Travel Wing and Single Steel 95?

[JCR]

I used the Solution Finder to inquire about a wing for a Transpac harness and selected a single 95 for the tank option. Although most of the time I believe we will dive Al80's at warm water dive destinations, we are diving with a shop in Cozumel that uses steel tanks. So, when I select the steel 95 option, the travel wing for the Transpac harness is not an identified solution, but the description of the travel wing says:

At 27lbs/12kg of lift, the Travel EXP can accommodate one 95ft3/15 L tank and as a part of our modular BCD system, it can be matched with either a TransPac, Transplate or any metal backplate and webbing harness. Available in black with gray side panels

Should I not consider the travel wing for the transpac harness for use with a steel 95?

thanks

 

[Dive Rite]

Hi JCR,

Good question. The Travel EXP can support a steel 95, however I would not recommend it if you typically wear weight in addition to the steel 95 (2-4 lbs is fine, but you don't want an additional 16lbs for example).

If you find that you normally dive aluminum 80s, especially in warm water conditions, yet occassional wish to dive a steel 95 (such as with a specific shop in Cozumel), then I say the Travel EXP is great for you.

I hope this helps,
Kathleen

 

[joystershell]

Kathleen, we recently purchased the Travel 360, which states that it has 3 more pounds of lift than the Travel EXP. What are your recommendations for this wing and an Steel LP 98 tank together?

 

[JCR]

Hello Kathleen,

I appreciate your reply. Most of the time I anticipate diving in warm water destinations where my guess is that the operators will be using AL80s more than steel tanks. However, for an upcoming trip, the steel tanks will be used for three of the 8 diving days. If it looks as if for those days the travel wing will not work, then I will rent a BPW from the operator who uses Dive Rite gear, so thing should be familiar and work out.

It helps to have your direct reply and thanks for your attention to this on the weekend.

Best wishes,
JR

Hi JCR,

Good question. The Travel EXP can support a steel 95, however I would not recommend it if you typically wear weight in addition to the steel 95 (2-4 lbs is fine, but you don't want an additional 16lbs for example).

If you find that you normally dive aluminum 80s, especially in warm water conditions, yet occassional wish to dive a steel 95 (such as with a specific shop in Cozumel), then I say the Travel EXP is great for you.

I hope this helps,
Kathleen

 

[Dive Rite]

Kathleen, we recently purchased the Travel 360, which states that it has 3 more pounds of lift than the Travel EXP. What are your recommendations for this wing and an Steel LP 98 tank together?

Hi,

My recommendation is the same as for the Travel EXP. A lot of this depends on what your exposure protection is and if you are carrying a lot of extra weight, if you are a buoyanct diver by nature. Basically, the Travel EXP and Travel 360 can handle a single steel tank, but not if you are diving in cold water and putting a lot of weight on your rig.

If you are diving warm water and use the steel tank for your weight, then you should be fine. However, you may find that you need a full 3mm at times vs. a shorty, etc. depending on your body composition. Example: I am a sinker...I could lie flat on the bottom of a pool, so I have to wear a little more exposure protection to get the same buoyancy characteristics as my buoyant dive buddies.

For me to wear a Travel and a steel tank, I am fine in a drysuit or a full 3mm suit. I don't wear additional weight and I love the streamlining of no weight pockets (albeit be sure to follow training guidelines and be certain you can swim the weight of your rig to the surface in the case of emergency, etc.). If I was diving in cold water, in a drysuit with a single tank and wanted a steel tank to help with weight distribution, but still needed additional weight to counterbalance my drysuit and weight pockets, then I would choose the Venture Wing.

Does this help?
Kathleen

 

[fnfalman]

Even when in cold ocean water diving, the 30-lbs or 27-lbs lift should be OK assuming that the diver isn't overweighted. My old style 30-lbs Venture wing is more than sufficient to lift me in my 7mm wetsuit, Faber HP120 steel tank and SS hard plate.

 

[hueydok]

Hey FnFalMan (and Kathleen): I have a similar scenario in that I dive with a steel 119 tank off the coast of NC. I don't use any weight with a Farmer John/Top 3mm, although with a 7mm may need 5 lbs or so. I have tried the Venture EXP but find it is just too big and too much (45 lbs) for my needs, so I am looking at the Travel EXP. What are your thoughts on using the Travel (27 lb) with my setup (Transpac)? I do wear double Manta reels, double lights, etc. when wreck diving (or pretty much anytime we are in the Atlantic), so just want to make sure I am not shortchanging myself. Thanks for your advice!

 

[Dive Rite]

Hi,

A steel 119 has similar weight and buoyancy characteristics as a steel 95, which the Travel EXP handles well. Since you don't wear additional weight (reels and small accessories are fine) you should be in good shape and will love the streamlining of the Travel.

Hope this is helpful,
Kathleen

 

[hueydok]

Hello. Thanks for the reply. I actually had the chance to test this over this past weekend, and dove with the Travel wing and my 119's off the NC coast. I carried down a weight belt with 17 lbs of lead (that was NOT fun descending!), and then after my dive I inflated the wing at 110' depth with 1500 psi left in the tank while holding on the to weight belt. It had no problem lifting me and I would have easily rose to the surface had I not been holding on to something! I figured with roughly half my air left, the negative weight of the steel 119 was around 7-8 lbs. I had a canister light and two reels which maybe added 2-3 more lbs, plus the weight belt would have put me somewhere around 25 lbs all added together. I was happy to learn that the wing was able to get me off the bottom without worries.

Now if DR would just incorporate a couple little nylon 'bumps' or 2-3 inch nubs on their singles-only wings (to help center/stabilize the tank), the Venture and Travel wings would be perfect! (DeepSeaSupply has single bladders with these tiny little centering bumps - they really help on the larger tanks).

 

[fnfalman]

I figured with roughly half my air left, the negative weight of the steel 119 was around 7-8 lbs. I had a canister light and two reels which maybe added 2-3 more lbs, plus the weight belt would have put me somewhere around 25 lbs all added together.

It's pretty important to know the buoyancy characteristics of your tank and that should be pretty easy to find out. All of the tank manufacturers list their tanks' data. I took an LDS's word for their rental tanks characteristics and miscalculated my weight. You need to know the tank's manufacturer, and preferrably the tank model number, if not then chances are you can identify the model by the tank's size, pressure ratings (LP, MP, HP) and dimensions. And if the wing can lift you plus the entire rig when the tank is full then you have no worries.

Now if DR would just incorporate a couple little nylon 'bumps' or 2-3 inch nubs on their singles-only wings (to help center/stabilize the tank), the Venture and Travel wings would be perfect! (DeepSeaSupply has single bladders with these tiny little centering bumps - they really help on the larger tanks).

That's the built-in single tank adapter. The advantage is that you don't have to buy another piece of gear, the disadvantage is that it doesn't add any weight (some divers prefer to use the steel STA as additional ballast). I can take it or leave it.