A few (bp+wing) questions

[Kriterian]

The first question is product specific. I have the Oxycheq signature series wing with 45 lb lift. I returned the 18 lb travel wing because I wasn't sure it would provide enough lift. The 18 lb wing seemed more ideal for no exposure suit/tropical diving. Any way, the 45 lb looks a little big for single tank diving.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Oxycheq 45 lb. wing:

• Will it "taco" with a single tank?
• Do single tank adapters prevent the taco if it would normally happen?
• Is there a single tank adapter available for the Oxycheq 45?

I also have the Oxycheq O-pac (which is a single webbing but padded harness with Hogarthian d-rings). I was thinking of just switching to a normal SS backplate, but have a few more questions first:

• How exactly do you configure them for doubles?
• I'm not diving doubles yet but I'd like to know what I'm missing for future reference. What extra do I need to buy to be "doubles ready"?

Thanks for any help answering these questions.

 

[Life-Is-Good-Diver]

The first question is product specific. I have the Oxycheq signature series wing with 45 lb lift. I returned the 18 lb travel wing because I wasn't sure it would provide enough lift. The 18 lb wing seemed more ideal for no exposure suit/tropical diving. Any way, the 45 lb looks a little big for single tank diving.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Oxycheq 45 lb. wing:

• Will it "taco" with a single tank?
• Do single tank adapters prevent the taco if it would normally happen?
• Is there a single tank adapter available for the Oxycheq 45?

I also have the Oxycheq O-pac (which is a single webbing but padded harness with Hogarthian d-rings). I was thinking of just switching to a normal SS backplate, but have a few more questions first:

• How exactly do you configure them for doubles?
• I'm not diving doubles yet but I'd like to know what I'm missing for future reference. What extra do I need to buy to be "doubles ready"?

Thanks for any help answering these questions.

I can only help with my experiances, i dive with with a few configurations, from 45lb wings for single tanks, to 100lb OMS dual bladders for redundant back up when diving deep and carrying a few tanks. I dive alot with the "Techies" and i can only say is all you see mostley is Diverite, and OMS, for bladders, ive yet to seen somone diving Oxycheq with doubles, ive always considered them a "rec" wing for reef diving. OMS and Diverite have been around for years, People who "Tech" dive usalley will go with companys that have been around and tested amoung the techey crowd.

As for doubles, they bolt right up to the backplate, no biggie there, as i have 3 set's, for differnt types of diving, from HP 100's that i love using on 135' wrecks, and short cave dives to LP 104's, and the new PST 130's doubled up. You'll need 2 DIn regs, don't use the converters from yoke to DIN, there crap, just another failer point, and a few wings for different configurations, one wing to me dosn't do it all, espicalley when you start slinging off a few tanks for deco, I alway's keep my tanks, i dont drop them off somewhere for nothing, but im getting off course, once you get into that sort of diving, there's alot of planning that is involved, such as advanced deco planning, and other courses as well, cause most of the time, when were diving with doubles, were doing deco, why leave when you got the air?

there's alot of questions like this if you search the form's,. but i can say ive yet to see Oxycheq on somones back going into a cave, and on a deep wreck carrying doubles Just my 2c, im sure there will be alot more to follow, good luck

 

[detroit diver]

Well, I don't have an Oxy wing, but 45 lbs is huge for a single tank. For reference, I use a 55 lb Halcyon for a set of twin 104's. STA do not prevent "taco'ing".

As for doubles, you can use your harness if it's long enough to work with your exposure protection. To change from singles to doubles, you just remove the single tank wing and install a doubles wing (in my case the Halcyon explorer wing). It's a 3 minute job if your're really slow!

 

[Scubaroo]

but i can say ive yet to see Oxycheq on somones back going into a cave, and on a deep wreck carrying doubles

Bill "Hogarth" Main and Greg Flanagan tested these wings during development, and I believe both still dive 50lb OxyCheq doubles wings. Just wander over to TheDecoStop to see how many real tech divers do use these wings.

45lb Signature wing is a large singles wing. Anecdotal feedback I've had from customers is that the 30lb Signature wing is "borderline" with a negative tank and a decent sized weightbelt in cold water, so the 45lb is better suited to cold water with lots of weight.

There is a single tank adapter (3 actually) put out by OxyCheq, only the soft one would work with the O-Pac. It acts as a tank stabiliser in this case. Normal STAs won't bolt to the O-Pac because of it's flat design - the wingnuts would poke out, even with the padding in place. An STA will have no effect on "tacoing" of a wing.

The term "taco" is more used to refer to the exaggerated wrapping of a doubles wing around a single tank. All singles wings will taco to a degree (unless they're using a non-standard method of attachment to the backplate - I think some Zeagle wings have such a design), but the dump valves are placed with this in mind.

