What wing should I buy?!! [Archive] - BSAC Scuba Diving Forums

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Chris E

08-04-2006, 21:12

A common question I know, but my current BC is nearing the time for replacement and I would like to replace it with a wing. But is there one available that will do everything!! In combination I will be changing to twin 10's or 12's for diving inthis country, but I dive a lot abroad and ideally would like something that will also cope with diving with a single cylinder (or possibly independent twins) when on holiday.

My local dive shop is recommending a 100lb OMS - which seems over the top. Diverite transpac/recwing looks interesting or possible the new Custom Divers Bravo (but this didn't get a good write up recently).

What else should I consider, and what lift capacity? I honestly do not see me moving on to twins + stages as I do not get the opportunity to dive often enough on our coast to make it worth going down this route.

Thanks

Darren27

08-04-2006, 21:33

TerryH

08-04-2006, 22:34

Well there is one wing that does everything. I know it does cause I've been
using the same tea-bag coloured one now for several years and an
awful lot of dives. So what is it?

Zeagle Tech
http://www.zeagle.com/index.php?submenu=SpecializedBC&src=gendocs&link=techPac

or weights version.
http://www.zeagle.com/index.php?submenu=HeavyDutyBC&src=gendocs&link=Tech

I use this wing with
Single 8lt alli pool cylinders.
Single 12's & 15's both steel + alli.
Single + pony.
Soft Banded twins without backplate.
Bolted through twins without backplate.
Bolted twins with backplate.

Zeagle has a semi-rigid webbing matrix that allows for every variation.
I've looked and continue to look at other wings, but none do it all like
this baby.

TerryH

Odin

08-04-2006, 23:06

I'm a DiveRite fan
Rec wing will cope with twin 12's or a single cylinder.
I now use my RecWing /transplate on my draeger dolphin.

Gareth

09-04-2006, 00:09

I use an OMS 100lb with the OMS backplate.
I also have a small diverite wing which I use with the backplate with a single cylinder adapter of my own design.

The combination allows we to dive everything from a single 7l through to twin 12's.

I now use the backplate on the Inspiration Vision as well.

The only time I use my old buddy is when teaching in the pool.

The problem with SS backplates is the weight, which is why the diverite looks like a sensible design (I used to have a Zeagle, that was good). However I have happly used the SS backplate & the small wing overseas for single cylinder diving & instructor events, ultimately I like a SS backplate.

Gareth

Paul Watts

09-04-2006, 00:45

David Walker

09-04-2006, 03:15

I've gone a slightly different route. I have a stainless plate for the UK, and ali plate (only cost me ~£45, from Divers Warehouse for an OMS one) for abroad. And to go with those I have a Dive Rite Classic for twins, and a Dive Rite Venture Wing for singles. Possibly a bit OTT, but it gives me the perfect combination for everything I could possibly do. The wings themselves are only £135 so not a huge cost to have two, and I could use an ali plate in the UK if I wanted (or take the stainless plate abroad) but thought I might as well have both.
The other advantage of having the two plates is the ali plate is setup for my wetsuit, the stainless for my drysuit, so no need to adjust the straps when changing between the two... particularly useful if i'm using it in the pool during the week and open water on a weekend, for example.

Definitely would recommend the Dive Rite wings, although to be honest most of the various brands are much of a muchness, but certainly never had any problems with mine - although not sure which would be the best size to cover everything.

David

PS - one extra thing, remember that if you're getting a wing that does everything you may be compromising somewhere - make sure you know where the limitations are, and make sure they won't adversely affect your diving. Most common i've seen is people putting twins on wings (or BCs) that don't have the lift to take them... usually recognised floating in the water with their chin barely out of the water.
Also, extra weight in the plate is useful over here, but obviously a disadvantage in travelling so you'd probably be better with an ali backplate - you can always add extra lead (v-weights are very nice with twins for getting weight off your belt), but can't chop bits off the plate to take it abroad. And a 3kg stainless backplate will seriously eat into your baggage allowances!
Finally, have a look around for the backplate. Some places charge over £100 for a simple ali plate, while others charge as little as £40 or so. Whatever some places say about aircraft grade aluminium or whatever to justify the extra cost, my cheap OMS ali plate has been absolutely fine!

majo

10-04-2006, 10:02

I use 2 different ones.

