OMS IQ or OMS Larry Green Signature

[Bubbleshark]

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice and guidance.

My wife owns an OMS IQ with a 32lb wing, QR pockets and a Halycon weighted single tank adaptor.

I really like her OMS (I am still on my old faithful Pro QD), but she is reluctant to let me borrow it.

I am looking to move to a wing, and have been looking at the Larry Green series with a 45lb wing.

Does anyone have one, and how do they rate it, or does anyone have any other ideas of wings that are similar, and can recommend ??

Hoping for the push I need to go to a wing..........thanks

 

[GrimSleeper]

Hi Bubbleshark,

I've dived (and still have quite a lot of bits of) the OMS Comfort Harness. My first observation would be that, actually, it's not nearly as comfortable as a single-continuous-piece-of-webbing harness - all those pads and tabs and adjusters actually just make it much harder to adjust and get comfortable. So from that point of view I'd suggest saving the time and expense (not to mention avoiding the you're-gonna-die comments about failure points, etc) and just get a simple hogarthian harness from the off. FWIW, though, my Comfort Harness never failed - I just cannibalised it for other purposes after I got a simpler harness.

As for the wing, if you're comfortable diving your wife's 32lb wing, why buy a 45lb wing? It sounds like you'll be diving a single tank, and unless you're diving a gigantic steel you won't need that much lift. It's amazing how much extra drag an over-sized wing can create. I use a 45lb wing to dive twin tanks with two AL80 slings - for a single tank I use a 30lb wing. I've got no complaints about the quality of OMS stuff I've bought, I've also got a Hollis wing that I like and my singles wing is Halcyon. There's a Dive Rite wing floating about somewhere, here, too, which was ok when un-tensioned for use with twins, but draggy when partially bungied as a single-tank wing. Oh, and I've had a HOG wing, but that did die a horrible death. Should probably have paid attention to that recall...

Have fun choosing!

 

[Bubbleshark]

Thanks for that,

I am not too keen on the single webbing type of harness, as I quite often gear up after my wife is in the water, and have developed my own way of gearing up with least effort (most of my diving is off my own 6mtr boat).

You hit the nail on the head with the comment on the 45lb wing, you are right, most of my diving is on single tank, and I also thought that drag would be an issue. I mostly dive on 15ltr steel.

Being here in New Zealand, we are quite limited to whats available here (and at what cost !!!), hence looking at getting something shipped from the US. Reliability is the name as I do not want to have to keep getting it sent back to the US for repairs. OMS seem rugged and durable, hence my tendency to look towards that brand. We have a couple of options here in NZ, there is OMS, Halcyon and a splattering of Dive Rite.

I am looking for something that will see me into retirement, but also give me the opportunity to change things around, maybe twins, maybe side mount, maybe travel etc.....

Any help and information is always good. You can only tell the truth about gear if you use and abuse it regularly, and for the record, I have had my Pro QD for 10 years, and it still looks new, and hasn't missed a beat (just starting to dislike the bulky jacket BCD's).

Thanks

 

[Kern]

The OMS LG 45lb wing is a nice piece of kit, well thought out, designed, & manufactured. Mine has stood up to the rigours quite well over the years. However it's a doubles wing, & even if you can find a situation where 45lb of lift might be needed, it would be the wrong wing for a single tank.

I bought a 1st model Pro unlimited some time back, it's still going strong, just not in my hands for some time.

I also used a Transpack for a couple of years, for both single & doubles with stages, it's something similar to the IQ pack. Due to a couple of variables I decided I didn't want to overcome any longer I sold that on some time ago too.

Over the last several years I'v been experimenting with backplate & wing's for all my diving.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I agree with GrimSleeper. If you are diving a single tank configuration, a wing with 45 lbs. of lift is excessive. The appropriate lift for you will depend on the tank, the inherent buoyancy of your exposure protection, and where/how much ballast you attach (you vs. your rig). Essentially, the wing must have enough lift to do the greater of: (1) floating the rig + tank without you in it and (2) compensating for loss of buoyancy of your exposure protection. Some warm water divers need a wing with less than 20 lbs. of lift. Cold water divers often need a wing with 30 lbs. of lift (or slightly more). For reference, locally here in Southern California (water temps. ranging from low-50s (°F) to 60s at depth), I use a 30 lb. lift wing with my drysuit and HP100 tank.

