IST BP/W setup

[johnsub]

Ok. Doing a little searching i found wing setups from the IST company. Its based in Taiwan. Has anyone heard any reviews or even better taken a dive with these wings?

 

[johnsub]

I found this while searching. Its a scubalab video about a double-tank setup of theirs.

60:Second ScubaLab: IST JT-50D Tec BC | Scuba Diving Magazine

I'm more interested about a single wing but any opinions will do. Quality should be the same.
They look like frog wings a bit.

 

[SangP]

A lot of companies out source their manufacturing and the IST design is very similar to the OMS, frog etc. However, their prices are comparable to the some of the better brands out there:
AL back plate w/ Oxycheq Hog Harness & Oxycheq Mach V wing [DROCpkg] - $375.00 : Cave Adventurers!, We will NOT be undersold!!!

SangP

 

[DevonDiver]

IST lead the field when it comes to cheap diving items, such as slates, clips etc. The other scuba stuff they sell, tends to be direct copies of other branded stuff. They don't have a reputation for high quality, but aren't cowboys either.

Their wings do seem to be direct copies of other brands. I doubt very much that the quality is comparable though - but that is an assumption, as I've not dived with this kit to review it properly.

IST 30lb Single Tank Wing - Halcyon Eclipse copy, with comfort harness

IST 50lb Double Tank Wing - Halcyon Evolve Copy

 

[johnsub]

DevonDiver, thats what i thought. They look a lot in design with other branded wings. But what about quality?
According to their website the outer shell is constructed from 1680 denier ballistic nylon and the inner air cell is made from 420 denier TPU material. The inflator seems a little too plactic-y but that an opinion based on the pictures.
Has anyone compared an IST wing side to side with another to let us know?
Is it a good buy considering the quality for the money you spend in order to get such a wing?

 

[johnsub]

SangP, i do agree that Oxycheq wings do look good. And most people in Scubaboard recommend them. If i could get a deal like this here in the EU, i would certainly not think it twice.

 

[DevonDiver]

From only looking at the pictures (and that is an important note), it does look like the LPI appears 'plastic-y' and low quality.

Below is a comparison of fabrics. You can see that IST use the same specification fabric as Halcyon. However, as any tailor can tell you... the quality comes with the stitching, not the fabric!

IST Fabric
Outer - 1680 denier ballistic nylon
Inner Air Cell - 420 denier TPU material

Halcyon Fabric
Outer - 1680-denier ballistic nylon
Inner Air Cell - 420 denier material

OMS Fabric
Outer - 1000 denier nylon, backed with 5 to 6 oz. of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)
Inner Air Cell - 200 denier Nylon fabric backed with .12 mm of TPU

Oxycheq Fabric
Outer - 1000 Denier Cordura with 5 ounces of Urethane
Inner Air Cell - 26.5 Mil (thicker than water bed)

Diverite Fabric
Outer - 1680 or 1000 Denier Ballistic Nylon
Inner Air Cell - 15-mil polyether aromatic polyurethane

 

[johnsub]

DevonDiver, Great material comparison. Thnx.

 

[SangP]

SangP, i do agree that Oxycheq wings do look good. And most people in Scubaboard recommend them. If i could get a deal like this here in the EU, i would certainly not think it twice.

Hi johnsub,

Is it difficult to ship dive gear to Greece?

SangP

 

[johnsub]

SangP.

No, its easy for someone to send things over. You can send via USPS priority mail which is the best solution for us. The only drawback is the customs fees for international items. They can be very high so its best to shop from within the EU when it comes to large and expensive items. No problem with less expensive and smaller items. This is why most buyers ask the seller to declare a lower item value.