First BCD

[RonFrank]

Not trying to talk you in to anything but, to clarify, with a bp/w you get to pick each component. The wings vary in lift a great deal (using just one brand of wings, you can buy a wing with 12, 17, 20, 26, 30, 35, 38, 40, 42, 49, 50 or 57 pounds of lift). Some of those are singles wings and some doubles.

Lots of pros and cons of different choices but lack of lift choices just isn't one of them.

Most divers don't need much in the way of lift options. Your list of 12 basically breaks down to maybe 3 real life options, and there is hardly much difference between a 30 and 35 lbs wing. The majority of single tank divers can do one wing in the 30~35 lb range, and that will serve them very nicely for almost all diving they could do. If you want a lightweight rig, a 20lbs~ wing is a good choice, however that is a bit light if one ever needs to dive with extra lead (instructor) or rescue a diver. I don't know anyone with a 18lbs wing, well I guess I do on SB, but not many.

Most of my double diving buddies use a wing in the45lbs range. Much more is generally not needed, but a double wing is not a good choice on a singles tank as they are designed to span two tanks, not one.

I've known some divers that ran out and got a BP/W setup on the cheap with some foolish amount of lift (in the 80~ range). They quickly discover why most folks shy away from huge wings. The amount of lift is pointless even with doubles, and the wings are very large, and hard to dump. Air trapped in a wing is no fun, and can create an uncontrolled ascent.

 

[Bonairetrip]

Most divers don't need much in the way of lift options. Your list of 12 basically breaks down to maybe 3 real life options, and there is hardly much difference between a 30 and 35 lbs wing. The majority of single tank divers can do one wing in the 30~35 lb range, and that will serve them very nicely for almost all diving they could do. If you want a lightweight rig, a 20lbs~ wing is a good choice, however that is a bit light if one ever needs to dive with extra lead (instructor) or rescue a diver. I don't know anyone with a 18lbs wing, well I guess I do on SB, but not many.

Most of my double diving buddies use a wing in the45lbs range. Much more is generally not needed, but a double wing is not a good choice on a singles tank as they are designed to span two tanks, not one.

I've known some divers that ran out and got a BP/W setup on the cheap with some foolish amount of lift (in the 80~ range). They quickly discover why most folks shy away from huge wings. The amount of lift is pointless even with doubles, and the wings are very large, and hard to dump. Air trapped in a wing is no fun, and can create an uncontrolled ascent.

I agree that singles wings are for singles and doubles wings are doubles. I think that both for the reasons you mention and the issue of doubles wings taco-ing on a single. I also agree that giant lift wings have limited utility except in certain situations. I also agree that wings tend to fall into ranges and it would be fairly redundant to own a 30 and a 35 pound wind.

My point: The OP was under the impression that wings were available only in mondo lift. He very correctly thought he probably didn't need mondo lift for his diving. I was only pointing out that there are lots of wing choices from tiny lifts to mondo lifts (in fact that is sort of one of the points...).

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

So in this context is the term wing now being interchangeably used to describe both a wing and the bladder of a back inflate? I totally caused some road kill a few pages ago when I used "wings out" as a descriptive phrase for the kidney dump position on my back inflate. I could have sworn we established that this thread isn't about wings, didn't we?

 

[Bonairetrip]

So in this context is the term wing now being interchangeably used to describe both a wing and the bladder of a back inflate?

Nope. I was ultimately responding to a clear comment, about wings, made by the OP.

 

[JenCell]

Did you read any of the thread, including the original post you quoted?!!!?

Why is it so hard for many of you to not answer questions by not posting. Instead you do not answer questions by posting, which makes you appear to have little reading comprehension.

sorry about that but yes I did read the posts. I did my suggestion.

 

[TipsAndHowTos]

With so many choices, try to buy a BCD based on where you'll be diving and what you'll be using the BCD for; the more a BCD has as in pockets and D rings attached to it is very useful for some uses, but it may be too much for a recreational dive; if planning on cave diving later or photography or spear fishing, then get a harness like the Poseidon's MK3, and attach to it only what you need to bring in that particular dive, such an average wing or a large one; with time you'll know if you truly love scuba, and you'll find it very useful to have more than one BCD; and it is very wise to try the scuba gear on before buying it; you must be comfortable while diving.