I am just about to start diving doubles and would like some experienced advice. I have used a Halcyon eclispe 30 with an aluminum 80 and enjoyed it for its simplicity and comfort. I am very interested in tech cave diving and a buddy was selling his steel HP120s so i bought em after putting them on my back. They didn't seem to bad at all weight wise on dry land. The real question is what amount of wing lift I will need and what wing would suit the setup best? After doing more research I have come up with this.. The tanks are approx -11.8lbs buoyant when full, I will be using for the time being a 6lbs steel backplate. Total weight of just that would be -29.6lbs Therefore 30lbs of lift roughy to float without me and extra gear. I will be using a DUI cf200x drysuit with this setup and I do live in Maine so cold water is the norm. I know 90lbs wings are rediculous and I completely understand why. I don't want to be a human lift bag. So I think I should be looking between 35-45lbs wings. Is this a good start? I will eventually be getting into stage bottles and such and taking a tech course. Your input is appreciated.
Chosing the best wing for double steel HP120s?
- Thread starter DustinC
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If you are going tech and start to carry stages, lights, reels you might want to look in the 55LBS range.
cool_hardware52
Contributor
DustinC:
I'm not sure what tanks you are using, but if we assume your numbers are correct, then the tanks will be ~-24 full, bands and manifold will add about 5 lbs, dual regs add about 5 lbs, and a SS backplate and harness another 6. Add a canister light ~-2 and your rig with full tanks will be about -42.
You need to start the dive negative by at least the weight of your backgas, with air or nitrox that could be ~20 lbs.
That means to stay at the surface at the start of the dive you need ~20 lbs of gas in your wing. Now you need have enough extra wing capacity to deal with a failed drysuit. If we assume your drysuit is 25 lbs buoyant (wild guess on my part) then you need 20 + 25 = 45 lbs. You should determine the buoyancy of your suit.
I'd guess that something in the range of ~50 lbs.
Depending on the initial buoyancy of your Drysuit you may want to rethink the SS plate.
Tobin
OP
the tanks are aqualung/sherwood 3500psi 120. I was indeed thinking of swapping the ss plate for aluminum to produce more buoyancy. My biggest concern is getting a wing that is way to big. I would like to keep things near DIR standards and GUE standards. Again, thank you for your suggestions.
ehuber
Contributor
Check out Halcyon Evolve 60lb wings
OP
I have narrowed it down I think. I am leaning more towards Oxycheq but I haven't forgotten about Halcyons evolve 60. Has anyone used both and formed any pros and cons about both products? I know Halcyon's egos are through the roof and prices reflect that. It is a solid product. From what I have heard though Oxycheq makes a very rugged, dependable wing. Anyone know where to get either of those wing types at a fair price?
ehuber
Contributor
Google search: "Extreme Exposure" for Halcyon products.
A product cannot have an ego, it can only be either an effective tool or an ineffective tool. I think Halcyon has proven to be effective, so I'm not sure the DIR philosophies' perceived arrogance should influence your decision about a specific product. If you want a cheaper product, you'll get a cheaper product. Simple as that.
/shrug
Good luck with your choice.
A product cannot have an ego, it can only be either an effective tool or an ineffective tool. I think Halcyon has proven to be effective, so I'm not sure the DIR philosophies' perceived arrogance should influence your decision about a specific product. If you want a cheaper product, you'll get a cheaper product. Simple as that.
/shrug
Good luck with your choice.
55Lbs sounds about right. There are many good wings out there and the size is the size for a 54lbs wing.DustinC:
Agir, Golem, Halcyon, DiveRite, Oxycheck, DSS (Tobin here) all have excellent wings.
Archangel is selling is 65lb Halcyon wing, see the post from a day or two ago in the gear classifieds forum. May be a bit more than you need to begin with, but as was mentioned, once you start adding stages, etc., it should be just what the doctor ordered.
DustinC:
I dive double steel HP120s, and I love them. For tec, I dive them with a drysuit, a SS BP, an AL80 deco bottle and a AL40 deco bottle, + JetFins, canister light, reels, etc. In (cold) fresh water I found the Dive Rite Rec Wing at 51 lbs to be just a little light for the combined weight. I also found the dual bladder DR Super Wing, at 77 lbs, to be definite overkill. I ended up with a Halcyon Expolorer 55 and, as Goldilocks said, 'It is just right'.
I think anything less than 50 lbs would be inadequate as you move toward tec / cave. An AL BP may help, but why bother.
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