Ultralight Travel Plate with the Halcyon Eclipse

[Venus]

Hi Everyone

I'm hoping to lighten my overseas dive gear and also make it easier to pack occupying less bulk

My Halcyon wing, ali back plate and DiveRite Stabilizing Plates pack down really badly and I was wondering if I can use the Ultralight Travel Plate with the Halcyon Eclipse?

Ultralight Travel Plate

and would I use the same DiveRite Stabilizing Plates or is there something else which I can use to make the whole thing pack flat?

SCUBA Diving Equipment for Technical, Sidemount, Rebreather, Wreck and Cave Diving: Dive Rite, Inc - Product Catalog - TransPac Stabilizer Plates

Is there such a thing as a light weight harness

Thanks ..... Venus

 

[eelnoraa]

Dive rite stabilizer plates are for double tank with soft plate like transpac. Why and How are you using them for single tank?

 

[Dr. Lecter]

The eclipse is a sub-optimal travel wing IMO because (a) it's too much bulk/lift for most tropical destinations, and (b) requires an STA. If you want to use it as such, look at the Oxycheq mini STA, which is a two part STA solution I've been using with an older Halcyon 18lb batwing that lacks the integrated STA and cam band slots of the excellent Halcyon Pioneer 27lb donut wing.

Like eelnoraa, I'm not sure what you're using the DR stab plates for in a single-tank travel configuration. A simple one-piece harness with Halcyon aluminum D-rings would be about the lightest harness you could get. I'd consider getting a mini AL plate…it's ~1lb more than the silly "ultralight travel plate" and actually works as a BP.

If what you need is something flatter, consider a DSS kydex/SS hybrid plate…very shallow bend. If you must be able to roll the "BP" maybe the Apeks ultralight or a Zeagle Express Tech fiber "BP" really is what you need. In that case, I'd go smaller wing with integrated STA, or your existing Eclipse with the Oxycheq mini STA, plus a simple one-piece webbing harness with the Halcyon traveler aluminum d-ring hardware.

 

[Venus]

Thanks Guys

You're right I don't have the Ultralight, I have the Hollis which are still double mounts
HTS Double Mounting Plates (set of two)

I use them to hold the single cylinder in place, very much like the Oxycheq mini STA does

After more investigation, I see that the Ultralite travel plate is only 0.6kg lighter than the ali Halcyon, but it will pack pack in my bag better as it will flatten out
The smaller ali wasn't available when I bought my eclipse, I'll take a look at that, but I still have the problem of the rigid plate in my bag

Yes, I have the Halcyon one piece harness, with SS rings on my Eclipse, not sure swapping the four to ali will make so much difference

It looks like the Zeagle Express Tech is the kind of thing I need, I'll do a weight comparison
I was hoping to use my Eclipse as I have got so used to it over the years and I know how it behaves
But, that is not the right approach

 

[eelnoraa]

Thanks Guys

You're right I don't have the Ultralight, I have the Hollis which are still double mounts
HTS Double Mounting Plates (set of two)

I use them to hold the single cylinder in place, very much like the Oxycheq mini STA does

No, this will NOT work with Eclipse wing. Eclipse wing does NOT have slot for cam bands. So you have to use a device that let you thread camband through. Oxy mini STA will work, but these double mounting plate will NOT. I think you can use Eclipse wing with Express Tech plate, but you will still need some kind of STA for threading cam bands.

Are you sure it is a Eclipse wing? Not a Pioneer wing?

 

[Rich Keller]

Ultralight Travel Plate

I have been using something like this for decades. This is just a sport diving version of a commercial diving harness.



The first two pics are a bell harness and the last is a regular harness. These can be modified to fit any kind of wing and tank. I use the regular harness as is with a 30 cu/ft tank for shallow water shore dives with no BCD. I modified the bell harness with wide cam bands and a Dive Rite Travel EXP wing for airline travel.



The webbing is very heavy duty as is the back plate along with being as low profile as you can get. I have seen these being sold used on ebay for as little as $25. Some of these are adjustable and others are not so be sure you know the size of the non-adjustable type before you buy.

 

[Venus]

Oh, yes where are the cam band straps ... they must be something similar. I haven;t really looked at them since I threaded the thing together six years ago
But, that was NOT my question

I will look further into the Zeagle Express Tech and other light weight wings

Thanks

 

[ams511]

Thanks Guys

You're right I don't have the Ultralight, I have the Hollis which are still double mounts
HTS Double Mounting Plates (set of two)

I use them to hold the single cylinder in place, very much like the Oxycheq mini STA does

I am confused. The Eclipse has no cam band slots so using these Hollis stabilizers won't allow you to thread the cam bands. If your wing has slots then it is a Pioneer not an Eclipse.

If you have any questions let me know as I have both an Express Tech and a Halcyon.