Lowest profile single tank wings (with built in STA)?

[dmaziuk]

Since then it has lived on my bike work stand receiving now close to $1500 in upgrades. And now I think it needs a Brooks saddle. I could have just gone and bought a $2500 track bike, but what fun is that! I now have the fastest, lightest and most expensive Bianchi Pista in the world (probably not)! My wife seems not to be so amused with my good deal, the steady packages full of parts arriving on the door step----.

At least I ride my $500 on closeout for $250 and $1000 in upgrades niner to work...

 

[andy2667]

I agree that if I could have only one wing it would be a 30 pound lift wing. That being single tank diving. I like my 45 for doubles. But, I can own multiple equipment, lucky me. I also have a wife to outfit. For travel to warm water destinations (air travel) either my Oxy 18 or especially my VDH 18 disappear into the dive bag and are noticeably lighter and conserving of space. And why use more than you need? Since I am a photo diver I have all of that complication to deal with, I need my dive equipment to be as slim, trim and out fo the way as possible and weight and bulk is critical for getting it onto an airplane as much as using it in the water. I put a mesh dive bag on the floor of my roller bag and then set the rigged wing and plate, wing down and then mash the Hades out of it and then pile everything else on top.

My Oxy Mach V 18 (right) and my VDH 24, inflated the VDH 24 (left) is larger in girth than the Oxy 18, deflated it is smaller all around, due to the internal compression bungee that neatly tucks it in:

View attachment 558790

Yes, I am OCD over weight of equipment and bulk for travel. And weight, bulk and fluff and puff, dangles and complications to my diving equipment. Slim, trim and simple for me equals minimalism. I am kind of the same way with my body, slim, trim, no dangles or bags please. Course, father time is making that exceedingly difficult. But the equipment I can deal with. And good equipment is good value because it lasts and it performs well. Some folks will go to any expense to save a dollar, that would not be me, learned that lesson a long time ago.

Actually, I never learned that lesson. Recently while visiting down in New Orleans I happened off the Trace Bicycle Trail into a little bike shop and on the rack was a Bianchi Pista SS/fixie track bike. It is like a $899 MSRP, but commonly sell for something in the range of $699 and they had a sale sign on it $600 and I talked them down another $50 (it had a small scratch). I told my wife I had to buy it because it was such a good deal! Since then it has lived on my bike work stand receiving now close to $1500 in upgrades. And now I think it needs a Brooks saddle. I could have just gone and bought a $2500 track bike, but what fun is that! I now have the fastest, lightest and most expensive Bianchi Pista in the world (probably not)! My wife seems not to be so amused with my good deal, the steady packages full of parts arriving on the door step----.

N

Hi Nemrod,

You picture comparing the Oxy 18 vs the VDH 23 is very interesting and helpful. Just reading the specification is a bit mis-leading. From your photo, if fully deflated, it seems that the VDH23 is smaller than the Oxy18 quite a bit. As you already own the Oxy 18 and the VDH 18, would be grateful if you could advise if the VDH 18 fully inflated is smaller than or of same size of the VDH 18 fully inflated? If they are of the same size, I would probably go for the VDH when I buy the additional wing (smaller than the Halcyon without the need of STA).

Also, any idea in terms of size of the Oxy 18/VDH 18 vs the Apeks 18. I am more interested in the narrow one as I want a more streamline set up. The Apeks 18 looks very slim. Also, it would be great if there is a photo on size comparison for the DGX S1 wing.

Having picture comparison of them would be great.

I am one of the guy seeking for the most streamline wing for tropical diving. Some of the reasons have been stated by others in the previous posts:
- No need for more lift for tropical diving. I spend 90% diving tropical with 0.5mm frog skin and already have the Halcyon Eclipse 30 adequate for colder conditions. 18lb lifts is more than adequate.
- Also want to eliminate the STA.
- want to get as streamline as possible. Though the differences in sizes between 18~30 is not large, I still want to get the smallest one. Minimalist to achieve the most streamline set up is my goal. Every small bit help.
- A smaller wing is great to fell and look at...someone has mentioned it before....ha ha.....
- want to buy a new wing but not in duplication of the 30lb lift Eclipse (to get an Excuse for buying new stuff).
- I am always a perfectionist. Thus, getting the smallest one is my goal. If market has a wing with 12lb lift, I will get one to play around.

