Preferred choices for backplate and wings?

[Caveman]

@Chase Kaplan oh, if you're doing wreck penetration, I'd probably lean towards the Dive Rite. The "armor" they use is really interesting and quite durable from a puncture and abrasion standpoint

Occasional wrecks but I am also planning on pursuing cave diving very soon in which case, extra 'armor' will definitely be needed. Dive Rite it is then

 

[Diving Dubai]

I had been flushing the thing after diving, but still there was salt (or sand?) build up in the bottom that lead to leaking near a seam. Obviously, flushing it with a garden hose adapter and that cleaner stuff they sell in dive shops was not sufficient.

Remove teh rear dump and inflator (they both unscrew) immerse in warm soapy water then rinse. Replace Inflator and dump, inflate and dry. Every month or so depending on you dive schedule.

My DR wing is 5 yrs/+600 dives, my wife's Frog over 9 years old and both going strong despite being in the Middle East

 

[tbone1004]

@Chase Kaplan wet rocks aren't nearly as bad as rusted steel. It's the top of your tanks that take the beating more than the sides of the wing

 

[kensuf]

The halcyon wings are fine for cave and wreck diving. So are the dive rites. You can't go wrong with either one, they both have a nice shape that cuts through the water well.

If you get the dive rite, make sure you specify not to have a shoulder pull dump but rather a standard elbow. They frequently ship them with integrated pull dumps, which aren't really that great.

 

[Searcaigh]

I have several DR products and use an armoured double bladder wing for my tech diving with no issues. I did buy a Voyager wing for single tank (+ stage / pony) for my regular diving about 3 years ago from DR when I was in Florida and within 2 months it was leaking at the elbow due to poor threads into the bladder.

I took it to my LDS that deals with DR in UAE (Dive Garage / Divers Down) and the bladder with corrugated hose was replaced without question. You can't fault that sort of service.

I've got several hundred dives on a DR Travelpac too, which is a great lightweight travel unit.

 

[Marie13]

Another vote for Dive Rite. Another SB member generously gave me a 10-12 year old DR Rec model wing to get me started with for doubles. Wing hadn’t been used in a while.

All it needed was a new power inflator head and a new OPV. There had been a recall back in the late 2000s on these wings due to the OPV spring possibly breaking (very bad!). I contacted DR and was sent a new OPV spring (I advised I was not the original owner), but chose to replace the entire OPV.

Wing has obviously been well- loved but there appears to be a lot of life left in it. Does just fine in the pool and will be taken to the quarry (April) and then on Lake Michigan (May) as soon as winter is over. It works just fine.

Long post to put in my vote for DR.

 

[dberry]

I've got two oxycheq wings (38 and 30) and find them quite durable. Flushing them periodically is a good idea, but be very careful not to lose the gasket/O-ring that goes where the elbow screws on to the wing. When I got a replacement the supplier mentioned that it's not uncommon for folks to not notice the gasket fall out and lose it.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I may actually be in the market myself and am wondering which DR rig to consider. Most of my diving will be local quarry style diving helping with OW classes, etc. (DM duties) but also some warm blue water diving. For now mainly single tank but I'd like to eventually get into tec and start doing more deep diving and possible penetration diving on sites like the Dwayne, Spiegel Grove, Oriskany, etc. Those are a little ways off yet, at least until I ramp up my number of dives as I don't think I'm anywhere near ready for that, but it's definitely in my future. SO with regards to DR....where do I start?

 

[Caveman]

The halcyon wings are fine for cave and wreck diving. So are the dive rites. You can't go wrong with either one, they both have a nice shape that cuts through the water well.

If you get the dive rite, make sure you specify not to have a shoulder pull dump but rather a standard elbow. They frequently ship them with integrated pull dumps, which aren't really that great.

I think I will choose the Dive Rite. The Classic XT looks to be very suited to the kind of diving that I want to do. And noted! As for the standard elbow inflator, there's a choice between a 12 inch and 16 inch. Between these two, is there a preferred choice or is it simply diver preference?

 

[Caveman]

Another vote for Dive Rite. Another SB member generously gave me a 10-12 year old DR Rec model wing to get me started with for doubles. Wing hadn’t been used in a while.

All it needed was a new power inflator head and a new OPV. There had been a recall back in the late 2000s on these wings due to the OPV spring possibly breaking (very bad!). I contacted DR and was sent a new OPV spring (I advised I was not the original owner), but chose to replace the entire OPV.

Wing has obviously been well- loved but there appears to be a lot of life left in it. Does just fine in the pool and will be taken to the quarry (April) and then on Lake Michigan (May) as soon as winter is over. It works just fine.

Long post to put in my vote for DR.

Sounds like amazing equipment. I am gonna be going with the DR Classic XT wing as I dive 15L twins and I will need the 27kg of lift. Not the preferred cylinder size of many divers but it has worked out really well for me, using other people's BC's or renting of course. The Rec wing might not have enough lift for handle that load. Not to mention stage cylinders and all the other gear on a dive. Unless I am mistaken? As for diving singles, I could always buy the Voyager at another point