Thoughts on 6mm steel backplates

[alewar]

Hello folks,

I'm moving to a dry suit and want to buy a heavier backplate to use with it since the one I have is a light one made of aluminum and I don't want to wear a bulky weight belt.
What do you think about 6mm steel BPs? They weight about 5kg (11lbs) and seem like a more elegant solution than a normal BP plus a P-weight.

I'll be using it with double 7, and sometimes double 12 cylinders.

Thanks!

 

[eelnoraa]

usually, heavy steel double and drysuit makes diver head heavy, so a heavier back plate can make it worse. But if you can trim out properly with a heavier plate, I don't see issues.

 

[lemke]

There are many ways to add weight to your backplate... SS bolt on weights (use a nylon washer between the weight and plate), add a couple belt weights on your waist harness webbing, etc. Might be cheaper than finding a "thick" backplate.

 

[rjack321]

too heavy to travel with, more expensive, and less adjustable than adding lead with a v weight, p weight or pouch of lead.

 

[alewar]

I already have a travel BP and there is no significant price difference between a 3mm BP + p-weight and the 6mm BP.
To adjust trim I still have some weights to play with since the 5kg (11lbs) of the BP alone isn't enough.

 

[johnkendall]

Hello folks,

I'm moving to a dry suit and want to buy a heavier backplate to use with it since the one I have is a light one made of aluminum and I don't want to wear a bulky weight belt.
What do you think about 6mm steel BPs? They weight about 5kg (11lbs) and seem like a more elegant solution than a normal BP plus a P-weight.

I'll be using it with double 7, and sometimes double 12 cylinders.

Thanks!

I don't like the thick back-plates. Depending on which spec cylinders you're using (and seeing that you're in Germany I'll assume either BTS or Faber) you'll need weight low down on the tanks. I quite often find divers with thick plates are both carrying too much lead, and when that's removed are too head heavy. I personally prefer to have a standard 3mm backplate, and use a combination of a tail weight, and v-weights to get the right weighting.

HTH
John

 

[ucfdiver]

I tend to agree-- unless you need gobs and gobs of weight (you likely don't), a basic SS or AL plate allows way more flexibility in placing weights.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I have one that I only use with my meg while wearing a thick undergarment.
It would be overkill for anything else.

I agree with the others; stick with the regular thickness backplates.