One for singles and one for twins, they are different shapes.

My main one for twins is 20l one

http://www.divingniknaks.com/products.php?cat=2&nav=40

Which is good for my twin 7's and 12's

for a single I borrow the following;

http://www.halcyon.net/mc/eclipse.shtml

Don't shoot me for suggesting DIR stuff, but they are hardwearing anyway.

If anyone wants to make me an offer I have an old Diverite recwing (-bunges) thats getting on a bit.

Mark

Nigel Hewitt

10-04-2006, 10:40

A twinset wing and a single wing are very different beasts.
I would suggest you service the BCD and keep it for diving a single cylinder and when you decide you planned diving will need twins get a backplate, thread your own harness and get a wing-only Diverite Classic or such. Then you have the best of both worlds with no compromises that mean your gear is never right.

PS: Nobody ever needs a 100lb wing. Twin 12s plus two 7L stages are no problem on a 45lb (22Kg) wing and when you go above that so much of your gas is helium your minimum buoyancy requirements go down not up.

Woz

10-04-2006, 11:54

OMS 45lb wing on twin 12's and a stage no problem for me. Does the trick nicely. Digger used it in Menorca with a single 12 and it was fine, too. A little bit of flappy tank wrap but surprisingly ok. You won't find a wing that will do everything but the 45lb is as big as you want to go.

100lb wings are, IMHO, a complete waste of time. That's why you see lots of 2nd hand ones for sale and hardly any 45lb wings for sale 2nd hand. Alternatively have a look at DIR Zone wings- they do some very tasty ones.

IainC

11-04-2006, 16:30

Another 45lb wing user here .. any bigger is just unnecessary. It can (and has) kept me afloat with a flooded suit while carrying twin10s and 2 7litre stages.

The Buddy gets used for singles and foreign trips though, never been tempted (enough) to spend money on a single tank adapter or a light ali backplate for going abroad when it works OK already.

Alwassia

16-04-2006, 15:18

Nigel,
from previosus post i think you have lots experience with wing & twins and the lot.
I have a Poseidon Besea D100 normal plastic back plate but got the longer twin bands. During the DeepTec course i used the longer bands to fit the insolated twin set to my wings, which worked fine. In the mean time i found out that i could have bolted the twin set to the Besea D100.

But now i am wondering how to fix 2 independent tanks. I read somewhere about twining blocks / kits but can not find the webpage anylonger.
Are this just long bands and 2 rubber blocks between the tanks which are then fitted to the BCD? Or do i need to bolt them together with twining bands like the normal twin sets?

Could you let me know how that normally is done? Here in Saudi are only very few divers on this level which i could ask.

Sorry for hijacking the discussion.

Many thanks

Khaled

MattS

16-04-2006, 19:05

Started with a single bladder Custom Divers TDB, which was OK but failed my test criteria - I managed to break it. That was fitted on an original Portland Oceaneering plate. The plate has slots to allow for indi twin cam bands and I fashioned an STA out of a couple Dive Rite stabilising plates.

I did some deep stuff in the Pacific so I wanted a dual bladder BC to go with the 3mm wetsuit. An OMS 100lb was the only one I could find. I have had the OMS 6 years and have no complaints at all. I bought an ali backplate at the same time due to the meager baggage allowance on the island hopper.

I am sure this isn't 'optimal' but seems to work fine for me.

100lb wings are, IMHO, a complete waste of time.Oh contraire! Many moons ago I was lifted out of a 'challenging' situation at 36m by a very helpful buddy wearing an OMS 100lb number* There may have been other ways out but the negative lift was very much appreciated at the time ;)

*You were diving with him on your recent Spanish jaunt BTW.

