OMS and their Bungeed Wing

[foothillsdiver]

Obviously we have different opinions on who is the "best in the business" So I'll just let this one lie down and die. I stand by the OMS products as being some of the best in the business. You might say I'll bet my life on them.
If you're ever in my area I'll be glad to let you try one, carefull though, they'l make a believer out of you.
If you're ever in my area I'd love to dive with you anyway.


Happy diving !

Reese

 

[Warhammer]

TexasMike, I thought I'd mentioned this before and I had. We had somewhat of a discussion on the OMS wings back in March/April. Here's the link:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1197

 

[Lost Yooper]

I've been around enough IQ's (or lack there of ) to convince me to stay away from using them. If people feel comfortable buying and using a BC with enough lift to salvage a Yugo, bungies, and other gimicks that OMS is king of making, then more power to them. As far as who the best is, I guess that would depend on what one was referring to -- the best in real life extreme diving, or the best in the gimick laden equipment and training industry .

Take care.

Mike

 

[TexasMike]

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

Probably about this time next month. I'm taking advantage of the LDS lay-away plan (only needed 50% down to order, and can afford to pay the remaining 25% off of my beginning and middle of January paychecks).

I should mention that I am also taking this in small steps. The special the LDS was running did not include a backplate, just the harness with tank bands and the 45# wing. But I will probably get the BP, STA, and other things by late Feb/March. Which is also the timeframe that I plan on starting the TDI Adv. EAN/Stage Deco class (planning on hitting the NC wrecks in July).

 

[divernva]

Here's an interesting page:
http://www.omsdive.com/faq-bc.html#faq-bc

Dragging a diver behind a boat probably isn't the best way to determine "drag resistance".

Remove the bungee or make sure you don't over-tighten. The few people I've seen set this up, have inflated fully THEN cranked down the bungees. Probably a good idea... From the same folks, I've hear stories about trapped gas and poor trim... but they've "dealt" with it when it arises.

Having the bungee break would be a good thing IMO.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Thanks for the site Divernva, but a few points.

The divers were not dragged behind the boat. They set up a measured current using prop wash that the divers were then placed into.
The test also showed and is admitted in the site that there is NO significant difference in resistance between bungied and non bungied wings.

I do still question the scientific validity of the testing as I don't know if the resistance was checked for each diver not wearing a BC at all.

Tom

 

[TexasMike]

I happened to call the LDS where I am getting my OMS IQ Pack and wing to ask about some other items and brought up the questions that have been raised here.

Alec was very aware of these criticisms and explained OMS has developed some information that he will hand to me when I pick up my BC. He said he also had some info he developed independantly that he will jot down and let me have.

While I did get some of this info over the phone, I'm going to wait untill I accept delivery of the IQ pack and validate the written info myself (by diving the BC/Wing and experiencing the situations being discussed) before I post it here. But I do promise to post it so we can all be more informed.

 

[roakey]

I just read the OMS page pointed to and something hit me as odd. They talked about a wing without bungees as being less stable due to airshift.

Airshift is a tool, not something negative. Last week in Mexico I was diving wet and wearing my AUL 14AH canister on my right hip. I'd shift a little more air into my right side of my wing than the left to keep me from rolling. Worked great.

I would not have had that option with bungied wings and would have kept rolling onto my right side.

Roak

 

[The Chairman]

I see the need to monitor airshift as yet another task. I am glad my bungees keep an equal amount of air in all parts of my bladder so I don't have to. Task loading can be serious, especially if I have students or other divers to monitor. If I lose track then the weight shifts one way and the buoyancy shifts the other way compounding the issue. I opt for a stable lift. However, I do try to even out the weight before I start, which is not always possible, but I try. As for my canister light, I have it hanging from my back plate across my butt. It works for me, but you may not like it! Less things to monitor means a safer more comfortable dive for me.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Roak,

How did you shift the air and keep it there. I would think you would have to squeeze the left side of the bladder with something to get the air to move.

Bungied wing, just tighten a bungie.

Tom