Help deciding on a wing...please.

[firehawk335]

Thanks all. My instructor specifically said not to get a real big wing, to stay around 50#. He also said to stay away from the donut style wings, b/c with stages attached you want the ability to maintain a little more air in one side than the other to fine trim your bouyancy. I'm diving drysuit so for now I'm going with a single bladder wing. He steered me away from Halcyon saying their quality has dropped since becoming a large supplier and specifically recommended the 50# oxycheq or classic. Money is not too much of an issue, I want good value for the $ but if there is good reason to buy one over the other, I'm all game. From what I've read it appears the oxycheq may have less drag b/c of its profile (any input here).

Thanks Again,
-Chip

[skip]

take a look at the larry green wing from oms. it is designed specifically for cave diving doubles (one contributor suggested it's better for longer tanks) and is the most streamlined of the bunch. I know larry personally, so am a bit biased (although I don't own the wing), but I do know he designed it specifically to be the most hydrodynamic of all the wings offered.

-skip

[Jerry]

You will not go wrong with a Classic. It is the first wing specifically designed for 8" diameter tanks. It recently went through a face lift; the mesh expansion panel is gone. It now has the exact buoyancy characteristics of the original DR wing. I have used the new wing on double steel 80s, 95s, 104s, and 112s all trimmed out perfectly.

Jerry

[ARY]

... He also said to stay away from the donut style wings, b/c with stages attached you want the ability to maintain a little more air in one side than the other to fine trim your bouyancy...

I'm not trying to challenge your instructor but in the situation that you described the donut actually performs better than horseshoe. Ability to switch lift to one side (walk the air bubble inside) works in both designs however in the dohnut you can switch sides faster and regardless the long axis position (head down or bottom down) because it has extra air passage at the bottom. Just to think about it...

[rjack]

I use a single bladder wing in the ocean (both 40 and 50# work for me depending on tanks). Drysuit is the "backup". My max deco is ~30 mins, partly based on training, partly based on temp realitys. Its 46-54F here in Puget Sound.

I would not recommend 90-120 minutes deco obligations in the ocean. Conditions change and that's just a really long hang. With squalls, current issues and shipping traffic its too dangerous for me.

On design...
Longer, narrow designs spread the lift out. Shorter women with limited lung volume tend to go head down with them. Short wings for shorter people is a good rule of thumb IMO. I have not tried any of the newer donut wings with doubles.

Richard

[tflaris]

I'm getting ready to take adv. nitrox, deco, ext. range. My instructor teaches from a cave diving standpoint. He recommended approx. 50# lift and either the oxycheq standard or signature wing OR the DiveRite Classic Wing. I have no backplate or wing yet. My tanks are PST E8-119 doubles. Luxfer AL 40 cu ft. deco mixes (plan on 2 stage cylinders as trimix is the goal) Any advice with my tanks in mind.

Thanks,
-Chip

I dive with the dive rite rec wing with dual bladders, borrowed a set of 108's and they did not float them very well at the surface. I was not using a stage bottle but noticed they were under sized for this size tanks.

[Dave Lizdas]

DR Classic, dbl 130's, drysuit, all trimmed slightly better with stages.

I have a Classic with the mesh expansion panel. Why was it removed? Just curious, I've had no issues.

[hounddog]

I dive the halcyon, and like it fine (plenty of lift for stages), but have my eye on the larry green signature wing with OMS.... longer sides and skinnier so it puts the lift further back and keeps the wing from flaring out. no bungee either. low profile inflator valves, top and bottom.....

anyone used one?

-skip

my buddy has one and he likes the design and he lift it gives him in he water