Backplate and Wing What kind is the best?

[TobinGeorge]

Don't shoot the messenger.

I'm not shooting anybody. The fact remains that changing plates alone will have no impact on bolt to suit clearance.

It is also worth mentioning that the vast majority of BP&W's sold today will never see a set of doubles. That was not the case even a few years ago.

Flatter plates offer significant advantages for single tank use.

Tobin

[Grateful Diver]

DSS plates have the flattest bend while Halcyon plates have the most. Since Extreme Exposure is a Halcyon shop (and 3,000miles from DSS) its not surprising the bolts on their doubles are shorter than most. The locals would be ripping up their TLS350s otherwise. When in Rome...

Actually, the FredT plates have the deepest bend of any plate I've seen yet (deeper than Halcyon).

But I'll jump on the DSS bandwagon too ... for overall quality, price, and service, you just can't beat them.

Also, I like the fact that I don't change harnesses quite so often now (those elastomer slot protectors reduce harness wear), and for singles diving, I absolutely love the plate weights.

I don't normally make a habit of suggesting specific brands to people who ask me about gear ... DSS is on the short list of exceptions I make to that rule ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[scubarev]

DeepSeaSupply for all the reasons already stated above - design, cost, customer service, quality, you name it. I have nothing to which to compare it, nor am I interested in looking. You won't be sorry.

[kevfin]

Personally you'd be happy with DSS (large following and the way the plate and tank sits seems natural --add the weight plates and you're set) --plus, as you can see, Tobin is very gracious and helpful--- if there is an issue, he stands by his product and has helped many a diver with stuff he makes no profit from --- just plain old good will. I know, he helped me once --- ...

That said, other brands mentioned like Halcyon, Dive Rite, OxyCheq (sorry Tobin ) serve their purpose too and I know divers that are very happy with these brands.

You probably won't go wrong with any of these. Have fun with it and good luck.

[rjack]

Actually, the FredT plates have the deepest bend of any plate I've seen yet (deeper than Halcyon).

If you can and have one, show me tonight. Nobody I know dives a FredT; don't think I've ever seen one. If I have seen one in passing, I don't recall.

[TobinGeorge]

If you can and have one, show me tonight. Nobody I know dives a FredT; don't think I've ever seen one. If I have seen one in passing, I don't recall.

I have one. The overall bend is quite steep, and the center channel is very deep.

Fred himself has posted, IIRC on SB, that his plates are optimized for doubles and storage between the plate and diver.

Tobin

[dsteding]

If you can and have one, show me tonight. Nobody I know dives a FredT; don't think I've ever seen one. If I have seen one in passing, I don't recall.

I briefly owned one when I first started diving doubles, probably about the time we started diving together. It was a long pattern plate, and just a bit too long for me, so I sold it.

Very deep bend, nicely finished, and a good plate, but a bit of a hassle to get from Fred-especially after the hurricane.

Tobin's line of plates now accomplishes the same goals of the FredT line, namely different lengths/weights to suit different needs.

[Grateful Diver]

If you can and have one, show me tonight. Nobody I know dives a FredT; don't think I've ever seen one. If I have seen one in passing, I don't recall.

Ah ... too bad I didn't see this post yesterday. I was, in fact, diving my Fred T plate last night. It's my usual doubles rig ... AFAIK, BDub also dives one.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[rex93]

I like the halcyon stuff but what justifies that additional 300 dollar expense? anything?

[Mo2vation]

halcyon equipment is badass.

I like the halcyon stuff but what justifies that additional 300 dollar expense? anything?

Uh, badass branding?



Couldn't tell you.

Save the cash and upgrade the wine at dinner for a month.

Its fine gear. I dived it for years. I got tired of wearing out the wings (30# of lift is too much for me, and there's so much fabric they get pinched in the tank wells on nearly every SoCal dive boat) and replacing the inflators, and after a couple of hundred dives their un-reinforced corrugated hose was down to my navel.

Its good stuff, I just don't think its the best stuff.



---
Ken

[John_B]

I like the halcyon stuff but what justifies that additional 300 dollar expense? anything?

The blue H, of course!

The heck of it is, as far as their 30 lb. Eclipse wing is concerned, I think it's too wide. Maybe I've just been spoiled by my DSS wing?

