Re-start on topic: Questions concerning Backplates.

[RJP]

The DSS LCD30 is a 30# lift wing, right? I couldn't find lift spec on the website for some reason.

Looks to me like you indeed found lift specs on the website.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks for the help.
With the DGX travel combo sold out, it looks like my choices are wider.
Under a worst case scenario, if I need to run an aluminum 80 I would need to plan for that.
To be honest, I wanted to go cheap and simple and figure out what I like and hate later. It happened with my BC and as I was starting to change my diving habits and simplify my routine. Harness set-ups are seemingly flexible after purchase but wings are not. The travel set-up at least gives me the option to have a travel wing if needed (I admit a dumb idea since I don't travel much for diving.). The DSS LCD30 is a 30# lift wing, right? I couldn't find lift spec on the website for some reason.

The # associated with all DSS wings represents the lift in lbs. A Torus 26 provides 26 lbs of lift, a Torus 17 provides 17 lbs etc.

We test our wings lift capacity as follows:

Weigh a wing empty and record the weight

Assemble this wing onto a plate and harness with a 8" cylinder

Fill the wing completely with water.

Remove the full of water and weigh it a 2nd time.

Subtract the empty weight from the full weight, this represents the weight of water the wing can displace when assembled to a DSS plate and with a cylinder attached.

Narrow wings will be constrained by the plate and cylinder, in the "free state" i.e. not assembled to a plate and tank it's typical for our wings to offer considerably more volume.

Divers need to know the capacity as assembled however.

If your suit is really +16 ~18 lbs and you use a weight belt for ~4-6 lbs of ballast (pretty much any diver can accommodate a 6 lbs weight belt. ) You would be well served with a 25-26 lbs wing.

These wings are a reasonable compromise for warm and cold water diving. If you see a drysuit in your future you may want to consider a 30 lbs wing as drysuits tend to be more buoyant than the wetsuit they replace.

Tobin