30 or 40 lb wing?

[Flipmode85]

Hello,

after 6 years of bcd diving,i am considering buying a bp/w.
but i dont know if i could better buy a 30 or 40 lbs wing?
i dive a single 12 steel tank in a drysuit in cold waters.

pros and cons and why?

thanks!

 

[tbone1004]

it depends on the specific wing. How much lead are you wearing now?

Your wing has to do two things, float your gear at the surface without you in it with a full tank, and compensate for any lost buoyancy of the exposure suit, which in a drysuit is not really a consideration. 10lbs of that is for the gas in your tank alone, so if you are currently carrying most than about 8kg of lead with your drysuit, then you need a 35-40lb wing.

 

[decompression]

As usual, tbones spot on. If you are using a steel and a drysuit more than likely you need a fair amount of lead. I use about 30-35 lbs so even though I can compensate with my drysuit I feel safer with a bit extra lift. There are some good (streamlined) 40 wings out there and there are some bad ones. My preference goes to Oxycheq, halcyon and DSS.


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[MXGratefulDiver]

The simple answer is, "it doesn't really matter". I own multiple backplates and wings, and wear them in different combinations. I have an Oxycheq 30-lb wing, a DSS 35-lb wing, and a Halcyon 40-lb wing. And while there are subtle differences in how they feel, there's not enough difference between them to matter.

More relevant considerations might be style (horseshoe or donut), construction (single layer or inner bladder/outer protective shell), price, inflator hose length (I absolutely hate the short inflator hoses on the DSS wings, particularly for cold water diving). and personal preference (brand name, color, or other non-functional concerns that might make you like one better than the other).

Too much is made of "optimizing" gear ... unless you're planning on diving in some sort of competition, there's just not enough of a difference to matter. I wouldn't go any bigger than 40 lbs for a singles wing, and stay away from those "hybrid" monstrosities that claim to be good for both single and double tanks. Otherwise, I'd base it more on budget than anything else ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[runsongas]

35 to 40 seems ideal. 30 might not be enough if you have a total suit flood, but you probably could still swim up even if a few pounds negative.

 

[decompression]

35 to 40 seems ideal. 30 might not be enough if you have a total suit flood, but you probably could still swim up even if a few pounds negative.

Quick quiz......how does a suit flood make you negative?


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[cool_hardware52]

Hello,

after 6 years of bcd diving,i am considering buying a bp/w.
but i dont know if i could better buy a 30 or 40 lbs wing?
i dive a single 12 steel tank in a drysuit in cold waters.

pros and cons and why?

thanks!

What is your current configuration?

BC?
Full an empty buoyancy numbers on your "12L" steel?
Other ballast?

With this info I can estimate the buoyancy of your suit. In cold water it is almost always the buoyancy of your exposure suit that will dictate the minimum wing lift required.

Drysuits more than 30 lbs positive certainly exist, but most are less than 30.

Tobin

 

[Rossia pacifica]

Quick quiz......how does a suit flood make you negative?


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My guess is that if the water displaces all the air lofting your undergarment, then all ballast you are wearing to counteract the buoyancy of that air will then make you negative.


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[Dive Right In Scuba.]

I agree with the consensus of what you have gotten in this thread so far. I especially like Bob's advice to look at much more than just the lift of the wing. I suggest you look at a variety of models to see which wing designs provide you with the full set of options you want and need.

 

[Rossia pacifica]

The simple answer is, "it doesn't really matter". I own multiple backplates and wings, and wear them in different combinations. I have an Oxycheq 30-lb wing, a DSS 35-lb wing, and a Halcyon 40-lb wing. And while there are subtle differences in how they feel, there's not enough difference between them to matter.

More relevant considerations might be style (horseshoe or donut), construction (single layer or inner bladder/outer protective shell), price, inflator hose length (I absolutely hate the short inflator hoses on the DSS wings, particularly for cold water diving). and personal preference (brand name, color, or other non-functional concerns that might make you like one better than the other).

Too much is made of "optimizing" gear ... unless you're planning on diving in some sort of competition, there's just not enough of a difference to matter. I wouldn't go any bigger than 40 lbs for a singles wing, and stay away from those "hybrid" monstrosities that claim to be good for both single and double tanks. Otherwise, I'd base it more on budget than anything else ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Would you mind explaining the downsides of "hybrid monstrosities"? For someone looking at their first BP&W, with an eye to diving doubles in the future, a hybrid sounds kind of nice.


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