Experience with dual inflator wings

[spacemanspiff1974]

Does anyone here have expereince with dual inflator wings? What is your take on these? My LDS requires these for tech training.

 

[Padipro]

If you're diving wet with doubles then I'd use one of the smaller lift dual bladder wings. If you're diving dry because of the water temps or the time you're spending in the water doing deco then a single bladder wing is just fine as the dry suit can be used for buoyance if the wing fails. It's not easy to do but it can be done.

If the dive shop won't let you decide what you need then I think I'd find a different dive shop.

Before I bought my dry suit I used to dive with the DR Super Wing. Way to big for AL doubles and a small stage.

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

I'll be diving wet. The LDS wants redundancy. I dont have a problem with their insistance on dual bladder/inflator wings, but have no experience whatsoever.

Are they difficult as far as acheiving correct buoyancy or trim?

 

[Padipro]

No, they're very easy to dive with as you only use one inflator unless there is a malfunction. The left inflator is the primary and is used for all buoyance adjustments and the right inflator is the back up and only used in an emergency.

To make sure there was no air in the right bladder that would cause buoyance problems I would inflate the left and pull the dump valve on the right. As the left inflated it would push out any air in the right bladder making sure it was empty.

Diving with a dual bladder wing is no more difficult then diving with a single bladder wing.

 

[TheRedHead]

I had to use them for my class too. The Dive Rite Super Wing is huge and I felt like I was steering a mack truck with it. The Oxycheq 50 lb wing is plenty of wing for my size and that is the one I prefer. YMV.

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

I just purchased the oxycheq 50 lb wing. The LDS sells dive-rite. However, because I already have an oxycheq 30 lb wing I decided to stick with the same brand. I figure if there was a problem with some component on one wing it would be easier to grab components off of the other wing in a pinch.

May try diving it next weekend just with a single. Yes, I may have a taco dinner with a 50 lb wing and a single, but hopefully it will give me a bit of experience.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Does anyone here have expereince with dual inflator wings? What is your take on these? My LDS requires these for tech training.

If you are diving wet with double steel cylinders, a double wing is a pretty good idea.

I own a 55 pound single bladder wing, and also a 55 pound double bladder wing from the same manufacturer. When I dive wet in doubles I will only use the double bladder wing. If I am diving dry I may choose either wing, but usually it will be the single bladder wing since my dry suit will provide some redundant lift. In siutations where I choose to dive dry but with the double bladder wing I leave the backup air cell disconnected from the low pressure hose coming from my regulator.

As far a using the double bladder wing, just check it before you start the dive and then make sure that it is deflated. From that point on, just use the primary unless you have a problem with it and leave the backup alone. You might want to check it periodically to make sure it is not unexpectedly having air added to it by a leaking inflator. Remember, it is there as a backup in case the primary air cell fails, you are not diving with both air cells in use at the same time.

Mark Vlahos