 

[Quarrior]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Oxycheq 45 lb. wing:

• Will it "taco" with a single tank?

No, this wing is designed for a single tank only.

Do single tank adapters prevent the taco if it would normally happen?

STA is for use on a BP that does not have slots for cam straps.

I was thinking of just switching to a normal SS backplate, but have a few more questions first:

• How exactly do you configure them for doubles?

You need doubles tank bands, and a doubles wing. Doubles wings cannot be used effectively with a single tank do to the taco effect.

 

[Kriterian]

Thanks for the answers every one, I'm starting to understand it better. I was trying to picture how to get two cam bands for each tank through the wing. Now that I think about it, the band that holds the tanks together would just bolt to the plate...duh.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Oxycheq 45 lb. wing:

Yes, I own three of them ... one Signature series (for my SEU to use), and two Standard series (for each of my two singles rigs).

FWIW - the Oxycheq 45 is designed for single cylinder use ... this isn't a wing to consider using for doubles, but it's one of the best singles wings on the market today.

[*]Will it "taco" with a single tank?

All wings taco to a certain degree, or the wing would get trapped beneath the cylinder and not dump air properly. I use the Oxycheq 45 with several different cylinder shapes, and find that it performs very well with either 7.25" diameter cylinders (like an AL80) or the 8" diameter LP95 and E8 119 cylinders. Both the 45# and 30# wing have virtually the same "footprint", and just the right amount of taco'ing to allow the wing to dump air easily when required.

[*]Do single tank adapters prevent the taco if it would normally happen?

No ... that is not the purpose of a single tank adapter. The purpose of the STA is to prevent cylinder wobble (i.e. to provide a stable connection between backplate and cylinder).

[*]Is there a single tank adapter available for the Oxycheq 45?

Well ... Oxycheq makes a single tank adapter ... but it's not specific to the wing. You can use the STA with any wing designed for single cylinders ... the 45 lb wing falls into this category.

[*]I'm not diving doubles yet but I'd like to know what I'm missing for future reference. What extra do I need to buy to be "doubles ready"?

You will need to purchase a doubles wing. A doubles wing is shaped considerably different than a singles wing ... being wider, and "horseshoe" shaped rather than "donut" shaped". I own an Oxycheq 70 (Signature series) for my doubles rig. It's an excellent wing. If you're not particularly large, nor dive particularly big steel cylinders (I dive double 119's), the 55 lb wing will probably be a better choice.

You will also need to purchase cylinder bands and bolts, a manifold to connect the two cylinders together, and another regulator.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[simbrooks]

I have seen the oxycheq wings (45# included that a buddy uses), but wouldnt comment on how much they taco beyond - "didnt seem much beyond normal to me".

As for an STA, i recently bought one for the sole purpose of moving between my AL and SS BP's and sooner or later so i can quickly take it off (rather than unthreading/rethreading tank bands) to swap out for doubles - which i hope will come along some day, but not quite yet.

As for BP, have you considered an AL BP as the steel doubles might provide enough weighting alone to counter whatever you require for exposure protection etc. Also think about trim with them a few extra pounds on your top half may make you a little too nose heavy compared to running with an AL BP - of course play with that by moving stuff around as well.

I think most other stuff has been covered quite well by others.

 

[Dive4Life]

I have seen the oxycheq wings (45# included that a buddy uses), but wouldnt comment on how much they taco beyond - "didnt seem much beyond normal to me".

As for an STA, i recently bought one for the sole purpose of moving between my AL and SS BP's and sooner or later so i can quickly take it off (rather than unthreading/rethreading tank bands) to swap out for doubles - which i hope will come along some day, but not quite yet.

As for BP, have you considered an AL BP as the steel doubles might provide enough weighting alone to counter whatever you require for exposure protection etc. Also think about trim with them a few extra pounds on your top half may make you a little too nose heavy compared to running with an AL BP - of course play with that by moving stuff around as well.

I think most other stuff has been covered quite well by others.

I know that this is off topic but I also have a few questions on the bp/wing setup. My girlfriend is a newly certified diver and wants to dive a bp/wing just like myself, but she wants to have a colored bp. I haven't found any manufacture that would make a blue or pink aluminum backplate. Anyways if anyone has been in a similar situation or knows where to find a colored bp please let me know.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I know that this is off topic but I also have a few questions on the bp/wing setup. My girlfriend is a newly certified diver and wants to dive a bp/wing just like myself, but she wants to have a colored bp. I haven't found any manufacture that would make a blue or pink aluminum backplate. Anyways if anyone has been in a similar situation or knows where to find a colored bp please let me know.

Paint one, or have a SS or AL plate powder coated in the color of your choice.

If your GF uses/chooses an AL plate have it anodized in the color of your choice.

Perhaps pink webbing might do instead?


Regards,



Tobin