I have been eyeing the different wings available. . . . it is still hard for me to understand the differences in wings especially as their cost expands hundreds of dollars. . . . . It seems to me that inflator and dump valves seem a dime a dozen, but please correct me if I am wrong. The main difference seems to be fabric. . . . . The most expensive wing is Halycon but some say you are paying for the H and seems to be the outlier when it comes to cost.
You have received some excellent technical feedback from Tom (tbone) as well as some good practical advice in the same post.
There is a certain appeal to trying to understand the physical differences between wings. I think it is also easy to overthink the issue. In reality, as far as durability goes, most wings are incredibly durable, notwithstanding technical differences in their outer casing or the materials used in the bladder. So, I have moved in the direction of selecting wings primarily on the basis of lift / functionality / shape, and secondarily on the basis of brand. Put quite simply, my choice of brand is influenced by where I am working and what brand lines the shop carries, and the staff discount I get.
I grew up in a Dive Rite / Halcyon / Zeagle shop, and I am now in Aqualung / Apeks shops.
I own / dive Apeks WTX, Dive Rite (new and older), Halcyon, Oxycheq, and Zeagle wings. I have
never had a wing failure, with one exception. Maybe, I am just lucky - no punctures, no pinch flats. (In the interest of full disclosure - I don't let
anyone else touch my gear, move it, assemble it, etc.) And, the one exception was not so much a matter of durability as age of the product line. I went through 3 Zeagle 30lb donut wings before I got to one that didn't have a problem (bladder seam leaks). In that case, I think the issue was that I bought the wing early in its life cycle, and there were still some manufacturing hiccups. (I bought it based on it being listed in the Zeagle catalog, only to find that it took 3 months to get it because it wasn't yet in full production.)
The differences that I see in my wings reflect some of the things that Tom mentioned. For example, the Apeks WTX wings have a thicker bladder and a more 'durable' outer shell, and they are
very stiff. Not a particular problem, although they don't travel quite as well because of that stiffness. My Halcyon wings are less stiff, and easier to pack. Some of my Dive Rite wings are quite 'mature' - I have had them for 15+ years - and they still work fine. Reasonably flexible, and (apparently, since they haven't failed) quite durable. I bought my Oxycheq wing (used, on eBay) because I was curious about all the hype about the phenomenal durability of Oxycheq (although I had no intention of getting into underwater knife fights, or being shot at while in scuba gear). It is a very nice wing. It is a doubles wing with a somewhat narrow profile, and I like that. I don't find it to be conspicuously more 'durable' than other wings, although the outer case is a very nice tight weave. My favorite singles wing is my 30lb Halcyon. I particularly like the narrow profile of ther wing. Would I buy another one if I had to pay MSRP? Maybe. Maybe not. But, I do think one of the real benefits of Halcyon gear is the great customer support. Yes, you pay a bit more, but you get a quality product, and good support after the sale.
I have needed to replace original inflators on Halcyon, Dive Rite, and Oxycheq wings. That is a 'cost of doing business' from my perspective, and not a matter of durability. Even though I (think I) do a good job of rinsing, etc. over time they start leaking and it is now cheaper/easier to simply put a new $17 DGX inflator on, than to take the old inflator apart and service it.
Honestly, although there is a certain appeal to selecting a wing on the basis of objective data, looking at durability, I think you are best served by looking at functionality, availability, cost and vendor reputation. My $0.02.
