight belt over weight pockets, it just seems to put the weight in the right place for me. And if I ever need to remove my rig underwater, having the weight stay on my body will discourage my wetsuit's tendency to shoot me up like a cork, leaving my rig behind.

Also, with your hand issue, you might find them to be a lot easier to fasten -- I know I do, even with thick cold water gloves on. MAKO's website has a few videos showing how the fastener works. I don't know how expensive shipping would be to AUS, but I'm sure there is a competitive brand somewhere in that region.