Weight of Kydex plate and Hog Harness

[cool_hardware52]

Can the bolt-on weight plates attach to the kydex backplate or only to the stainless steel?

The bolt weights can only be attached to a DSS Stainless Steel Back Plate.


If you need a lot of ballast there's little reason to start with a lightweight plate.

OTOH, if you are overweighted, for example using little or no exposure suit and a steeel tank, a lightweight plate is helpful.

Tobin

 

[djcheburashka]

Yeah, i rarely need the weight of a steel backplate. Only when I'm using AL80s with a drysuit, really. So my hope was that if the steel weights would attach to the kydex plate, that I could use only one plate and attach the weights as necessary instead of keeping a second, steel, plate that I rarely use or loading up on waist weights when I do need the ballast.

Oh well.

 

[deepseafalcon]

Hi djcheburashka,
few years ago, I had the same problem:
wanted lightweight Kydex plate for travel, and no second plate for occasional local cold water dive. Also don't like weightbelt.

My solution has been to attach four XS Scuba weight pockets on a piece webbing between plate and wing, plus two single pockets on waist strap.
Worked very well so far: Balance and convenience great, very robust.

Greetings, d.s.f.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hi djcheburashka,
few years ago, I had the same problem:
wanted lightweight Kydex plate for travel, and no second plate for occasional local cold water dive. Also don't like weightbelt.

My solution has been to attach four XS Scuba weight pockets on a piece webbing between plate and wing, plus two single pockets on waist strap.
Worked very well so far: Balance and convenience great, very robust.

Greetings, d.s.f.

Just a reminder that ballast attached to the rig increases the amount the wing has to float if you ditch your rig vs ballast that remains on the diver.

DSS wings are designed to be a very snug fit to the tank. Filling the "V" shaped space on either side of the tank with ballast will reduce the available wing lift capacity.

Tobin

 

[deepseafalcon]

Just a reminder that ballast attached to the rig increases the amount the wing has to float if you ditch your rig vs ballast that remains on the diver.

DSS wings are designed to be a very snug fit to the tank. Filling the "V" shaped space on either side of the tank with ballast will reduce the available wing lift capacity.

Tobin

Tobin, granted, there could be a slightly reduced volume in the wing if one uses very fat weights.

However, I found the elasticity of the Kydex plate comes in handy in my setup: if I really fill the wing until the valve pops (which I NEVER had to do in practical use, so far), plate and wing bend ever so slightly that the wing still fills up nicely.

Note:
I use a LCD30 with single tanks of all types and sizes.
I find this setup to be the "perfect" compromise: very slim and light, so no need to go for a smaller wing when diving in tropical water, yet enough lift for me to support my thickest wetsuit (8mm). Since my pockets suffice to take all the lead I ever need, and are even partially ditchable, I pretty much can use the same rig for whatever I do.