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<<We ( WKPP) do NOT use integrated weight nor do we use steel backplates
with almuminum when diving wet in the ocean. >>
George,
   Shur right about one thing,  Don't use steel tanks with a wet suit, I 
tried it and I'm way to heavy; the BC needed to be keeped full for good 
bouyancy.  I reread my post and it certainly didn't clearify what I meant.  
If it's warm enough, I go with a minimum amount of insulation: just a cheater 
vest and shorts, steel bakeplate and no weight belt (this might change to an 
aluminum backeplate and 4 lb a weight belt, I'll try it).  Hell, if it's 
colder than 70 degrees, I almost allways use a drysuit.  
    
 <<If we are using a drysuit and aluminum, then the integrated v weight
and 
the steel plate can ofset the suit, but then the problem is that if you take 
the tanks off in the water to clip off to a tag line in rough weather, they 
are at risk of being lost. I would rather lose a weightbelt.>>
   A set of aluminum tanks with a v-weight  and a steel backplate, will weigh 
almost as much as a set of steel 104's.  A boat that is rocking isn't easy to 
walk on without gear on.  I'm not shur there will be much of a difference 
between steel or aluminum tanks because you still need the weight to keep you 
down, and so you'll be carryng that weight.  Moving the weight from the back 
to the waist may help some.  Perhaps my solution ( for cold water and thick 
insulation ) is to use an aluminum backplate with a 6 lb belt, thus, the 
ditchable weight-belt.         see below  

point in fact-
   Yesterday, Sunday we dove the Mexecana.  Allmost 140 feet to the sand ( 
no, I didn't touch the sand), 51 degree water.  I wore Polar Bear underwear, 
drysuit, steel 104's, steel 20 cf 100%, and a steel backplate.
   At the end of the dive, I clip off the steel 20 cf 100 % bottle to a gear 
line @ 10 feet, and then,  I'm neutral with less than 1000 psi left and no 
air in the BC. 
   I could not have gotten much more air out of my drysuit.  Aluminum tanks 
just wouldn't weigh enough; Unless!  I added enough v-weigh to make them 
weigh as much as a set of steel 104's.  

BTW  That Polar Bear Underwear is thick thinsulate, Real thick, and wwwaarrmm
                   

              sincerely,
              Randy

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