Doubles Wing Recommendation

[Brett Hatch]

Conventional wisdom is to not dive double steels in a wetsuit at all. If your wing fails with full tanks, your 2xHP100 / AL plate / manifolded regs will be about 20 pounds negative, and if you are deep, your wetsuit will not be very buoyant. If you are diving in a non-overhead environment, can you swim your rig up from your deepest depth with full tanks? If you are diving in an overhead environment, can you safely reach the exit with a 20 pound anchor on your back?

I agree with @grantctobin that most divers should either switch to a drysuit + double steels, or wetsuit + double aluminums. Once in a safe config, you can figure out the trim issues from there.

 

[CHSDiver]

Conventional wisdom is to not dive double steels in a wetsuit at all. If your wing fails with full tanks, your 2xHP100 / AL plate / manifolded regs will be about 20 pounds negative, and if you are deep, your wetsuit will not be very buoyant. If you are diving in a non-overhead environment, can you swim your rig up from your deepest depth with full tanks? If you are diving in an overhead environment, can you safely reach the exit with a 20 pound anchor on your back?

I agree with @grantctobin that most divers should either switch to a drysuit + double steels, or wetsuit + double aluminums. Once in a safe config, you can figure out the trim issues from there.

Would a double bladder wing be sufficient? The Project is not.

 

[kensuf]

1. Match the wing to the cylinders.
2. For smaller cylinders (HP100's, LP85's, AL80s, etc), I recommend a wing that has about 40# of lift. The Light Monkey and Halcyon Evolve 40# are great.
3. For larger cylinders (LP95's, HP130s, etc), I recommend a wing that has at least 55# of lift. The Dive Rite OG Classic and Halcyon Evolve 60# are great.

 

[rhwestfall]

Dive Rite Classic Retro Wing

Offered with a lift capacity of either 40 lbs or 55 lbs, the Classic Retro Wing is ideal for divers who use use mid to heavy weight aluminum or steel cylinders with 7.5 or 8-inch diameters. This is the newest Dive Rite doubles wing.

www.divegearexpress.com

 

[crofrog]

5 MM suit. I need no extra weight. Fairly balanced at 500 psi. The XDeep allows very little air across the top of the wing. It looks to me like a donut, such as the Hollis, carries quite a bit more. But you are correct, it doesn’t matter if deflated. Maybe I just need a couple pounds at the top of the tanks.

Those tanks look very high relative to the top of the plate and wing. What’s it look like from the other side and where does the plate sit on your back. HP100s are heady heavy tanks to start with.

 

[rhwestfall]

tanks lower, and use long neck valves?

 

[grantctobin]

tanks lower, and use long neck valves?

Or tanks lower (via too band at the crown), and learn to keep one’s elbows in while reaching back, and have a properly fit harness

 

[divad]

5 MM suit. I need no extra weight. Fairly balanced at 500 psi. The XDeep allows very little air across the top of the wing. It looks to me like a donut, such as the Hollis, carries quite a bit more. But you are correct, it doesn’t matter if deflated. Maybe I just need a couple pounds at the top of the tanks.

Where does your head fit in?

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Definitely go donut wing. I personally prefer Halcyon. Their build quality is better than most and their customer service long term is hard to beat. They repaired a 12 year old wing at no cost.
You will hear a bunch of people talk bad about Halcyon since they're pricey. They are pricey, but imo worth it if you plan to keep the wing for a long time

I'll 2nd this. I didn't know what all the hype was about but I just bought a 2nd hand Halcyon singles wing and the quality is probably the best I have. I doubt it dives any better than the DGX, or VDH wings I have, but ranking them from best would be Halcyon, VDH (although very close), then DGX. Nothing wrong with DGX, just isn't my cup of tea compared to the others (I would still dive it in a heartbeat though). The others just feel like they went above and beyond.

 

[rhwestfall]

@rob.mwpropane - Since you are mentioning VDH who make only singles wings....

While I have never dove a doubles by them, the singles Oxy MachV are also top of the list contenders in my world...