How do you choose a wing?

[formernuke]

Pricey but I've had very good experience with halycon. They replaced a 12 year old wing that I didn't have the recipe for anymore with no questions asked.

 

[Pyndle]

You don’t know anyone who travels to the US? The DGX is $199 and is high quality and worth the effort to find a traveler who can bring it with them, otherwise, if it were me I would look at the Aliexi offering.

I do know of someone traveling to Thailand next month.

Is that person interested in bringing a DGX in their luggage and selling it at a profit in THB at the spot exchange rate when they get to Bangkok?
Unfortunately no one I know is coming. I was already looking for a few months, trying to bring an XTX50 doubles set from Europe (it's half the price as what it is here) but the few people I know already had full luggage.
Yeah I've tried wings, never had the issue you mentioned.

Look where the slots are on the Apeks compared to the plate you bought. I'm not sure they will line up and even if they happen to be the right spacing, I think it's going to place the wing at a weird height.

Frankly, I don't get your preference for Apeks. They made their reputation on regulators, not soft goods like wings. I'm sure it's fine, except the inflator hose looks a little too long, but I wouldn't pay a premium for it.

I wouldn't let color trump all other considerations either.

Oh I see about the slots, let's see.
That's a fair point about Apeks, it was mostly about the looks and the quick dry feature.

Pricey but I've had very good experience with halycon. They replaced a 12 year old wing that I didn't have the recipe for anymore with no questions asked.

Same, very hard to find here

 

[Kharon]

You don't fully inflate a back inflate BCD or wing at the surface. Inflate enough to get your head out of the water and lean back. It works fine.

I prefer all the other advantages of a wing over the one advantage of a jacket. I'm just not that into bobbing around on the surface in the chop. Put your reg in and swim towards the boat.

Didn't know the first and I would have been pushed under even with a partially inflated bladder and on my back in the rather large waves from all direcions.

And the boat was way, way too far to swim to against current. I surfaced with 1500 psi, ran dry in main tank, ran dry in 19 cf pony, snorkel was useless. Boat didn't come to pick me up for more than 20 minutes. Almost drowned. I'm not at all into bobbing on the surface even in calm water. I'll keep my BC, thanks.

My point is that the two are significantly different and had I tried a harness/bladder I would likely not have bought one. I find quite a few differences that are benefits to me in my BC that outweigh the benefits I find in a harness/wing. It's prudent to know what you are buying by trying it out as opposed to trusting what is written.

 

[lexvil]

Is that person interested in bringing a DGX in their luggage and selling it at a profit in THB at the spot exchange rate when they get to Bangkok?
Unfortunately no one I know is coming. I was already looking for a few months, trying to bring an XTX50 doubles set from Europe (it's half the price as what it is here) but the few people I know already had full luggage.

Yeah I've tried wings, never had the issue you mentioned.

I can ask, I know every time I’ve gone to Thailand my friend from there had me bring a bag of extra grear.

I didn’t mention the “issue” it was someone else.

 

[lowwall]

Didn't know the first and I would have been pushed under even with a partially inflated bladder and on my back in the rather large waves from all direcions.

And the boat was way, way too far to swim to against current. I surfaced with 1500 psi, ran dry in main tank, ran dry in 19 cf pony, snorkel was useless. Boat didn't come to pick me up for more than 20 minutes. Almost drowned. I'm not at all into bobbing on the surface even in calm water. I'll keep my BC, thanks.

My point is that the two are significantly different and had I tried a harness/bladder I would likely not have bought one. I find quite a few differences that are benefits to me in my BC that outweigh the benefits I find in a harness/wing. It's prudent to know what you are buying by trying it out as opposed to trusting what is written.

I remember your thread now Request for information not covered in any course

Note to anyone trying to read the thread, the OP never gave a clear description of what happened so it's difficult to follow.

I still believe that while most of the awareness conclusions you ended up drawing from your incident are appropriate, your gear solutions are the classic problem of trying to use gear to overcome a skills problem.

https://scubaboard.com/community/th...not-covered-in-any-course.588101/post-8824237

We have hundreds, if not thousands, of threads on back inflate BCs and BPWs. No one else seems to feel that they are an active threat in poor surface conditions. Also, it's been 4 years, are you really diving with a snorkel vest under your BCD, reel, cork/ribbon for checking currents, large pony, and 2 large DSMBs?

 

[BlueTrin]

Before you opt for a wing, please try one out. Buoyancy is on your back - something I didn't consider. Current pushed me far from the dive boat and on the surface, the choppy water from all directions along with the bouyancy all on my back kept pushing me face first into the water. Impossible to keep upright or face up on my back, and waves far to rough and high for a snorkel. I sold that gear off and went back to my old BC which gives me bouyancy at the front and sides.

You just have to lean backwards or inflate less your wing at the surface.

 

[happy-diver]

I wouldn't trust Aliexpress for something like a wing.

Simply put despite three I have being of better than or equal in quality to some name brands
you may find an unscrupulous seller of questionable character, who uses a water soluble glue
like Gilligan magically concocted for the S. S. Minnow not that Gilligan was at all unscupulous
just simple

 

[Kharon]

We have hundreds, if not thousands, of threads on back inflate BCs and BPWs. No one else seems to feel that they are an active threat in poor surface conditions. Also, it's been 4 years, are you really diving with a snorkel vest under your BCD, reel, cork/ribbon for checking currents, large pony, and 2 large DSMBs?

Are any of those thousands going to die in my place? What I thought. Thanks, I'll dive equipped by what I know makes me safe and with what I am comfortable. And yes, I continue to dive with the things you list and compass, redundant blades (though I've only ever got tangled is my effin dive flag line, Dive Alert, Storm whistle, ...

And, no I'm not trying to use gear to substitute for skill. Rather arrogant of you to suggest that, BTW. I prefer gear that I am proficient with, that I have the experience with to react from muscle memory and reflexes. Not gear that I have to think about in a new and unexpected situation.

 

[Kharon]

Which one is that?

It's an ancient Tusa - probably vintage 2010. Probably has close to 350 dives on it, more than 200 solo, so it's become like another muscle. Pretty much integrated with my body. I know it as well as my right hand.

 

[Dan G]

Unless you have a specific reason to need to switch between sets ups the way lowwalI describes, then I recommend not using an STA if you can avoid it by getting a wing with slots for the cam bands. In my experience, the tank sits much better on my back when the cam bands are directly connected through the backplate compared to using a STA. I still need to add weight when diving an AL80 when I use my STA, so the little bit of weight the STA adds is not a benefit. I do not need any additional weight when I dive a single HP100 or greater and the heavy steel tank is much more stable without an STA.

If, in the future, you need to switch between doubles and a single set up, then get the STA to make the switch more convenient. Even then, the STA won't be mandatory.