I have a Halcyon Eclipse 30, which has performed quite nicely for several years now. However, I can't recommend the company (Halcyon) after customer service decided not to support a buddy's punctured Halcyon Pioneer wing. Halcyon would not offer any repair services or discounted replacement. The customer service rep suggested my buddy look on the Internet for solutions. The rep also had the temerity to suggest buying a brand new Halcyon wing...at full price. That's not the mark of a company that takes care of its customers.

Deep Sea Supply (DSS) is a Southern California-based company that makes excellent BP/W systems. The BP separates from the wing very easily for cleaning and transport. No STA is required, since the wing has an integrated cradle for the tank. Rubber-lined slots in the BP prevent the harness from slipping out of adjustment without the use of additional tri-glides (which is what I have to use with my Halcyon BP). Tobin, the owner, is very active here on ScubaBoard and makes sure that his customers purchase the appropriate gear for their needs. Two of my dive buddies have DSS BP/Ws (LCD 30). They have had them for 5 years now and are very happy with them -- still look practically new. I've been fortunate enough to borrow their DSS rigs on a couple of occasions. They work great.

If I had to purchase a new BP/W today, I would probably get a DSS package. I suspect that Tobin ships to New Zealand.

 

[WreckDiver1321]

I use the Hollis Elite II with a Hollis 38# wing. Which is basically an OMS Comfort Harness II shocked2: oh no I'm gonna die!) with what is similar to a 40# Halcyon wing. I agree though, 45 is too much.

The OMS wing you're looking for is this part number: BC116-32B

Check it out at your LDS or at omsdive.com. It's a donut wing, which, as I understand it (never had a horseshoe wing), will give you better buoyancy characteristics over a horseshoe wing. It's nice to be able to move the air bubble anywhere you want while maintaining horizontal trim! Otherwise look at Halcyons 30# Eclipse (also tough as nails) or the Dive Rite Travel or Voyager wings. Never had any experience with those.

Good luck!

 

[WreckDiver1321]

Oh, and if you're looking for a wing that is almost impossible to put a hole in check this out: 30# MACK V Extreme : OxyCheq - DiveOps, Analyzers and Scuba Diving Equipment
There's a YouTube video of one of those Extreme wings getting hacked at with a razor blade. The wing... did nothing. Not a rip, tear, nothing. Not even a mark. I'm awaiting the arrival of the 55# version for my doubles. That's reliability for you. I'd take a long look at that wing.

 

[Kern]

I use the Hollis Elite II with a Hollis 38# wing. Which is basically an OMS Comfort Harness II shocked2: oh no I'm gonna die!) with what is similar to a 40# Halcyon wing. I agree though, 45 is too much.

The OMS wing you're looking for is this part number: BC116-32B

Check it out at your LDS or at omsdive.com. It's a donut wing, which, as I understand it (never had a horseshoe wing), will give you better buoyancy characteristics over a horseshoe wing. It's nice to be able to move the air bubble anywhere you want while maintaining horizontal trim! Otherwise look at Halcyons 30# Eclipse (also tough as nails) or the Dive Rite Travel or Voyager wings. Never had any experience with those.

Good luck!

If your tank/s are longer than your wing, the lowest part of the wing while horizontal will be the bottom arch. As the gas bubble in the wing wants to rise, no gas can get to the bottom arch, let alone pass through it, while you're in horizontal trim.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Check it out at your LDS or at omsdive.com. It's a donut wing, which, as I understand it (never had a horseshoe wing), will give you better buoyancy characteristics over a horseshoe wing. It's nice to be able to move the air bubble anywhere you want while maintaining horizontal trim! Otherwise look at Halcyons 30# Eclipse (also tough as nails) or the Dive Rite Travel or Voyager wings. Never had any experience with those.

For single tank wings, a horseshoe wing with a narrow design dives essentially the same as a donut wing.
In my experience, my Halcyon Eclipse (donut) dives identically to my buddy's DSS LCD 30 (narrow horseshoe). Both wings are easy to vent while maintaining horizontal trim.
A wider horseshoe single-tank wing might have some issues with respect to venting.

 

[WreckDiver1321]

For single tank wings, a horseshoe wing with a narrow design dives essentially the same as a donut wing.
In my experience, my Halcyon Eclipse (donut) dives identically to my buddy's DSS LCD 30 (narrow horseshoe). Both wings are easy to vent while maintaining horizontal trim.
A wider horseshoe single-tank wing might have some issues with respect to venting.

Okay, cool.
Learn something new every day :biggrin: