My own design single tank DIY travel backplate in 3mm '316 marine grade' stainless steel.

Finished dimensions: Length 370mm, Width 223mm, weight 1.9kg (4.2lbs).

I am a convert - arguably a tad evangelistic - to using a backplate / harness / wing BC for all diving, but I've never been quite convinced that using an adapter bolted to a backplate designed for twin tanks makes the ideal solution for a single tank rig.

A single tank adapter pushes the tank away from the divers back (with some designs, by a couple of inches), which is not ideal for a sleek profile or easy balance, and can make it difficult to reach the tank valve. For dive travel, an STA is another separate piece that must be packed and transported. (And the wingnuts of an STA -are- an unnecessary failure point, however unlikely.)

The H-Plate is slightly smaller and lighter than a conventional plate for easy transportation without sacrificing comfort, with a reversed groove to securely mount a single tank close to to the divers back, and includes cam band slots to match popular existing single tank wings.

The design was made as a batch of eight (spares now all sold - sorry). Cost for material, laser cutting and folding, just over £40 each.

Showing harness routing. Here are links to building and fitting a complete harness.

The only difference to a standard twinset harness, the webbing passes back to the front of the plate through the top pair of slots in the spine to allow a cam band to also be used through these slots. (This also helps to lock the harness in place.)

Back view with cam bands through top and bottom slots.

The top and bottom cam band slots line up with Dive Rite Wings. The middle and bottom slots fit (newer model) Halcyon Pioneer and OMS single tank wings.

The holes along the spine allow semi-permanent attachment of a wing using cable ties through existing grommet holes. This prevents the wing flopping about when rigging to a tank without being a critical part of the system for the dive. There is not enough space between the plate and a divers back for bolts and wingnuts, so the plate is not suitable for use with a twinset.

A complete single tank rig using a 15l steel tank, Dive Rite Travel Wing and Apexs reg.

Note to self: Remove flowerpot from tank before being photographed.


Update July 2005.

Thanks for all the emails I've been receiving about the H-Plate. After some thought, I've decided to release a sketch of the design, as below. I'm sorry, I don't have a CAD version of this, the original design was done the old fashioned way, in pen on paper... (update 2009: there is a link to a PDF of the basic design further down)

If anyone decides to make their own plate based on this design, I'd appreciate an email and photos to let me know how you get on!

Update Mar 2008.

I've recently designed and had made an updated version of this plate in Aluminium, and a conventional (twinset) backplate, also in Aluminium.


Update Oct 2009.

I have made a version of the basic template for the updated version of this plate available for download here.

All content © Copyright Huw Porter 2004/5