New Wing BCD for Travel and Home

[rhwestfall]

many wings out there require use of a STA, which adds weight when traveling (and pushes the tank farther off your back). I've come across this recently, and thing it is a great option for folks that need some form of "roll control" when mounting a tank. All of my wings (Oxyheq, HOG, DSS, Deep6 and ArgonautDive) have a STA integral to them (and my plates have web slots for cam bands)...

OMS Soft Stabilizing Adapter

 

[Bierstadt]

Thanks for all the feedback! I guess I need to look into a BP/W solution then!

Does anyone have any names of light weight quality BP's and Wings?

Any links much appreciated!

For looking at things (google them): HOG, DeepSeaSupply, Deep6, DiveRite, DiveGearExpress (retailer), Halcyon, OMS, and I know there are plenty of others to look at. Particularly European manufacturers that I am less familiar with but you would probably like to check out. That will give you a good idea of what is available and what they cost, but you still need to get your requirements nailed down for specific advice.

 

[Dave Bevan]

I have a halcyon carbon fibre BCD that I wouldn't trade for anything. You would probably need a 40lb lift wing if you are diving 7mm wetsuit. It comes in a nice pack with the weight pockets, single tank adaptor and padding. It's a great piece of kit. But then it's not cheap. OMS are the only other brand I have experience of and to be honest I've found some of there stuff is a bit iffy but generally ok. If you want to save a little money got for Ali plate instead of carbon.

It also come with a 6lb removable single tank weight that will help with your trim especially if you are already carrying a lot of weight to offset a thick exposure suit. It's removable for travel. When travelling you'd probably want to thread boat weights on your cambands or go for trim pouches.

It's a great quality rig and you get very good customer service to go with it.

 

[Dave Bevan]

I should mention I use the 30lb wing for singles even in a drysuit. I also don't use the backpad or strap pads as I feel the neoprene is adding buoyancy which I have to compensate for. Again I like to keep my rig extremely streamlined.

 

[cool_hardware52]

You would probably need a 40lb lift wing if you are diving 7mm wetsuit.

What 7mm suit is even close to 40 lbs buoyant?

Tobin

 

[Dave Bevan]

What 7mm suit is even close to 40 lbs buoyant?

Tobin

To be honest have no idea I stop at 3mm and go into drysuit. I Know my UK friends who dive large steel singles and wetsuit like to have the 40lbs wing.

 

[Trailboss123]

You are absolutely in luck, my friend and living in Europe makes it even better. I am a DM living and diving in Southern California's Channel Islands. I dive in a drysuit, I dive in a 7mm wetsuit, I dive in a 5mm wetsuit, I dive in a 3mm wetsuit and I dive in a neutrally buoyant 2.5mm wetsuit, both here and all over the world. I spent a year looking for the one perfect BC that would accommodate all of my exposure protections, all of my weight/lead configurations, be durable enough and have enough lift capacity to handle my cold water drysuit diving and required lead; while also being lightweight for warm water travel diving vacations (3-4 per year). I found just the thing and it is called the XDeep Ghost Deluxe. Here is a link-- do your reading and research and you may come to the same conclusion that I did. At 5.3 lbs, it does everything I need in every condition I need it for: http://www.xdeep.eu/lightweight-traveler-scuba-bcd-ghost-bc-system-pr-51.html

 

[ronscuba]

How many lbs of lift does the ghost wing have ?

 

[Dave Bevan]

37lb according to the website.

 

[Trailboss123]

How many lbs of lift does the ghost wing have ?

@Dave Bevan is correct-- 37 lbs.