Inquiry about Dive Rite, Halcyon, Oxycheq

[waz555]

Hello good day

After some researches i came into these 3 brands

Dive rite with travel exp wing transplate harness
Oxycheq mach v extreme wing with quick release straps
Or wait for the new halcyon infinity

After asking around, i was told that the oxycheq wing is the best wing because it is made out of kevlar, and its durable compared with other wings and also more streamline

The new halcyon i think is nice but still no definite time of release
And the local distributor offers lifetime warranty

Dive rite has been here for a while and i think its the easiest to have it serviced since its establish already.

Please share you inputs thank you

 

[waz555]

By the way my friends advise me to buy which ever is the cheapest hahaha

 

[deepseafalcon]

not sure what your exact needs are
but since you mention the travel wing, I suspect you might be interested in a lightweight and streamlined rig for singles.

if price also matters, consider the Deep Sea Supply Kydex Plate with a Torus 26 (very streamlined!) or LCD30 (little more lift, horseshoe). They also have a comfort harness, but from my experience I suggest giving the hog harness a try first.
You can get this as a complete package at a very good price, imo better than any of the others.

(I have no affiliation with DSS, just a happy user for 4 years)

 

[waz555]

Hi thanks for the quick reply i will look into it hehe

 

[rongoodman]

You can choose the wing and harness independently, there's no particular need for the brands of the two to be the same. If you want a harness with a quick release, I'd look at the Golem G2 too. A one-piece is cheap and versatile, though, and might be a good place to start. You can replace it later if you aren't happy with it.

 

[zaberman1]

As far as wings, I have been diving the oxycheq for about 3 years and absolutely love it. my cave buddies (that are still backmount) all dive oxycheq. Fantastic wing...although I prefer the diverite harness...

 

[it_mike]

Another vote for the OxyCheq Mach V! Fantastic singles wing.

As for the plate and harness, I've never seen that big a difference in plates, and my harness is just 2" webbing.

 

[hg frogman]

Some backplates are much more comfortable (at least on my back) than some others. It depends on how one is built, so I suggest you try it before buying.

Oxycheq makes two different versions of the Mach V. The "Signature Series" has an outer shell made of tough Cordura (same quality as most serious manufacturers), and a thick inner bladder. The "Extreme" version is a bit more expensive, has the same bladder but an outer shell made of a special fabric (it's not Kevlar) very resistant to cuts etc. You can check this on Oxycheq's website www.oxycheq.com where there is an interesting video of a guy scratching the wing with a cutter.

The Mach V fits most plates (notably OMS and Dive Rite), even without Single Tank Adapter (if you want to use a STA you can buy it later anyway, Oxycheq's is an excellent one). The Mach V is a very streamlined wing, and the Extreme version looks like it will never wear ! (I own two of these).

I considered buying a Dive Rite Travel wing in the past, but changed my mind and bought Oxycheq instead. For servicing, Oxycheq and Dive Rite (and also OMS) use exactly the same dump valves and corrugated hose elbow, which are widely available then.

 

[TSandM]

If you are doing a lot of wreck penetration, I might be able to see wanting an outer cover that's puncture and cut resistant (and I'm not sure how puncture resistant the Oxycheq fabric is -- Patrick always demonstrates trying to cut it, which is a different dynamic). But in over 800 dives now, the bladder leaks I've seen have all been "pinch flats", or cuts in the bladder due to being caught against a sharp edge, without cutting the outer cover at all. My personal feeling is that it isn't worth paying a premium for a different cover material.

 

[hg frogman]

Pinch flats mentionned by TSandM are less likely to damage the inner bladder if :

1) This bladder is thick, which is the case for Oxycheq (25 mil or more) and also for DSS (30 mil AFAIK) but not for some others manufacturers

2) The outer shell's fabric is thick too and "dampens" the shock occurring during a pinch flat - and that's typically the case of the Mach V Extreme outer shell. Look at this shell, which is made of two "layers" (one tough plastic, outside, and one softer fabric, inside) and you'll get what I mean. From what I see, this shell will protect more the inner bladder from pinch flats than Cordura (even with 5 oz polyurethane inner cover).

By the way:

1) Mach V Extreme fabric is also puncture resistant - it's said that darts have been thrown at it at DEMA. Of course you can puncture it with a sharp needle and enough force, otherwise it couldn't be sewn, but it still looks more puncture resistant than Cordura to me.

2) Cordura with inner polyurethane cover doesn't stand the sun (UV rays) so well in the long run. But I can't tell about Extreme fabric - my Mach V Extreme wings still look like new, but they are only two years old.

But sure, as Cordura is already very tough (and has a proven record), Extreme shell is no absolute necessity.

Living mostly in France where there is even no Oxycheq dealer (and having no plan to become such a dealer), I have no financial interest in supporting the Mach V, but I believe everyone has to be fair with the gear one uses, and even more so with the gear one doesn't use.