Choosing 30 or 40 Halcyon eclipse

[Jared2223]

Iam looking at which eclipse i should get between the 30 or 40 halcyon eclipse. There are no dive shops around that sell this so i have to order it online. im 6'3 about 180 pounds.
Also im lookin at gettin the ss backplate and trim weights to connect to the cylinder as well as a another 6 pound attachment to the tank (im trying to avoid a weight belt altogether). With all this would a 30 pound be enough or would a 40 be needed??
thanks for your help

 

[mikeguerrero]

I'm 5'5, 159 lbs and have the 30 lb wing Eclipse... I have been offered by other divers to trade for the 40 lb wing but haven't needed the extra lift...

The 30 lb wing is more than enough for my applications on the California coast. It can float my rig if I toss it over the Zodiac to don while in the water. But I carry an 8 lb weight belt, I don't like my rig full of weight.

I want a more balanced rig where I carry some of the weight, have you tried lifting a rig full of nothing but weights onto a Zodiac with limited room? This made me steer away from additional STA 6 lb weight.

Overall, I use a total of 17 lbs of weight, oh which 8 lbs is ditchable... I can hang a 10 ft safety stop at 500 psi...

Hope that helps a little...

MG

 

[DevonDiver]

Unless you are using an over-size steel tank, maybe a steel pony and a heavy canister light, there is little need to opt for a 40lb wing.

If your weighting/buoyancy is correct, you shouldn't ever need to add copious amounts of air to your bcd...except at the surface.

 

[Mayor]

The only reason to get the 40 IMHO is for large steel tanks. The wings are very close in size when you compare them. This is one of the reason I got the 40 and at the time was using a HP130. If I had to do it again I would have gone with the 30. I'm 6'1" 230 and using this set up....

Warm single tank
3mm shorty / 3mm boots / Alum plate / STA with 6lbs weight / trim pockets with 3lbs in each / Alum 80 (if I had a steel BP I would not need weight)

Cold single tank
5mm full suit / 3mm core warmer / 5mm hood / 6mm boots / 4mm gloves / Alum plate / STA / Steel HP 100 or HP 130

The reason for the Alum plate is for the doubles but some day wish to have SS as well. Really both wings will do the job. The 40 is over kill but really does not have any extra drag. Hope I helped a bit?

 

[Jared2223]

thanks for the input guys. it sounds like a 30 will be fine for me then cuz i dont plan are carrying any real extra heavy equipment on my dives.
mayor- the warm single tank setup looks something like i would like to have as my setup except mayb a ss instead of alum plate but because it reduces alot of drag and eliminates the need for a weight belt or bulky ACBs

 

[rstofer]

Two things to consider: First, will the wing be able to float the rig, with a full tank, without being worn? Second, not having ditchable weight is, in my view (not shared by all), a bad idea. Since I have been about bludgeoned to death over my insistence on ditchable weight, I won't expand on it here.

A side issue: if you are wearing a wetsuit and weight belt, you should float without your BP/W. That will allow you to don a weight harness while gearing up in the water (think diving from a crowded inflatable).

A significant consideration for 'old people': do you want to add weight to the BP/W and have a problem lifting it or do you want to wear some weight in a separate harness. I am old and a weightbelt won't work as I don't really have hips.

Richard

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

It's unfortunate that one of the (not the only) best resources for determining lift needs is often overlooked. It's the "sticky" at the top of this forum.

I use a 30lb Eclipse. And when I used the "The "Ultimate" wing lift calculator " I found out that I only really "needed" an 18lb wing for the type of diving I bought the Eclipse for. Which is tropical drift-diving with minimal exposure protection and at most an AL100. On only one freak occasion was I was definitely happy to have had the extra lift. This was when I found myself being yanked down by a sudden strong current while diving a reef wall. Even my bubbles were have difficulty going up. Before I could get control I had already descended 20ft and it took all of my kicking ability and a near fully inflated BC to ascend against the current. Good times!

 

[Jared2223]

rstofer- thanks for the advice... alot of ppl have different views on the ditchable weight issue i guess it depends on what your comfortable with and thankfully im still young so carrying a little extra weight can be a good thing
fishoutuvh2o- your story bout the whole current thing made me feel so much better bout diving reef walls haha thanks for the calculator lift link also

 

[arvin0630]

hi jared2223, with regards to the already mentioned advises regarding the eclipse wing sizes, they're all on the dot. i personally use a eclipse 30 with sta and added 2 trim wight pockets. i weighted the entire system and it came out 6++something pounds and i put 2 3lb wegihts on the trim pockets, and it works out great for me..before i forget i'm 5'9" 180lbs and i dive in the philippines, so it's always warm water and we use steel tanks. try to find folks who have the 30 and 40 wing setup for the eclipse and ask tehm if you could try it out, that is actually the best way to find out what will work with you

 

[raptor87]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I'm buying my first rig and I really don't know whether to buy a 30lb or 40lb eclipse wing. I've e-mailed several Halcyon dealers and gotten different responses. I'm 5'6 160lbs, and I'll be wearing a 7mm Bare wetsuit. I'll also be diving AL80's.