Yet another BPW question

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Definitely not overhead - I'm too claustrophobic to do caves or wreck penetrations - as much as I would absolutely love to, I know my limits. The 330ft dives I want to do are down to some wrecks and the coelacanths at Sodwana Bay. That's all a long way and a lot of training away though.

Keep in mind, and you'll learn this in your training, at 330ft dive will be an overhead environment dive... even if the physical overhead is not there. A 330ft dive will rack up a pretty signficiant deco obligation. So since your claustrophia wont kick in... that should make you respect deep dives that much more.

If you are worried about the cost of a backplate for eventually getting to 100m dives, I don't think you understand what it costs to do 100m dives.

Two computers, three additional regs/gauges (two of them needing to stay O2 clean), new wing, lift bags, reels, lights, the list goes on...

Then the training side of it. AN/DP, Trimix, Advanced Trimix are the courses you'd need to knock out a 330ft dive. Those courses alone should set you aside $4000... and that's not counting the helium charges.

Don't let that discourage you. Just know its a journey.... at 330ft, dives require a lot of training, dives, and equipment along the way to get you there... enjoy the ride. :)
 
SS backplate. If you find yourself having to carry any weight at all the first should be in your backplate. Plus a weighted backplate just feels better for me.
 
Hi All.

TL;DR: Ali or SS backplate?

I've searched, I've read, I've Googled & I've Youtubed. I've learned a LOT, but I have just one more question... :)

Firstly though, some background which will help:
  • I dive warm(ish). Generally, around 18 to 20'C, but frequently 16'C - 23'C. (East coast of South Africa).
  • I wear a 5mm wetsuit which is getting old, has a little less buoyancy than new, but will be replaced with another 5mm one day.
  • Almost all my dives are with a 15L steel (232bar) and occasionally I use my 12L.
  • Have only ever dived ali tanks when travelling and then I use rental gear anyway.
  • I have a few stab jackets - Cressi, Scubapro and Tigullio.
  • In all cases, I dive with 4kg of lead.
  • Recreational diver only. Sadly, too claustrophobic for any serious overhead diving.
  • 70% of dives are around 27m (90'), the rest are closer to OW limits.
  • I do plan to do some Tec training - very specifically for depth as there are deeper wrecks in the area that I'd like to explore. I expect that in the next 5 years I'll be diving 2 specific wrecks at 100m (330') and then I hope to dive with the coelacanths (about a 4-hour drive for me).

So, all that out the way, next up for me is a BP/W, DIR setup for my 15L steel. 12L doubles in a year or so, but don't worry about that, it'll require a new wing anyway.

Considering my current setup, do I get an ali or SS plate? I'll be looking for a 14kg (30lb) to 18kg(40lb) wing, I think. Most advice I find relates to drysuits and ali tanks so I'm struggling to find sense in it all. There isn't a lot of this kind of gear in South Africa and certainly not enough of it around for me to be able to borrow, test, try out etc. Along with the FOREX rates, getting it wrong will be a very expensive mistake.

So, ali or SS?
Feel free to jump in with any other comments, questions or knowledge. Moving to BP/W is the next step for me, I just don't want to make stupid (read: expensive) mistakes.

Thanks very much!!
Chris.

The best and lightest, also thinnest BP/W is the scubapro hydros pro. Highly recommend for travel.
 
If you are worried about the cost of a backplate for eventually getting to 100m dives, I don't think you understand what it costs to do 100m dives.

Hahaha. Fair point. Don't misunderstand me though - I'm acutely aware of the costs involved down the line, but that doesn't preclude me from being sensible about what I buy at all times. Furthermore, a conversation like this one always yields more valuable information than only the answer to the original questions.

Keep in mind, and you'll learn this in your training, at 330ft dive will be an overhead environment dive... even if the physical overhead is not there. A 330ft dive will rack up a pretty signficiant deco obligation. So since your claustrophia wont kick in... that should make you respect deep dives that much more.

Two computers, three additional regs/gauges (two of them needing to stay O2 clean), new wing, lift bags, reels, lights, the list goes on...

Then the training side of it. AN/DP, Trimix, Advanced Trimix are the courses you'd need to knock out a 330ft dive. Those courses alone should set you aside $4000... and that's not counting the helium charges.

Don't let that discourage you. Just know its a journey.... at 330ft, dives require a lot of training, dives, and equipment along the way to get you there... enjoy the ride. :)

100%. I have almost all of that gear already and I'm expecting to spend a whole load (of both time and money) on training. It's a long game and I'm in no hurry, but it's a plan and I'm taking it step by step.

I really do appreciate all the comments and cautions, I'm not expecting some type of overnight miracle, but I am expecting (or at least trying) to minimise mistakes that don't need to be made.
 
Keep in mind, and you'll learn this in your training, at 330ft dive will be an overhead environment dive... even if the physical overhead is not there. A 330ft dive will rack up a pretty signficiant deco obligation. So since your claustrophia wont kick in... that should make you respect deep dives that much more.



Two computers, three additional regs/gauges (two of them needing to stay O2 clean), new wing, lift bags, reels, lights, the list goes on...

Then the training side of it. AN/DP, Trimix, Advanced Trimix are the courses you'd need to knock out a 330ft dive. Those courses alone should set you aside $4000... and that's not counting the helium charges.

Don't let that discourage you. Just know its a journey.... at 330ft, dives require a lot of training, dives, and equipment along the way to get you there... enjoy the ride. :)
Or you can do like in Cozumel where many DMs over the years have done bounce dives to 100 meters on air. Some fail but most are obviously unreported and not talked about.
 
Go ahead and get at least one steel and one aluminum. I dive only steel tanks. For single tank drysuit diving I use a steel plate. For everything else I use an aluminum plate, especially with doubles. With my CCR, I use an aluminum plate.

For a single trimix dive, your gas will likely cost you more than what you are going to spend on a back plate, so the cost of which plate to get is insignificant. If you think you are going to do 100m dives, go ahead and start researching CCR.
 

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