[vicdiver656]

Agir Brokk's 36lb BP/W is the best I've found so far

[CompuDude]

I dive H stuff and OxyCheq wings, but I tend to buy used (except the wing).

If I was buying all new gear, I'd be looking at a DSS rig, no question.

Any of these will work well in the end. I'm just a big fan of used gear when it comes to wear-proof items like backplates, and DSS stuff doesn't come up for sale used very often. (Which says something about them!)

I do like keeping things in the MC pack, however, and that's one area where the flatter DSS plates don't work quite as well. There are plenty of alternate ways to carry stuff, of course, but I do have my preference.

[floater]

Problem is, I dont know which system to get. I am using a halycon right now in class and of course it is really sweet. But I know that deep sea supply makes a much less expensive plate and wing. Which is the best? I want the best equipment.

I currently own 2 DSS plates (SS and Kydex), an Oxycheq Mach V Razor 30# and Halcyon Evolve 40# wings. That's what I think is best, for me at least. The Oxycheq Mach V Extreme 30# is probably better for most people. And the Evolve (doubles wing) works best for long tanks, like Luxfer AL80's.

I've also owned DSS LCD 30 and Torus 45 (early version with velcro), and Halcyon Explorer 40 and Oxycheq Razor 18 and 30, and I've seen a bunch of other plates and wings for comparison, so that's what my opinion below is based on.

I sold the LCD and Explorer because they were horseshoes - I prefer donut wings, better for rear balancing out/venting. I sold the Torus 45 (early version) because it had too much rear bias for my preference. My ex-girlfriend took the Oxy Razor 18 and I sold the other one to replace it with the Mach V version, but they were good wings too.

If I were to start from scratch right now, I'd get the DSS steel plate with extra weight plates with their TTW 17#, but I'd buy an Oxycheq Mach V Extreme 30# for cold water diving, and I'd either go for the Halcyon STA with an extra weight piece. I'd also add a few XS scuba weight pockets, and v-weight pouch for the center channel. For a doubles wing, I'd still get the Evolve 40 - it's longer than other wings I know, which is ideal for me because I like long tanks.

Why not the Torus 26? No zipper to access inner bladder, otherwise it's about the same in shape and lift as the Mach V 30. However, if you use it with the DSS system, it does have the advantage that you can pull the wing off without having to unscrew it or undo the cam straps. However, I'd bolt the wing to the plate even if I didn't use an STA - otherwise it drops off when no tanks are there, etc. and my cam straps (hinge buckle type) don't require undoing.

As for the STA, I'd use the H for single tanks because it has the extra weight option. However, I also dive independent doubles now and then, and the Oxycheq lightweight 1-piece STA can be used to rig those more easily than the H STA, so it's better for me. DSS has a super low profile STA that's worth a look too. If I had unlimited resources, I'd own all three.

For doubles, I like the H Evolve because it's long and neutrally biased (no wide rear) - and it has the zipper I like. Earlier I said I'd buy the TTW 17#, that's a small, single bladder (or bladderless) donut wing for warm water diving. Even if you don't need one, it would probably be easy to sell, and you'd get the DSS plate at their package price. However, I'd save it for warm water travel.

One last note, the DSS complete rig comes with a pair of wedge blocks and a pair cam straps. I personally gave the wedge blocks away - didn't like them because they were a hassle to take on and off the cam straps when, for example, going from singles to doubles, etc. - but some people dig them. The DSS cam straps have plastic or delrin buckles, which worked fine, but I prefer stainless steel just because... and anyway, I'm currently using the DR hinge buckle straps, but I'm not so sure about those either.

[floater]

I like the halcyon stuff but what justifies that additional 300 dollar expense? anything?

I assume for $300 you would get the Halcyon convertible STA (w/ extra weight included) and backlplate pad, in addition to SS buckles on cam straps and a zipper on the wing...

Of course, the DSS system doesn't require an STA with DSS wings, backplate pads aren't necessary (some people like them for liftbag/smb storage), and the buckles or wing inner bladder is unlikely to ever break, and if the bladder does break on a DSS wing, you can send it to Tobin for repair/replacement...