OMS vs Halcyon

[grazie42]

Doc Intrepid:

There are always rational arguments behind DIR recommendations.

Thank you for telling me what they are...

(Um, and why would you desire to buy a bungeed wing to then remove the bungees leaving all those grommeted holes? Just buy one without bungees to begin with...)

Because its cheaper and everything else about the wing is perfectly fine...I´m not too concerned with how it will look afterwards so the holes dont bother me...

I will buy an unbungeed, bungeed wing. Thank you all for helping me make the decision based on good information about the pros and cons...

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

Grazie42,
When you buy an OMS bungeed wing, they come without the bungee's installed. You can either put 'em on or not. I have dove both bungeed & unbungeed wings and I prefer the bungee's. Contrary to what you've heard, they are very streamlined, don't trap air and can be orally inflated quite easily. Try them yourself, bungeed & unbungeed and make up your own mind. Don't take the word of someone who probably has never dove them. Many DIR divers just repeat the party line about these wings without ever having tried them.

 

[grazie42]

I will thanks, Scuba Cowboy...I´m buying it used and the guy who´s been using it took the bungees off...
While I´m setting it up I´ll definetly experiment with bungees (and everything else I can think of...)

 

[kuster500]

I have an OMS dual bladder 100 that I have dove with. Here is what I will tell you about it.

The bungies are easy to use or not use depending on the diving that you are currently doing. When I cave dive with it, I unbungie it. When I dive in OW, I bungie it. Air will stick some in the bladder when bungied, but it is not difficult to manage.

Trying to use the second inflator hose is just like every gear configuration, YOU NEED TO PRACTICE WITH IT. If you take it into a pool and play with it a bunch before doing tech diving with it, it will help you imensely. I was told (since I don't do deep cave) that dual bladder wings are a requirement. Can someone explain that?

The problem with the wing comes with the size of the tank. If you are diving smaller tanks. This wing is way to much. It will wrap on the sides and air will get stuck causing instablity (if un bungied for cave diving), but on larger tanks, it works a lot better.

I've only had experience with the single tank halycon wings, but they are nice enough.

I would recommend the diverite classic for a very versitally wing.

Hope this helps.

 

[db8us]

The dump-valves tow-cord on the OMS try to pull themselves open with the bungies.
I have seen this happen 3 times at least in the late 90´s where some of my friends still used the OMS. So they have cut off the cords.
Two rocketed to the surface because of the second bladder beeing inflated accidently by other equipment pressing the inflator.

These days none of them is diving them anymore.
They were quiet popular in germany, but they are almost completly replaced these days by other brands.

 

[grazie42]

The bungies are easy to use or not use depending on the diving that you are currently doing. When I cave dive with it, I unbungie it. When I dive in OW, I bungie it. Air will stick some in the bladder when bungied, but it is not difficult to manage.

Thanks Kuster500...I have a regular BC for ow diving that I think I´ll continue to use and just dive my (newly aquired) double 15 liter/106cft set with the wing...and good point about practicing diving wth dual inflators...

Doc Intrepid earlier on this thread explained that diving wet you´re pretty much screwed if your wing fails while diving wet with steel cylinders...if you have dual-bladders this wouldnt be that big a problem...dont know if people dive caves wet or wth steels though...maybe he (or someone) else can clarify...

The dump-valves tow-cord on the OMS try to pull themselves open with the bungies.

Huh...didnt know that db8us...Looks like I´ll definetly be diving unbungeed...(will still try it out in controlled conditions though...)

 

[BigJetDriver]

Folks,

There has long been controversy over the subject of dual bladders, with one or both power inflators attached, or not, as you choose.

I have found an easy way to have both power inflators attached (to separate gas supplies, of course), and to protect oneself from accidental engagement or run-away.

A company called M&J makes a trombone-valve or slide shut-off valve, available from Oxycheq, that is neat, sweet, and bone-stock reliable.

When fitted into the supply line just above the quick disconnect (one on each side), they can be operated in a simple manner.

Keep the one on the active side (whichever you prefer) in the open position, and the other one in the closed position. If the acitve side runs away, from a button stuck in the open position (possible grain of sand), one click shuts it off instantly. Dump the excess gas. Open the other one with one click, and you are back in business.

It is simple, and offers TRUE redundancy. As we know, simple systems that work well are good. And true redundancy IS life, when you are operating in a hostile medium.

Remember, to paraphrase Mr. Natural: "Get the right tool for the diving job, kids!"

P.S.---BWODWDI = Bungied Wings Of Death With Dual Inflators

 

[TheStroke]

Have recently tried some 100lb double bladder wings with twin 11L. (Alum80's) there was a big problem dumping air especially from the lower dump. I was only using one bladder and had fully emptied the second bladder before diving to make sure. anyone else expeirenced this?

 

[DutchDown]

BigJetDriver, I was looking at the Oxycheq site for those valves you mentioned and didn't see them. I have a BWODWDI and they sound like a good idea. Where on the site should I look?

Thanks!

Phil

 

[kuster500]

Have recently tried some 100lb double bladder wings with twin 11L. (Alum80's) there was a big problem dumping air especially from the lower dump. I was only using one bladder and had fully emptied the second bladder before diving to make sure. anyone else expeirenced this?

I've had simalar problems with mine, and it isn't because of your second bladder.

First: This may sound dumb, but make sure you are using the correct dumps only certain dumps work for the paticular bladder.

Second: If you cave configure the main bladder hose, I found that it helped me out imensely as far as getting air out of the BC.

Third: That's really two much wing for those tanks if you are leaving them unbungied. The 100lb wing works much better on the larger tanks because it doesn't wrap around the outside of the tank. Which keeps the air in a position that makes it hard to dump.

Hope this helps.

Ben