Need help with advanced equiment choices

[scarefaceDM]

Have you looked into a Halcyon RIG. Say the Eclipse MC system
http://www.halcyon.net/mc/eclipse.shtml

You do not need BIG lift. 30 - 40 lbs is fine. 45 is also fine but it is a slightly bigger wing. To be honest I do not know the brands you mentioned other than OMS. I would avoid bungied wings. That is another issue.

In theory: Diving wetsuit you would use an Aluminium Tank. Diving Drysuit, you would go with steel. You should be able to swim up your rig in the even of a wing failure. SO if your diving a wetsuit with a steel tank, you could run the risk of not being able to swim up your rig. Hense you may have to ditch all togther to make it to the surface.

mind you this is in theory. Many folks dive wetsuits and steel tanks all the time. But would you want to find out that say at 100 feet you have to bail and leave your airsource behind because you cannot swim up with your rig.

Where as with a drysuit, you have a redundant bladder so you are able to maintain bouyancy/lift to get your arse out in the even of a wing failure.

simple

 

[countryboy]

.. oh yeah...

For the lobster / scallop bags.. If they are that heavy DO NOT use your wing to lift them, use a lift bag...

Have Fun!

 

[O.M.O.H.]

Have you looked into a Halcyon RIG. Say the Eclipse MC system
http://www.halcyon.net/mc/eclipse.shtml

You do not need BIG lift. 30 - 40 lbs is fine. 45 is also fine but it is a slightly bigger wing. To be honest I do not know the brands you mentioned other than OMS. I would avoid bungied wings. That is another issue.

In theory: Diving wetsuit you would use an Aluminium Tank. Diving Drysuit, you would go with steel. You should be able to swim up your rig in the even of a wing failure. SO if your diving a wetsuit with a steel tank, you could run the risk of not being able to swim up your rig. Hense yu may have to ditch all togther to make it to the surface.

mind you this is in theory. Many folks dive wetsuits and steel tanks all the time. But would you want to find out that say at 100 feet you have to bail and leave your airsource behind because you cannot swim up with your rig.

Where as with a drysuit, you have a redundant bladder so you are able to maintain bouyancy/lift to get your arse out in the even of a wing failure.

Yes understood. I dive dry yes, just refently started diving dry actually.
Anyway yes i looked at Halcyon it seems like a very nice system and has a large following, but maybe a bit out of my price range. Besides my shop does not sell it anyway.

 

[Rainer]

Lift is all relative guys. Depending on the type of diving, equipment slung, protection suit, etc.

I can tell you right now that in a freshwater pool with an aluminum plate, a full steel 119, and 3mil suit; a 30lb wing barely floats me on the surface, (water at eye level on my mask). A 36# wing would be better suited for that environment, unless I only used my alluminum tanks then 30# would be better.

Let me understand this. You have a full HP119 which is about -11# full (http://www.techdivinglimited.com/pub/tanks.html). An AL plate is like -2#. Another -2# for regs. [Note all numbers are for salt water, so add another couple of pounds if you'd like.] Also, your wetsuit is probably +5#. So you're telling me you couldn't float with a 30# wing? It just doesn't add up. Sorry. Sounds like a BC that didn't fit. Did you try a BP/W with the harness correctly adjusted and using a crotch strap? Did you have extra weight?

 

[SteveFass]

Hey OMOH - I'm from Brooklyn too - you found a LDS that sells all three of those brands? you mind telling?

To answer you question, OMS in NY/NJ is big and popular which can be a plus - and, uh, their wings are red.

 

[O.M.O.H.]

Hey OMOH - I'm from Brooklyn too - you found a LDS that sells all three of those brands? you mind telling?

To answer you question, OMS in NY/NJ is big and popular which can be a plus - and, uh, their wings are red.

Nah, the 45lbs one is black. They get red at like 80lbs or something. Actually the shop is not in Brooklyn, its in Little Ferry, NJ www.1877scubausa.com .

 

[MSilvia]

I'm with Rainer on this one. Given the choice of those three rigs, I'd still be looking at other options and smaller wings. Of course, I like Hogarthian setups and use a 45# wing for HP100 doubles, so what I'd do may not translate well to what you should do.

 

[nereas]

Yes understood. I dive dry yes, just refently started diving dry actually.
Anyway yes i looked at Halcyon it seems like a very nice system and has a large following, but maybe a bit out of my price range. Besides my shop does not sell it anyway.

Precisely why I love DIY. Then everything is half price, since you are not paying for the name/trademark as well (which was my original point, that you have validated).

And with a 45 lb wing, or thereabouts, you only need one wing assembly, which will work for your single as well as for your doubles. Therefore I agree with OMOH on the 45 lb wing configuration for all-purpose (which was not the original question, but rather a tangent).

 

[fdog]

Here's another vote for a Deep Sea Supply package.

You sound like you'll be mostly diving singles, and Tobin's setup is superbly well integrated for singles. It is something you have to actually lay hands on to believe.

I, too, am having difficulty imagining a singles dive requiring a 45 lb. wing. Here's a photo of me (tall at 6'2") floating at the surface with a DSS 36 lb Torus wing, full steel 80HP, full 7mm wetsuit and a 30 lb weight belt (remembering that the plate is 6 lbs).

I also use this same exact wing and plate with a CF200 with Flecton undies.


All the best, James

 

[CompuDude]

I have to agree with the others that I'm not impressed with any of those packages, either. All are too expensive... and I have no interest in DIY, either.

Take a look at the great packages at Northeast Scuba Supply (www.ness.com) and, as others mentioned, Deep Sea Supply (www.deepseasupply.com), for solid, commercially sold retail packages from solid manufacturers with long histories for evaluating customer support over time.

That said, it's hard to hurt a bp/w, so customer service needs should be pretty minimal. Well, you can kill the wing if you want, but the plate and harness are nearly indestructible. And they're all very close to being the same... that's one reason why we're recommending checking out other manufacturers... the three you listed, apparently, are charging a lot more for the same thing.

So any of the three will work for you. You'll just pay a lot more for the pleasure. And some would argue that there are actually better options, although personally I feel the differences are somewhat minimal once you get into the bp/w arena.