Background <p>Backstress is known to contribute significantly to observed flow stress in metals, but has not been systematically quantified across a wide range of alloys. The stress dip test is one method for conveniently obtaining the required information.</p> Objective <p>This paper seeks to measure backstress vs deformation level in two titanium alloys, and to compare those observations with other metals. Subtleties relating to the stress dip test are also assessed.</p> Methods <p>The stress dip test is employed to quantify backstress in grade 4 commercially pure titanium, and in Ti-6Al-4V after various levels of room temperature tensile deformation. The observations are compared with predictions using a crystal plasticity model with dislocation-based hardening, and an integral phenomenological backstress law.</p> Results <p>When compared with tests on AA6016-T4 and pure tantalum, the general material responses are similar, with backstress accounting for less than 50% of flow stress in undeformed materials, but subsequently rising with plastic strain levels. Rapid relaxation of a portion of the backstress, which occurs in the Ta and Al, is not as noticeable in the titanium alloys. Unlike the Ta and AA 6016 materials, reverse yielding is not noticeable in the titanium alloys until compressive stresses are applied. The plasticity model captures the main characteristics of the stress dip test well.</p> Conclusions <p>The stress dip test is an underutilized method for extracting backstress information, revealing contrasting responses for different alloys. The overall undeformed backstress levels calculated from the method were initially higher than those for Al, but in line with that of Ta, starting at around 45% of the flow stress, and rising to above 60% with deformation (in the case of the grade 4 material). The material response can be predicted using a relatively standard crystal plasticity model with an additional phenomenological backstress law.</p>