importance of long back plates for tall people?

[thebrain]

Thanks everyone, this has been very helpful. I am goi with a used halcyon plate and seeing if that works (will give it a while for me to get used to it and make adjustments) and if that really doesn't work I will look up you, Tobin, for a longer dss plate

 

[g1138]

I really don't know why I forget these things, but if you get a chance to try a HOG plate, they're about .25in longer than the Halcyon plates.
15.75in according to the specs I've seen online. However that helps you.

 

[vladimir]

Backplates have a *waist* belt. Your waist is just below your rib cage, your jeans (unless you are trying to look like a gangster) are around your hips, not your waist.

If your back plate is too short the *waist* belt will cross the lower part of your rib cage. If it is too long it will land on your pelvis and make arching your back difficult.

Tobin

Tobin correctly notes that jeans belong on your hips, but most pants don't—or, at least, didn't, traditionally. The waistline and the belt line used to be one and the same (even though James Bond opts for Daks, rather than a belt, with these trousers):

All of which is of no use when sizing a plate, but might come in handy the next time you shop for a suit.

 

[Texasguy]

Check out Hollis's backplates, they bend lower corners on them so they will not dig into your kidneys.

 

[thebrain]

As do the scubapro and halcyon plates. It would seem to me the biggest advantage of a longer plate is moving the waist band down

 

[Chris D573]

so if the plate was to sit higher on the diver, what would the effect be on the body position when in the water? i dove yesterday and felt that the rig was too high.. my head was hitting the hoses. and if i stopped kicking my legs would drop. my insta buddy felt that moving the tank even higher (and adjusting it without my permission during the dive) to get the weight higher was the answer :S

 

[rhwestfall]

What would I do?: time to incorporate trim weights on the top cam bands, and bring the rig and tank back down...

Also, what wing are you diving? Long narrow, or short and wide? And what fins are you using?

 

[MidOH]

Zombie thread.

But my plate sits where it sits. As long as you can fit a fist under your shoulder straps, it seems like itll always fall into the right spot. I can barely reach the top of the plate, but can hit it.

I might run my travel rig a little tighter. Might want to loosen your chest straps, and then move the tank and wing down the plate. Then move tank back up a little if needed.

You might be overweighted.

Try moving weight from your weight belt to the top cam band. Or move weight to your chest straps with the Highland weight plates. Switch to a heavier ss plate if youre running aluminum or carbon.

Or use a buoyant fin like a Sea Wing Nova. Move your arms out like superman, almost.

 

[Chris D573]

i was rocking this setup.. only thing i changed since my last dive 6 months ago beside loosing 5kg is the higher tank and maybe slightly less weight from the trim pockets on the top cam band..

im on a ss hollis plate /"solo" setup. i will pop the tank down a bit and take a tiny bit off the waist weight pockets and move up to the top cam band.. and do a proper weight check next time i think.

ive been racking my brain as to what the problem might have been and thought maybe if the wing is higher up the diver, and you use a weight belt that could pull the legs down?

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I'm glad this topic was regurgitated. I am 6'4" and try as I might, I just can't seem to get my freedom plate to fit me comfortably. By the time I get the plate high enough to barely touch the top, the shoulder straps are too close together and create a very uncomfortable angle to the waist strap cut-outs. I'm talking digging into my shoulders and armpits uncomfortable. I am thinking a different plate with wider shoulder strap cut-outs might make the difference. Thoughts?

Also, the waist belt sits so high on my belly that my crotch strap has to yank it down to be effective. It just doesn't feel right.

Does anyone know of an extra long aluminum plate out there that won't break the bank? I'm getting on the phone with Randy (Piranha) on Wednesday but would like to know before hand just what's out there.

Thanks in advance.