A couple months back Tobin helped me put together a small childs rig with the DSS Travel Wing for one of my students - https://www.deepseasupply.com/index.php?product=120 ... The students family backed out the day before class started and so I started using the wing at work. After using it for the past month I've become quite attached to this little wing.
A few features I LOVE about DSS wings:
1) Cam Band window - This is probably my favorite feature - I used to wonder about this as I figured the wing would fall off or not be secure enough, but that is not a problem at all. The window make removing the wing from the plate very easy, which allows me to leave my plate/harness/weighting at work in the community storage locker while taking the wing home (Not worried about the plate getting bumped etc.. lol) Also the window design makes the wing compatible with a wide variety of plates. I have DSS, Halcyon & Dive Rite plates - the Dive Rite is the oddest, yet the travel wing fits on any of them. My Halcyon wing on the other hand won't work on the DiveRite plate without an external STA.
2) Small size - While the travel wings 17# of lift may not be enough for a PNW drysuit diver, I have found it to be a good fit for me. As I rarely use my wing for a great deal of lift at the surface I have not missed the lightened lift load. (I have a friend who did find this to be an issue however) This is one very streamlined wing and a perfect match for someone in a light exposure suit (or in my case a swim suit) as all I need from it is enough lift to compensate for the change in tank bouyancy.
3) Single shell design - I know many prefer a double shell design due to the protection of the outer shell, I for one am glad to see a single shell design available. Much more streamlined in the water (I really liked the old Halcyon Pioneer design for this reason) and it folds up into an incredibly small package - plan on a 4x6x6 spot in your suitcase to pack this wing. As to durability I have been using my Pioneer wing which has the same single shell design for 3 years (several hundred dives) and it has never seen a puncture.
4) Molded Single Tank Adapter - this is a very well designed STA. Much more stable than other designs I've seen (Incuding the rod design on my Pioneer wing, which I like also)
5) Corrugated hose/elbow - I have rarely used the corrugated hose for dumping air on any of my other wings, except during my initial descent from the surface. I got in the habit of using the lower dump valve early on and never found the need. This rig I have found using the corrugated hose to dump air very smooth. On other wings (including my Halcyon Pioneer and DiveRite, which both have fairly short hoses also) I have to go out of trim just a bit more than I want to dump air this way, but DSS wing I don't even feel like I am adjusting my trim to dump air. I attribute this to 3 factors, the center placement of the hose on the wing, the short hose lenght (which is the perfect length) and mostly from the type of hose they chose. While other wing manufacturers seem to go with an "accordian" style hose, DSS has chosen a hose that while just as flexible is not prone to stretching out over time. This means that simply lifting the end of the hose a couple inches air starts dumping.
6) Inflator mechanism - After having SO many issues with my SS Halcyon inflator this is proving to be a simple, reliable and comfortable inflator - Nothing fancy, just simple and reliable.
The only thing I am going to change, is that I prefer a little stiffer and thicker string on my lower exhaust valve. I have changed this on all my other wings and will most likely do the same with this one soon - I find the thin string just a little harder to locate as it moves around a bit. Not a big inconvenience, just something of a preference.
All in all a great wing if you are in a light exposure suit, and if not DSS has a LOT of other options.
Thanks Tobin & DSS for a great product.
Aloha, Tim
A few features I LOVE about DSS wings:
1) Cam Band window - This is probably my favorite feature - I used to wonder about this as I figured the wing would fall off or not be secure enough, but that is not a problem at all. The window make removing the wing from the plate very easy, which allows me to leave my plate/harness/weighting at work in the community storage locker while taking the wing home (Not worried about the plate getting bumped etc.. lol) Also the window design makes the wing compatible with a wide variety of plates. I have DSS, Halcyon & Dive Rite plates - the Dive Rite is the oddest, yet the travel wing fits on any of them. My Halcyon wing on the other hand won't work on the DiveRite plate without an external STA.
2) Small size - While the travel wings 17# of lift may not be enough for a PNW drysuit diver, I have found it to be a good fit for me. As I rarely use my wing for a great deal of lift at the surface I have not missed the lightened lift load. (I have a friend who did find this to be an issue however) This is one very streamlined wing and a perfect match for someone in a light exposure suit (or in my case a swim suit) as all I need from it is enough lift to compensate for the change in tank bouyancy.
3) Single shell design - I know many prefer a double shell design due to the protection of the outer shell, I for one am glad to see a single shell design available. Much more streamlined in the water (I really liked the old Halcyon Pioneer design for this reason) and it folds up into an incredibly small package - plan on a 4x6x6 spot in your suitcase to pack this wing. As to durability I have been using my Pioneer wing which has the same single shell design for 3 years (several hundred dives) and it has never seen a puncture.
4) Molded Single Tank Adapter - this is a very well designed STA. Much more stable than other designs I've seen (Incuding the rod design on my Pioneer wing, which I like also)
5) Corrugated hose/elbow - I have rarely used the corrugated hose for dumping air on any of my other wings, except during my initial descent from the surface. I got in the habit of using the lower dump valve early on and never found the need. This rig I have found using the corrugated hose to dump air very smooth. On other wings (including my Halcyon Pioneer and DiveRite, which both have fairly short hoses also) I have to go out of trim just a bit more than I want to dump air this way, but DSS wing I don't even feel like I am adjusting my trim to dump air. I attribute this to 3 factors, the center placement of the hose on the wing, the short hose lenght (which is the perfect length) and mostly from the type of hose they chose. While other wing manufacturers seem to go with an "accordian" style hose, DSS has chosen a hose that while just as flexible is not prone to stretching out over time. This means that simply lifting the end of the hose a couple inches air starts dumping.
6) Inflator mechanism - After having SO many issues with my SS Halcyon inflator this is proving to be a simple, reliable and comfortable inflator - Nothing fancy, just simple and reliable.
The only thing I am going to change, is that I prefer a little stiffer and thicker string on my lower exhaust valve. I have changed this on all my other wings and will most likely do the same with this one soon - I find the thin string just a little harder to locate as it moves around a bit. Not a big inconvenience, just something of a preference.
All in all a great wing if you are in a light exposure suit, and if not DSS has a LOT of other options.
Thanks Tobin & DSS for a great product.
Aloha, Tim
