So many hogs to choose, help me narrow em down....

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

SO did I, but it can be done. You just need some needle nosed plier, a lot of free time, and a penchant for cursing at your gear.

Oh, SO true.

Which I why I have Halcyon webbing, turned inside out so the blasted blue H's don't show (much).
 
TSandM:
Oh, SO true.

Which I why I have Halcyon webbing, turned inside out so the blasted blue H's don't show (much).
What's wrong with the pretty blue H's?? :D :D
 
I get enough grief about my religious preferences as it is! :D
 
TSandM:
I get enough grief about my religious preferences as it is! :D
It probably would have been less effort to take a black permanent marker to the H's instead of turning the webbing inside out :wink:
 
OK, after spending much of the weekend looking around the net for scuba deals and not doing any homework, I've settled on some gear. I am going to go with a HammerHead SS plate, an Oxycheq wing 70# from GolemGear and Halcyon harness. All said, the total will be $423 plus shipping for everything. Now, I don't want to start off a DIR debate since I've read too many of those on here but I've seen a complete Explorer MC System on wreck diver supply for $525 that coming also with a 70# wing. So as I sit here $423 v.s. $525.... My dive instructor told me that Halcyon gear was great quality gear but a little pricey. Now I don't consider myself a DIR diver. I agree with other people on here about learning as much as you can, adapting to new methods, and doing what works for you. Yeah some of the DIR setup and points I agree with I will use but the point is I am not a pure DIR diver so I have no desire to just purchase the Explorer System since it's DIR approved. So, that being said does anyone have a good reason that I should purchase the complete Explorer MC System v.s. buying everything individually and saving the $100???
 
Sunfire85:
OK, after spending much of the weekend looking around the net for scuba deals and not doing any homework, I've settled on some gear. I am going to go with a HammerHead SS plate, an Oxycheq wing 70# from GolemGear and Halcyon harness. All said, the total will be $423 plus shipping for everything. Now, I don't want to start off a DIR debate since I've read too many of those on here but I've seen a complete Explorer MC System on wreck diver supply for $525 that coming also with a 70# wing. So as I sit here $423 v.s. $525.... My dive instructor told me that Halcyon gear was great quality gear but a little pricey. Now I don't consider myself a DIR diver. I agree with other people on here about learning as much as you can, adapting to new methods, and doing what works for you. Yeah some of the DIR setup and points I agree with I will use but the point is I am not a pure DIR diver so I have no desire to just purchase the Explorer System since it's DIR approved. So, that being said does anyone have a good reason that I should purchase the complete Explorer MC System v.s. buying everything individually and saving the $100???





The cheaper version is DIR.
 
Just a quick question. Why are you going with a 70# pound? That's a hellofalotta lift. Have you looked at the submerged "weight" of your intended gear. Are you diving witha dry suit? The wing needs to be big enough to float your tank(s), manifold (if double), regs, guages, lights, and you incase of a total drysuit failure (if you are diving dry). Or lift all that when your neoprene wetsuit is crushed at depth, and gives almost no lift at all.

MOst people find a 35# is more than enough for singles, and that 45-55 is plenty for a regular size doubles setup. I haven't looked at the bouyancy stats for thing like LP104 or HP 120s, or the like.

Just some things to consider, if you haven't already.

Comrade Stroke
 
Yeah, I was thinking about going with a 55. I talked with my dive instructor and he suggested that I should get a 70. He said it would be a good wing to have once you start getting pony bottles and start brining deco bottles along with you. He mentioned it would be a wing that I would be able to grow into and also not outgrow once I was diving. Any thoughts on this? I trust my dive instructor with my life, he's been diving for over 25 years now and he's never led me astray or told me anything that has contradicted what I find out on here. I'm gonna take his advice on this but I'd also like to hear what other people have to say. On a side note, I do plan to dive with a dry suit and also wet suits when it's warm enough.
 
According to your profile, you've got less than 50 dives.

If you're diving a single tank with a pony, you don't need 70 lbs of lift.

If you're diving multiple stages/deco bottles and a scooter, you might, but that should be a LONG way off in your diving education. Furthermore, if you get to where you are doing dives that require multiple stages/deco bottles, the cost of replacing a 40 or 50 lb wing with a bigger wing will be an almost unnoticeable issue.

The problem with too big a wing is not only an inefficient profile in the water, but the taco effect of a large wing wrapping around your tanks. It makes the wing quite hard to vent, and requires you to go well out of trim to do so.

I've already given you my advice, which is to stick with a single tank setup until you've had a chance to see what the technical "bar" is for skills and make sure you can reach it. But if you want to go into doubles immediately, at least buy the wing that suits the gear you are diving now, and should be diving for some time. You really don't save yourself anything by trying to buy gear that will serve in any conceivable circumstances. There just isn't any gear that does that.
 
I agree with TSandM. Stay away from going with a 70# wing that you can 'grow into'

Not only is 70# overkill for most doubles rigs, it will be horrible to try and dive on a single tank. If your diving a singles rig, go with a wing made for singles, if your diving with doubles then go with a wing made for doubles. Despite what some will say there is no wing that works great for both.

I can see where you would be coming from wanting to buy it right the first time so you don't have to buy it again, however, do not sacrifice or make uncomfortable your current style of diving to save from buying a new wing in the future.

p.s. the Oxycheq 30lb wing is an awesome wing for singles, always has and still is what I dive with my singles rig
 
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom