BP/W for my first purchase + weighting ques

[halocline]

The plan currently is to get it back from service and take it to the pool to see how it goes, single tank for now.

Diving a 94 lb wing in a single tank would be a little like wearing plastic mountaineering boots with full crampons for a walk around the yard in the summer. It is possible, but a very poor choice. If your profile picture is accurate and you have 0-24 dives, I have to tell you that someone took you for a ride on this sale. If you can get rid of it and try a somewhat appropriate BC, like a 20 or 30 lb wing, you will be MUCH happier.

I would have said that if you have technical diving plans for the future, maybe your wing could be used for that, but still, 94lbs with double inflator is only appropriate for the MOST loaded down, multiple stage with heavy gear in a wetsuit type of dive. For all sorts of reasons, hardly anyone ever dives like that.

I use a 45 lb wing for doubles and in my experience (which is considerable) it's too big for the diving I do.

You should re-consider your plan, sorry to be blunt. You won't be happy with it, and whoever told you that a 94 lb wing is even marginally appropriate for a single tank ought to quit telling people how to gear up for scuba.

Again, sorry for the blunt tone, it's nothing personal at all, I'm just trying to help a new diver avoid a mistake. Best of luck.

 

[scubaalex1]

Again, sorry for the blunt tone, it's nothing personal at all, I'm just trying to help a new diver avoid a mistake. Best of luck.

Even with the blunt tone, which I do not mind, I am still excited to try it at the pool next weekend. I had it out for service for a couple of weeks already, and I was just waiting to pick it up. I will let you know how it goes. I am also curious to see how this bigger than needed wing will perform.

 

[scubaalex1]

Best of luck.

Many divers gave me some feedback in this thread about my hand me down wing, so I just wanted to tell everybody how how my first test with the OMS wing along with the whole kit went yesterday at the pool, since you seem to have lots of experience and may be able to suggest other things I need to test next time.

I tried to pay attention to some fundamentals like buoyancy, trim, finning, respiration (I was also testing the mk25/s600 and the Air2 regulators) and naturally the idea was to make sure that everything was safe and working properly also. Max depth was 11 ft. In the swimming pool, with 1 tank, a SS back plate and a 3 mm wetsuit I did not need any extra weight.

In terms of buoyancy, I really didn't think it was any harder than a standard jacket style bcd (which is what I used to dive with until now), maybe a bit easier actually. I was able to maintain depth and trimming at all depths - and I didn't get shot to the surface even . Just used respiration to control depth. I kept the bladder almost empty, maybe 1 or 2 short puffs of gas only, using either the primary or secondary bladder/ inflator.

Trimming was easier than with a standard jacket style bcd. Very easy actually, whether I wanted to stay horizontal or vertical or anywhere in between, upside down even. I also tried to roll sideways to get a feel for how easily the air was moving inside the bladders, and it was really easy do stay at any angle and move from angle to angle. I was able to deploy an smb and keep my depth and trim with not difficulties, and also did controlled ascends at different rates. No problems floating comfortably at the surface, easy to stabilize in a vertical position or leaning back on the wing, easy to swim face down or on my back.

Finning was also the same, I can't say that the big wing made it any different than any jacket style bcd. I also got a pair of Scubapro Twin Jet fins in the package, but I still prefer my Scubapro Go Sport fins. The split fins are nice for flutter kicking, but the go sport was much easier for frog kicking, turning, and back finning. But I just started to learn those, so I may change my mind with time.

The Air2 breathes really well, even compared to the s600, which is really nice. Granted, 11 feet in the swimming pool is probably not much of a challenge for any regulators. But I have to say it was SO much better than the loan regulator I used in the refresher course I took a couple of weeks ago and many others I rented in the past.

In summary, this kit seemed to perform better than what I was used to diving with. I don't have any experience with other wings, so I can't compare. But not really too bad for a hand-me-down kit and at the cost of just doing regular service for it.

If I have to point out any issues, it would be that it is a lot bigger and heavier to travel with and to handle outside the water than a jacket bcd, specially when wet. I am sure a smaller wing would be better for that. And maybe a Aluminum backplate would help, but then I would need to carry weights anyway.

