what do you look for when buying a backplate?

[scubadiver888]

I've been looking at backplates. The hole placement is pretty standard so you can mix and match different wings.

I can see there are stainless steel and aluminum BP. The aluminum plates will be lighter. So I can see why you want aluminum versus stainless steel. Let's say I decide I want stainless steel.

What do I look for beyond that? Is there a difference between the different plates? Is it the 'extra' holes in the plate? Do they weigh differently or are they all about the same weight?

There has to be some reason someone buys a plate that causes more than another. What is it?

[ektess1]

Different plates have different weight. Even within just SS there can be major differences.
There are 3 different materials used. Plastic, Al, and SS.
What you get depends on what you dive and how much weight you need.
Once you have that figured out, there isn't much difference.
Standard plates are all about the same size. I prefer a long plate, but some people say that is not important.
Some plates claim to be bent in a way that makes them fit better.
Some plates have more holes. Some have inserts so as to not cut the straps.
There can be many small differences.
The biggest differences are the material, weight, and price.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by scubadiver888

I've been looking at backplates. The hole placement is pretty standard so you can mix and match different wings.

I can see there are stainless steel and aluminum BP. The aluminum plates will be lighter. So I can see why you want aluminum versus stainless steel. Let's say I decide I want stainless steel.

What do I look for beyond that? Is there a difference between the different plates? Is it the 'extra' holes in the plate? Do they weigh differently or are they all about the same weight?

There has to be some reason someone buys a plate that causes more than another. What is it?

Actually, it's the other way around. Most of the time, you'll want steel instead of aluminum. The two times you may want Aluminum instead is (1) when you're travelling and struggling to meet strict luggage weight requirements, and (2) if you're diving excessively heavy steel doubles and actually need to reduce the amount of weight.

A steel backplate weighs (generally) 6 lbs, and replaces the same amount of lead in your belt. (Possibly more, if you're moving from a BC to a bp/w, because often the BC has inherent buoyancy that a bp/w doesn't) An Aluminum backplate has about 2 lbs of negative buoyancy, by comparison.

In general, it's best to have weight centered on your back, over your lungs. That's the point where it will be the most stable. So moving weight from pockets or a belt to over your lungs, the most buoyant part of your body, is a significant part of why bp/w system are so nice and stable in the water when you're diving in a nice, proper, horizontal position.

[CompuDude]

Oops, yeah, I left out the plastic (Kydex with DSS, ABS with DiveRite) plates. Neutral to 0.5 lb negative buoyancy. Again, travel and/or the need to shed weight with heavy tanks.

As for features, there aren't many. Holes are places to attach things... if you need to attach something, holes are nice. Many people don't need to attach any thing. Almost all plates of course, come with at least some holes.

The bent corners of Halcyon plates supposedly make them more comfortable. The kydex inserts in DSS plates hold the straps firmly without any need for keepers to keep things locked in place, while minimizing wear. Some plates are flatter than others, which may be good for one type of diving and less good for another. It all varies. In some cases you pay for for the high end name.

What sort of diving do you plan to do, in what sort of conditions, and with what sort of exposure protection?

[Rileybri]

personally I looked for the best deal.......

[Rainer]

CD covers it pretty well. Here are a few added thoughts:

(1) Too many holes around the outside edge (e.g. OMS) looks stupid. Looks matter. You do need a few mounting options (e.g. if you want to bungee a lift bag, or add argon straps, etc), but no need for the machine gunned look.

(2) For singles, a shallow bend angle is ideal, but really not critical. DSS wins here.

(3) If you want to rock something like the Halcyon MC pack for storage, you need a less shallow plate (e.g. the one made by Halcyon).

(4) Having cam band slots cut directly into the plate makes it possible to do away with an STA.

(5) The little extras on the DSS plate (e.g. plastic inserts for webbing protection, quality deburring, ability to add DSS weight plates, etc) are all nice, but do come at a cost.

For singles, as a complete rig, I don't think you can beat DSS. No need for an STA, shallow plate, plates comes in various sizes, has nice extras, better harness (nicer buckle, bent d-rings, includes crotch strap with two d-rings, includes knife and sheath), weight plates, made in the USA, owner is very helpful (and not a douche), and a very competitive price (around $450). For doubles, I personally prefer the Halcyon plates (with MC packs), though I certainly wouldn't (and didn't) buy one new. Still would rock DSS for the wing.

[scubadiver888]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

What sort of diving do you plan to do, in what sort of conditions, and with what sort of exposure protection?

I'm just starting out so this will change.

Right now I'm diving the wrecks of Eastern Lake Ontario. Dives range from 80' to 110' and some places have strong current (drift diving). Going forward I'd be looking to do penetration into the wrecks. There are wrecks that go beyond recreational limits (150'+) but I'll probably be able to change up my gear if I'm going that far (years from now).

Check out NTD - Resources for the wrecks I have and will be diving on. I've been on China, City of Sheyboygan, Frontenac, Katie Eccles and Wolfe Islander II.

I'm wearing a 7mm wetsuit with a 7mm tunic. At some point I'll probably go drysuit but right now I'm fine with a wetsuit. Only if I want to start ice diving or starting the season earlier would I need a drysuit.

Looking at the guys I dive with they are diving HP100 doubles. I plan on talking to them again this summer. Based on my current air usage, I'd dive an HP100 for surveying a wreck and at some point switch to doubles for penetrating the wrecks.

I also plan on going up to Tobermory this summer as well. I don't know what to expect there as this will be my first time there. There is one wreck there known to have killed over a dozen people (the Arabia).

I don't know why but I get the feeling I'm going to find a lot of christmas trees and posers in Tobermory.

[scubadiver888]

Thanks for the input. Without a wide selection to look at and touch this is really hard to decide what I like. I'm hoping to check out the gear of the guys to the east of me (there is a lot more 4 hours east of me).

This sort of stuff will help me to know what I'm looking for.

[rox@ucf11]

Originally Posted by Rainer

CD covers it pretty well. Here are a few added thoughts:

(1) Too many holes around the outside edge (e.g. OMS) looks stupid. Looks matter. You do need a few mounting options (e.g. if you want to bungee a lift bag, or add argon straps, etc), but no need for the machine gunned look.

I dont know if I agree with this one, regardless of how it looks, the plate will be covered up by your body when your wearing it, and the wing and tank on the backside of it. This would not make any difference in a decison to buy a specific plate to me, I believe Dive Rites have the "machine gunned" look to them too.

In the conditions you are diving, and with lots of buoyant exposure protection I would suggest getting a SS Backplate so that you can take some of that weight I am sure your wearing now on your waiste, and put it on your back.

[calwolf]

Lots of great considerations mentioned so far. Stainless steel plates pretty much last forever. And really, while the differences between them have been pointed out, they aren't nearly as great as say... the differences between different BCD's (a steel plate is a steel plate). So when I got mine, price was a major factor. I thought about DSS, but ended up getting a Hammerhead SS plate (I liked the idea of a heavy STA). Hammerhead claims their backplate uses a thicker gauge and higher quality of stainless steel than some other plates (I haven't looked into this, but am happy with the plate). The cheapest stainless steel plate I've seen is the HOG plate at DRIS ($85 shipped).