Halcyon Explorer 40 & Single Tank Diving

[parzdiver]

Ciao!
Having just ordered an Explorer through a friends dive shop

Looks like you just missed Halcyon's Double Down deal in April. If you bought the system with Eclipse wing and STA, for an extra $99 you got a double wing of your choice and their new ACB10 weight pockets.

I found the deal just as I was about to buy. It sealed the deal to go with the Halcyon. I spent a little more, but now I have the double wing.

 

[mahjong]

The evolve and explorer are both doubles wings. On these, the elbow valve is centered, so behind your head, but this is the ideal location for dumping air effectively. It is also ideal for doubles as it won't interfer with the side mounting of the two first stages.

The eclipse is a single tank wing. As I recall (I used to own a 40# eclipse), the elbow valve is mounted off-center. This is so the elbow valve does not cause clutter between your center-mounted first-stage, and all the hoses coming off it, and the back of your head.

DSS wings have the elbow valve EVEN on its single-tank wings mounted in the center. I do not like this. But I am short, and so mounted first-stages tend to find their way easily to the back of my head, and if the elbow valve is resting in between, the situation is VERY uncomfortable. If you are taller, this over-cluttered jumble of first-stage, hoses, elbow valve will likely rest lower, hopefully in the crevice of your neck area.

It is possible, but should be unconfortable at some details, like someone already mentioned, you will have problems to reach the OPV and as you will have too much extra wing off the cylinder you can have some difficulty to release air also from the inflator hose, as the air tends to get trapped in that extra material and float above the hose, you should have to go vertical (which is always bad for diving) and pull down the wing to make the air come under the inflator hose and thus being able to be released.

About the positioning of the inflator hose, all new Halcyon Wings, include single tank are like this, I use the evolve 40, evolve 60 and eclipse, they all have the hose behind your head.

 

[Tortuga68]

Well I'm glad we got that sorted out... even if it did take 3 years

 

[mahjong]

I'm suffering from time compression lately . Actually, I literally just bought an explorer and so was doing some searching and this popped up.

BTW, I will be living in Jinan, Shandong, beginning in 4 weeks. You still in Shanghai?

Well I'm glad we got that sorted out... even if it did take 3 years

 

[Tortuga68]

Yep... still in Jing'An so send me a PM and we can grab that beer

 

[ajduplessis]

It's a matter of frowning on any configuration that is no suited for the intended application. Using a double wing for a single dive could have an impact on buoyancy (wing taco/air trapping) which could lead the injury (missing safety/deco stop, being hit by boats on surface etc). Use the right tools for the job must be the motto.