OMS and their Bungeed Wing

[Warhammer]

Originally posted by TexasMike
Boy! I'm sure glad I'm single and have relatively few expenses outside of basic existance. I'm gonna be one busy diver!

Ohh, if only I was single again. You know what? I'd be broke as a convict in less than 6 months and probably hock everything I own in exchange for gear at the LDS. But I'z a be a divingggggg fool!

OMS has a nice looking system. If I may ask, which of the wings are getting with it? If you say one of the bungeed ones then I'm leaving because you're going to get burned! Not that I personally see anything wrong with them, haven't tried them so I can't knock them. They do say they can still be orally inflated, which I think is the DIR crowds biggest complaint with them, saying they can't.

 

[TexasMike]

Originally posted by Warhammer
OMS has a nice looking system. If I may ask, which of the wings are getting with it? If you say one of the bungeed ones then I'm leaving because you're going to get burned! Not that I personally see anything wrong with them, haven't tried them so I can't knock them. They do say they can still be orally inflated, which I think is the DIR crowds biggest complaint with them, saying they can't.

The killer deal included the black 45 lb bungied wings which are similar lift capacity wise with our Rangers.

As far as being able to orally inflate, I don't know myself ... yet. But I guess I could always rent the "Lungs of Steel" workout video at Blockbuster and practice

Tell you what. I'll be sure to post a good users review of the system (with contrasts to the Ranger) once I get a chance to dive the IQ. And I'll be sure to touch on ability to orally inflate. And if we ever get the chance to buddy up on a dive, we can see about you taking a turn with the IQ.

As far as the DIR's saying they cannot orally inflate, are they talking while on the surface or at depth?

 

[Warhammer]

Sounds like a plan to me!

As far as DIRs thinking on bungeed wings go; I think I was wrong. I believe their biggest complaint with them are that in the event of a wing failure, it wouldn't hold any air due the bungees pushing it all out. But since most DIR divers are also in a drysuit, seems like a mute point to me. Anyway, maybe some of them will chime in, but maybe we should discuss it in another thread to not steal the theme for this one.

Course you can always remove the bungees if you want.

 

[detroit diver]

Texasmike,

Remove the bungees. Remove the bungees. Remove the bungees. Think I feel strongly about it?!!

They don't do anything but get in the way and cause potential problems.

Better yet. Get wings w/o bungees!

 

[TexasMike]

Since we were spinning off of the original topic of the Dry Suit into the realm of BC's, I've used my moderator powers to split into a new topic.

So now we are gonna discuss the ups and downs of the OMS bungee wing.

 

[large_diver]

These are opinions I've read -- no direct experience:

- If the wing is punctured at depth, a non-bungeed wing might be able to retain some air/buoyancy....a bungeed wing would keep all air forced out

- Long term "crimping" of the wing by the bungees may cause creases/holes to develop

- Streamlining -- some folks who have tried both actually maintain that the bungeed profile can create more resistance as you move through the water

 

[Warhammer]

LOL! Nice touch, Mike. As far as the non-bungeed wings being more streamlined goes, I too have heard that argument but I just don't see how that's possible. Course that's an opinion from someone on the outside looking in, since I've never tried a bungeed wing other than the ones on Transpacs. And those don't even come close to being as bungeed as the OMSs are. The argument about the bungeed wing not holding air in case of a puncture seems to have merit to me. That's kinda obvious if you ask me, but I really don't see that it makes a difference if you are diving a balanced rig. Since a balanced rig is one that you can swim up unassisted, but what do I know.

Kinda anxious to hear your review, Mike. When are you going to take delivery of the OMS?

 

[Lost Yooper]

Hello everyone,

My biggest beef against the bungied wing is if you puncture the wing, it will completely deflate regardless of where the hole is. Yes, I use a drysuit, lift bag, dive a balanced rig, and dive with a buddy configured the same, but the bottom line is that the bungies add nothing good to the BC. They certainly don't decrease drag, and they are definately more difficult to orally inflate. You don't want to work hard to orally inflate your BC underwater, especially deep.

Bungies are a gimick, and that's really why I don't like 'em. I had a pair of Dive Rite Rec wings which I sold to a guy (after I took the bungies off for him) -- those wings were one of my many mistakes. A gimick is something that doesn't positively help you underwater, IMO. If it doesn't help, or have the real potential to help, then it isn't needed and it won't go with me.

K.I.S.S.

Mike

 

[foothillsdiver]

OK, All I am hearing is talk and opinions. Have any of you tried the OMS ? Well I have an opinion also. I own and dive an OMS IQ with SS backplate and Dbl 100 lift bladders. That is for my standard setup of double 112 OMS tanks. For the single tank setup I use the OMS harness which is the same as all the others and I use a non bungeed 65 lb wing. Sorry not a GUE/Halyc.

I only have about 300 dives in the IQ at varying depths of 100 -250 feet so maybe I haven't put it thru the paces enough to find it's faults. OK you may guess by now that I love it. as far as the bungees go I have not had any problems with them /period. They are not there simply to sqeeze the air out of the BC but rather for diver trim. You can remove/loosen/tighten however you like to achieve the exact trim you prefer. As the GUE guys seem to be afraid if you have a bungee failure then you are gonna die, when actually you're just left with a wing just like the transpac or Halcyon ,,,huh.
as for hanging or snagging the bungees, it hasn't happened on any wreck dives I have been on and if it does I may have the presence of mind to just reach back and break it >>good training and all you know.
And please ,,, a punctured bladder is not going to hold air any where except above the puncture, so I don't even see that as an issue worth considering and that's what the reduntant bladder is for also.
Oral inflation is no more difficult than any other Bc I have used.
My arguement for the OMS is the same arguement that GUE themselves use. If there is a gooder way then use it.
I just can't believe that Tom, Brett, Hal and all those guys are WRONG. There has to be more than one right way.


:grrr: :grrr: :grrr: :grrr: :boom:

 

[Lost Yooper]

Greetings,

I could easily sit back and pick apart the IQ, double bladder, bungie laden BC all day, but I'm not about to, as I fear it would most certainly lead to hard feelings and misconceptions (not to mention accomplish nothing). If people feel comfortable paying for and diving with all that "stuff" , go ahead. I'll continue to advocate simpler is better/safer (which is easy to do and makes sense to most) and wait until someone tries to prove that system wrong before I'll bite .

Take care.

Mike

PS. At least two of the three guys mentioned there advocate stupidity such as deep air diving, solo tech, etc. So, as fas as I'M concerned, I could careless what they use, say, or recommend. I'll continue to learn from the best in the business (IMO) until someone comes up with a better approach -- good luck. .