Next I plan to do an easy OW dive at one of the FL Springs, and see how it goes at normal diving depths. Maybe I will also try to find someone who can watch me and give me some feedback.

 

[lowwall]

Glad it's working for you.

The wing is slowing you down if you felt that kicking was the same as your jacket BCD, you should be feeling less resistance with a BP/W. It wasn't more of a hindrance mainly because it was nearly empty. It is going to be a much bigger PITA when it has to be full enough to offset the 10 pounds+ of negative buoyancy you need at the start of a deeper dive wearing a thicker wetsuit.

On the fins... Of course this giant wing and air2 came with split fins . Anyway, what you've already found with the splits versus conventional fins is in line with expectations. Precision and control are going to favor the Go Sports. Splits were designed to get the most out of low to medium effort flutter kicking and are compromised everywhere else.

You sound like you've got everything under control and a good diver can certainly overcome inadequacies in his or her gear, but I really think you will be much happier with a more appropriate wing. If you sell off the giant wing and the split fins, you'll be at least part way to the price of a new wing.

 

[scubaalex1]

Glad it's working for you.

On the fins... Of course this giant wing and air2 came with split fins .

I should have known better than to mention the split fins

 

[halocline]

In terms of buoyancy, I really didn't think it was any harder than a standard jacket style bcd (which is what I used to dive with until now), maybe a bit easier actually....

Trimming was easier than with a standard jacket style bcd.

If I have to point out any issues, it would be that it is a lot bigger and heavier to travel with and to handle outside the water than a jacket bcd, specially when wet. I am sure a smaller wing would be better for that.

A good backplate/wing set up will totally outperform a jacket BC in my experience, there's really no comparison.

Buoyancy control with the wing empty shouldn't be much different between this monster of a wing and a smaller wing that actually appropriate. The problems will come when you actually have to have air in the bladder, and vent it. So, a thicker wetsuit, greater depth, etc.

Trim is primarily a function of weight distribution, and the steel plate is the key here. I'm not surprised you found that keeping horizontal trim is much easier than with a jacket BC, especially if you are using an aluminum tank. You've moved your ballast up on your back right between the wing and your lungs, the two sources of positive buoyancy. This results in better balance and control for most people.

It wouldn't cost you much to get a 20-30 lb single tank wing, that would solve your bulkiness for traveling issues and be much easier to vent and control. If you could a see video of yourself diving with a wing this size, what you would see is the wing folding up like a taco shell with a bubble of air several inches above the tank as you are in horizontal position. Then when you have to vent it, you have to somehow get the air to be below the dump valve, that can be a pain when the wing is so large. Sometimes these humongous wings come with bungees in an attempt at controlling the wing from flopping around so loosely, but the result is that you end up with several little 'pockets' between the bungees where the air bubble is trapped. It's a very poor design.

But, still, a steel plate with aluminum tanks is usually a big improvement, and the webbing harness plus the flat plate against your back tends to keep things nice and stable, so you can enjoy those benefits, and when you get tired of wrestling with getting the air out of this wing, you can spend a couple hundred dollars on a small wing and you'll have both. Or maybe there's another hand-me-down in your future!

 

[scubaalex1]

It wouldn't cost you much to get a 20-30 lb single tank wing, that would solve your bulkiness for traveling issues and be much easier to vent and control. If you could a see video of yourself diving with a wing this size!

I am planning to dive this kit again soon and maybe have someone record it on video. I will try to fine tune my system with time. This is just a start for sure, something to get me in the water and enable me to figure things out as I go.

 

[Centrals]

I am planning to dive this kit again soon and maybe have someone record it on video. I will try to fine tune my system with time. This is just a start for sure, something to get me in the water and enable me to figure things out as I go.

Surely the most logical thing to do.
Good luck.

 

[scubaalex1]

Surely the most logical thing to do.
Good luck.

Thanks!

 

[gqllc007]

Just get a DGX 30lb lift single tank wing...Mine came in yesterday and looks great...