So, back to the topic, which one is the most streamline Single Tank Wing with built in STA (in terms of width)? Apeks 18, VDH Argonaut 18, Oxy Mach V 18, or...…...

 

[Nemrod]

Andy, maybe tonight I can dig them out again. The VDH 18 is smaller deflated in overall dimension than the Oxy 18. Inflated it is wider and shorter. In fact, as you can see, the VDH 23 is smaller deflated than the Oxy 18 deflated. In the water I cannot feel any difference in practical terms between the Oxy 18, VDH 18 and 23. I got the 23 for myself, my wife uses the 18 (and I still dive my Oxy 18) because I have camera equipment and thought the little bit of extra lift might be helpful. The reason the VDH wings appear so small is the internal compression bungee pulls the wing in as it deflates.

Since, in normal use a diver should have only enough weight to submerge (or less to account for suit compression during the dive) there should only be a small bubble of air in the wing. The wing will not be inflated during the dive.

I have spent decades trying to whittle my equipment down to the most minimal and simple configuration possible for each type of dive I do. I am not a one size fits all diver. I use differing equipment to suit my mission. I am not a one configuration DIR team diver. I am a Minimalist (and usually solo) diver. The only wings I have actually used or seen in person to hold and examine, which is certainly not all of them, are the VDH and Oxy wings and they both have the build quality to be durable. There may be better wings available but I do not know and cannot comment on something I have never used or examined. I do not like center vent hose wings for single tank diving so that rules many out for me on that alone.

Andy what are your dimensions if I might ask, height is what I am asking and weight?

James

 

[andy2667]

Andy, maybe tonight I can dig them out again. The VDH 18 is smaller deflated in overall dimension than the Oxy 18. Inflated it is wider and shorter. In fact, as you can see, the VDH 23 is smaller deflated than the Oxy 18 deflated. In the water I cannot feel any difference in practical terms between the Oxy 18, VDH 18 and 23. I got the 23 for myself, my wife uses the 18 (and I still dive my Oxy 18) because I have camera equipment and thought the little bit of extra lift might be helpful. The reason the VDH wings appear so small is the internal compression bungee pulls the wing in as it deflates.

Andy what are your dimensions if I might ask, height is what I am asking and weight?

James

Thanks Nemrod. Height : 1.7M, Weight : 80kg.

Getting myself more streamline is always my goal. I normally dive in tropical with FrogSkin (0.5mm neoprene free diving style upper and and lower suit). 18lb lift is more than adequate.

The Halcyon System I have been using for 8+ years is quite good but my next move is to remove the STA, get a more slim wing, change the AL BP to SS BP and........

 

[stuartv]

I am one of the guy seeking for the most streamline wing for tropical diving.

What @Nemrod said. The profile when fully inflated does not tell the whole story. The only time you should be fully inflated is floating on the surface.

Since the VDH wings have the internal bungee system, they are likely to be smaller/more streamlined than any non-bungee wing, when swimming at depth (i.e. where you only have a small amount of air in the wing).

I have no experience with single tank Oxy wings, but I do have the VDH 18 and the VDH 35. If you want a streamlined tropical wing, I cannot imagine that you would not be super happy with the VDH 18.

If you are THAT concerned with streamlining, you need to also get the right back plate. A traditional plate will hold your tank a good couple of inches or more off your back. I would think that would impact your streamlining as much as the difference between, say, a VDH 18 and a VDH 35.

You need a flat plate like the VDH plate or a Freedom Contour, so the tank can be right up against your back (i.e. only the thickness of the plate itself between your back and the tank), to get maximum streamlining.

I use the VDH 18 with a Freedom Contour plate for tropical diving and I cannot think of a single thing to improve to make the rig more streamlined or more of a pleasure to use.

 

[Nemrod]

Thanks Nemrod. Height : 1.7M, Weight : 80kg.

