Overthinking BP/W Choice - Are tapered wings better?

[Jim Lapenta]

If you can get it for the same price, I'd take the HOG 32 over the 23. I was a HOG dealer for over 10 years and sold maybe 5 of the 23's. And dozens of the 32. With the bungees installed the 32 is not much bigger than the 23 and there may be times when you want that extra 9-10lbs of lift. Say if you have to support another diver at the surface or use a heavy steel cylinder.
I had a 23 for my personal gear for about a month. Used it on a few dives and just didn't feel comfortable with it. As an instructor, I never knew when I was going to have to help someone or would realize that the only full tanks I had on hand were my LP95s.
There is little to be gained in the real world with a tiny wing. Streamlining? Really? How fast are you planning on swimming so that a smaller wing is going to be any less drag? As long as it doesn't taco the tank a 30-32lb wing is not going to create any problems.

 

[Doc Harry]

Friends don't let friends buy OMS gear.

OMS does not honor their warranty on wings. Stay away from that company.

 

[scrane]

I’ve been diving a HOG 23# wing for 8 years and it’s just dandy. I like the classic donut shape and the materials and design are fine.

 

[happy-diver]

Is that the OMS of the past present or future

Friends don't let friends buy OMS gear.

OMS does not honor their warranty on wings. Stay away from that company.

 

[Doc Harry]

Is that the OMS of the past present or future

My past experience with OMS when the stitching on the wing fell apart. I sent the wing to OMS and they took about 6 months to respond to my letters, emails, and phone messages. They said they weren't going to honor their warranty, so I wanted my wing returned to me. Another 6 months passed with no response from OMS, then they said they'd return my wing. Another 6 months of calls, emails, and phone messages before I got my wing.

 

[scrane]

I am not a doctor, (nor do I play one on the internet), but my HOG wing continues to be a solid piece of gear beyond what I would have expected.
How old was the wing when it failed? Where and how did the stitching fail? Did you have an RMA to help prevent the wing getting lost in the system? Did the give a reason for refusing to honor the warranty? Did they finally repair the wing?

 

[Tournesol2000]

I have the Zeagle 30lb wing. Love it. I had the DGX wing and I felt it was too narrow for my liking when I threaded weight pouches to the can bands, and use the OMS STA, so I sold the wing. Even without STA, it felt too tight with weight pouches.
I am now thinking of the Deep6 wing as it will dry faster and that would make it an excellent choice for travelling…. IMO

 

[Doc Harry]

How old was the wing when it failed? Where and how did the stitching fail? Did you have an RMA to help prevent the wing getting lost in the system? Did the give a reason for refusing to honor the warranty? Did they finally repair the wing?

The stitching unraveled all the way around the zipper. It had been stitched right on the edge of the nylon, and it took only a few months before the stitching pulled through the unraveled edge of the nylon.

Yes, I had an RMA when I sent the wing to OMS. After my initial contact with OMS, I was able to make contact only once in 18 months. When I called OMS, all I ever got was voicemail. No one ever returned any of my calls, ever, and I left dozens and dozens and dozens of voice mail messages. I sent written letters and dozens of e-mails. Over 18 months they only responded once, to inform me that they weren't going to fix my wing.

They didn't give a reason for not honoring their warranty, they just said they weren't going to fix it or replace it.

No, the wing was not repaired. I am now the proud owner of a Halcyon BC/wing.

 

[sea_ledford]

I'm a big Dive Rite fan, but not of the voyager wings. They seem to trap air more than they should at first glance. I think it is the placement of the inflator hose on the wing (for dumping with the inflator, using the butt dump works fine). The travel wing doesn't seem to have the same problem.

Oxycheq is my go-to for wings, but they aren't on your list. I think they make one of the DXG wings though. I've had my Mach V wing since abut 2005 and the only thing I've done to it is service/replace the inflator head.

 

[scrane]

The stitching unraveled all the way around the zipper. It had been stitched right on the edge of the nylon, and it took only a few months before the stitching pulled through the unraveled edge of the nylon.

Yes, I had an RMA when I sent the wing to OMS. After my initial contact with OMS, I was able to make contact only once in 18 months. When I called OMS, all I ever got was voicemail. No one ever returned any of my calls, ever, and I left dozens and dozens and dozens of voice mail messages. I sent written letters and dozens of e-mails. Over 18 months they only responded once, to inform me that they weren't going to fix my wing.

They didn't give a reason for not honoring their warranty, they just said they weren't going to fix it or replace it.

No, the wing was not repaired. I am now the proud owner of a Halcyon BC/wing.

Wow. that's crazy. Thanks for the elaboration.