Optimal Travel Back Plate?

[Dave616]

Why the ultralite plate?

Personal preference. I would rather carry a 2.5lb. plate than a 5+lb. plate. If I get a Steel plate, it will most likely be the OxyCheq SS Travel Plate.

I'm just trying to absorb enough information to make a good decision.

I would have no problem affording the DSS Kydex plate and I really do appreciate the overall innovation that went into it, I'm just not sure how much I would actually gain over using a standard Aluminum plate.

 

[TSandM]

By travel wing, I was referring to the DSS 17lb Tropical travel wing. It's the cutest, tiniest thing -- perfect for warm water diving with minimal exposure protection.

 

[tbone1004]

you wouldn't really... and if you're planning on using this thing in warm water, the 6 lbs is going to be about right for weighting anyway...
I'm a big guy so I've never understood why the travel plates since I can get a full set of cave gear in a carryon. I get the lighter ones if you're using really heavy tanks, but otherwise not so much. 4lbs isn't a whole lot to me if it means I don't have to deal with a weight belt... to each his own. The Kydex is slick, but IMHO gains very little over aluminum, but there are threads about the Kydex plates here.
Oxycheq SS Travel Backplate [ROWB-01-04] - $136.00 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!
that's another slick travel plate. One of my buddies has it and loves it. I'd use that before a fullsize plate for travel anyday. Packs a whole lot better. I dove with it a few times and it is quite comfortable, just have my Transpac and Ultralite which is plenty of plates for me. Just to add to your options

 

[Dave616]

Oxycheq SS Travel Backplate [ROWB-01-04] - $136.00 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!
that's another slick travel plate.

I would say this plate is at the top of my list right now(it's on my original list).
I like the idea of a stainless plate for durability and lifespan when compared to an aluminum plate which needs the anodizing intact to maintain corrosion resistance.
Any other details you could give me about the OxyCheq SS Travel Plate would be appreciated.

 

[Scott L]

I would opt for a standard AL back plate which you may need in the future with different cylinder/exposure protection combos. You should be able to carry-on a BP, regs and computers for both security reasons (theft) and weight restrictions with regard to checked bag...

 

[Crush]

This post won't address many of your questions, but it might help.

1. Dealing with someone knowledgeable will help you to not get mis-matched components. Tobin has already posted in this thread - he knows his stuff. Personally I got this setup http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=BackPlate_Wing_Package and the guys at ScubaToys.com were very helpful. I went with an AL BP, the 30 lb wing, and standard harness. So far it is a solid system. I opted to not get sex bolts but would get them in the future - they keep the wing from flopping around between tank changes if you don't have an STA;
2. Like you, I moved from a Zeagle Scout to the BP. I found that because of the modular design of the Scout I was able to move the rear drop pockets from the Scout onto the BP (lower cam band). I added a piece of fabric between the two drop pockets to keep them from moving around too much on the rig between tank changes; and
3. For trim in cold water I have added weight pockets to the top cam strap and to the belt.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

For my cold water local diving, I have a Halcyon Eclipse 30 BP/W.
Several years ago, I bought a OMS brand AL BP (approx. 2 lbs.) that was on sale for about $45. I combined hardware odds & ends in my dive locker with some 2-inch webbing for the harness. Since the Eclipse wing doesn't have camband slots, I also had to buy an STA. For about $40, I went with the lightweight (0.6 lb.) one-piece SS STA made by Oxycheq. These items appear to cost significantly more now.

The 30 lbs. lift Eclipse wing is way more than I need for warm water diving, but the setup works great (not too floppy). To carry additional lead, I have XS Scuba weight pockets mounted on the tank (pockets + cambands cannibalized from my cold water setup). It takes about 5 minutes to switch the cambands out before and after the trip. Not a big deal really.

My girlfriend uses the DSS BP/W system for both cold and warm water diving. Originally she bought a SS BP/W LCD 30 for our local diving. A year later, she bought a Kydex plate that works beautifully with the same wing for warm water trips. It breaks down quite nicely for travel. I believe her setup is about a 1-1.5 lbs. lighter (dry carry weight) than mine. She spent a little more on warm water "conversion" than I did.

We check our BP/Ws, fins, and exposure suits when we travel for warm water diving, and we prefer to carry-on our regs and UW camera equipment.

 

[tech3324]

I would say this plate is at the top of my list right now(it's on my original list).
I like the idea of a stainless plate for durability and lifespan when compared to an aluminum plate which needs the anodizing intact to maintain corrosion resistance.
Any other details you could give me about the OxyCheq SS Travel Plate would be appreciated.

The Oxycheq SS Travel Plate is what I'm using. When I bought it they were available directly from Scott Koplin but I guess he sold the design. I use this plate, a Halcyon 17# wing, and a Koplin STA which looks like Oxycheq Lightweight Single Tank Adaptor [ROWB-06-02] - $56.00 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!. The tank straps are Octogrip with plastic buckles. For the harness I just bought a length of webbing and rigged it. In all it makes a very lightweight travel rig that will pack almost flat but feels as stable as a full sized BP. There's nothing about it that I would change after many warm water trips.

 

[Dave616]

The Oxycheq SS Travel Plate is what I'm using. When I bought it they were available directly from Scott Koplin but I guess he sold the design. I use this plate, a Halcyon 17# wing, and a Koplin STA which looks like Oxycheq Lightweight Single Tank Adaptor [ROWB-06-02] - $56.00 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!. The tank straps are Octogrip with plastic buckles. For the harness I just bought a length of webbing and rigged it. In all it makes a very lightweight travel rig that will pack almost flat but feels as stable as a full sized BP. There's nothing about it that I would change after many warm water trips.

Have you used this plate with out an STA? I plan on getting an OxyCheq wing with "roll control" and not using an STA.

Do you have any pics or a link to pics of your setup?

 

[tech3324]

Have you used this plate with out an STA? I plan on getting an OxyCheq wing with "roll control" and not using an STA.

Do you have any pics or a link to pics of your setup?

I have not used it without the STA, the 17# Halcyon wing isn't slotted for straps and requires an STA. I can certainly take some pictures and post them for you tomorrow.