Nigel Hewitt

16-04-2006, 22:30

Nigel,
from previosus post i think you have lots experience with wing & twins and the lot.Not me. I had a sense of humour failure when somebody tried to charge me £200 for a backplate and so I manufactured over 300 of the things over the next few years at £30 each. Being an Engineering Company Senior Partner helps. This did mean that as a supplier we got asked a lot of questions and I generally advised the simple route with s/s bands and manifolded twins where they were available.I have a Poseidon Besea D100 normal plastic back plate but got the longer twin bands. During the DeepTec course i used the longer bands to fit the insolated twin set to my wings, which worked fine. In the mean time i found out that i could have bolted the twin set to the Besea D100.
But now i am wondering how to fix 2 independent tanks. I read somewhere about twining blocks / kits but can not find the webpage anylonger.
Are this just long bands and 2 rubber blocks between the tanks which are then fitted to the BCD? Or do i need to bolt them together with twining bands like the normal twin sets?The only strap up twining bands I know are the APV ones (http://ccgi.apvalves.plus.com/accessdetail.php?codeID=12) and they don't have a bolt set. I'm sure I've seen a set with a bolt hole and this was used with a block spacer to bolt to a backplate.

Given a choice I would use stainless steel bands with bolts even on independants. I value rigidity. I'm not sure what to advise where you are building independent twins from whatever cylinders are available. I would try to make a seperator that was spaced out from the backplate with cam bands either side so it all locked up but I'm not sure if it exists as a product to buy.

I don't think I'm being much help. Sorry.
My own twinset (http://www.nigelhewitt.co.uk/diving/rig.html) was a set of inverted 10/300s to cater for my inability to do a normal valve or manifold shutdown. This is a problem that is more common than the usual internet twinset pundit admits. As soon as a valve closure consists of more than 'reach for the valve and close it' it is too complicated and too slow.

(edit)Stop Press. look at this (http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/435228-post7.html)(/edit)

Angus

16-04-2006, 23:27

But now i am wondering how to fix 2 independent tanks. I read somewhere about twining blocks / kits but can not find the webpage anylonger.
Are this just long bands and 2 rubber blocks between the tanks which are then fitted to the BCD? Or do i need to bolt them together with twining bands like the normal twin sets?

Kent is a little way from Saudi but you could do worse than checking out the http://www.divingproducts.co.uk/twins/index.htm# website for twinning bands. Either that or PM the owner John Perrin on these forums.

All the best

Jet

25-04-2006, 15:46

Hi,

I would agree that the 100lb is probably too much, but the OMS kit is a good choice.

I dive twin 10s and use an OMS 60lb wing which is plenty lift. I use an OMS IQ pac which allows me to bolt on the twins or by threading on cam bands will take singles or indy twins. I also have an OMS aluminium backplate in the IQ. The whole thing is very versitile although not the lightest for travelling. You could save weight by switching to an OMS comfort Harness, but you would then need a single tank adaptor. I like the IQ, it is very well made and appears so far to be almost bullet proof and has survived several seasons of RIB diving without a mark.

HTH

Darren

Hi Darren,

I am interested in the OMS IQ. I like the idea of changing the backplate from SS (for UK diving) to Ali when travelling with weight restrictions. Yet you say it's not the lightest system. Is the unit with Ali backplate that heavy?
I understood the IQ could be used without backplate for singles too, making it a light option in that instance. Have you dived it that way?

Another reason I am interested in the IQ is that I gather OMS backplates are a bit shorter than the usual and, as I'm a short-ish girl, I want one that will fit comfortably on my (hollow) back without gouging a ridge in my glutinous maximus. Have you, or do you know anyone who has, found them to be shorter ?

Sorry for all the questions, just one more ;)
May I ask why you chose a 60lb wing over the 45lb ?

Many thanks :)

ANDYH

25-04-2006, 20:41

GET THEE SELL A BUDDY TEK WING MATE NICE AN CHEAP (150 QUIDISH) AND ENOUGH LIFT FOR TWIN TWELVES I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM YET :cool:

Tony F

26-04-2006, 13:22

The only strap up twining bands I know are the APV ones (http://ccgi.apvalves.plus.com/accessdetail.php?codeID=12) and they don't have a bolt set. I'm sure I've seen a set with a bolt hole and this was used with a block spacer to bolt to a backplate.

This thing waht you mean?

http://www.scubapro.co.uk/products.asp?P=473

Looks like it may be okay for twin booted 10s?