Getting myself more streamline is always my goal. I normally dive in tropical with FrogSkin (0.5mm neoprene free diving style upper and and lower suit). 18lb lift is more than adequate.

The Halcyon System I have been using for 8+ years is quite good but my next move is to remove the STA, get a more slim wing, change the AL BP to SS BP and........

I agree the 18 pounds lift wing is more than enough. I am waiting for a 12 pounds lift wing!

You are approximately 5'8" and 180 pounds? If so, I cannot see how the VDH 18 would not be anything but perfect for you. Again, if you could tell the difference in the water between the VDH and Oxy wings you are a better "feeler" than me, lol.

I am a believer in as little weight on as possible. I do not follow the (PADI) taught method of overweighting and then venting a nearly full BC on the surface and then plummeting down feet (usually butt first) and crashing upon the reef and bouncing across the top of the reef whilst trying to get neutral and then water walking across the top of the reef. Like my sig line, SWIM down, swim around, then swim back up and the swimming is done in a horizontal position. I am usually set such that I need to swim down to ten to twenty feet before my suit compresses and trapped air vents out of the suit and equipment to become slightly negative. A puff or two of air in the wing is all I then need throughout the dive. I do not enter the water with my wing inflated, why, in fact, I suck mine flat. Since I am slightly buoyant or neutral upon entry I will not plummet to the bottom, I can loiter on the surface in the case of forgetting my fins, or turning on my air or whatever eventuality.

James

 

[Anthony A.]

My new DGX #30 is so easy to pack compared to my vdh #35. Its my new tropical travel wing, and im loving it.

 

[aviator8]

My new DGX #30 is so easy to pack compared to my vdh #35. Its my new tropical travel wing, and im loving it.

I like my DGX wing as well. This is the newer one. If anyone needs measurments on it they are:

width is wider at the bottom and tapers toward the top.
deflated
L24" W at bottom ~14" W at top ~12"

inflated
L24" W at bottom ~12" W at top ~10"

I have mine on a plate right now so no weight.

 

[Diving Dubai]

With double cam straps you will not need built in tank stabilizers.

Thant's a bit of a sweeping statement. While on my DR Voyager wing, I have no STA nor additional stabilisers, with a steel 15l (HP120) I get no movement. I have on another brand of wing had some tank wobble with just and Ali 80

Not sure why there is such a constant desire by folks to go with the least amount of lift in a wing....the size and weight difference between an @ 18lb, @ 25lb, @30lb wing is minimal

This I can agree with. I single tank my Voyager (36lbs) even with AL 80 on occasion. I dive tropical, so with a 3mm I carry maybe 4lbs on and AL80 - with a steel 15, I'm slightly neg at the SS with no additional weight. So the theory says I don't need 36lbs of life

Except... Both here, and my fav destinations such as Komodo, we like to go play where there is a very real risk of down currents - I probably get pulled down 6 - 10 times a year. An 18lb lift wing really isn't going to cut it. Not a chance, and if you need to provide assistance then you'll be severely wanting.

Also at the surface in chop, more life is better

I once had some lecture me about streamlined rigs. While I could agree that his minimal rig might produce marginal less drag, I had to point out that if he wanted to make big gains he should eat less pies and go exercise

 

[Nemrod]

Unless significantly overweighted to begin with, that no down current is going to over power an 18 pounds lift wing. Go down to depth and pop that 18 pounds wing full of air and see what happens! Now, if one were to routinely dive, as I often see, significantly overweighted such that a good bit of the BC or wing capacity is used just to get neutral, well, there is a problem. If a diver, due to equipment being carried, me for example with camera equipment that is negative, yeah, I sort of like my 23 pounds wing but 18 is more than enough.

For me, it is not just "streamlining" in the water but more about not carrying more than I need and the limited size of my dive bag. I certainly agree that a 30 pounds lift wing is the most universal, if one dives different conditions, temperate and tropical, and can only have one set of gear. But if a diver is strictly tropical vacation diver, down currents are not going to suck said diver down to Davy Jones locker never to be seen again with an 18 pounds lift wing.

N