Streamlined 35 lb singles wing?

[Mr. Dooley]

Just purchased the DGX BP/W wing, steel backplate.

Diving drysuit, cold water, HP 100. Turns out with the lead needed to descend, the rig can’t float without me in it, so I’m on the market for a 35# wing.

I liked how small / streamlined the DGX wing is. Nice for travel. Obviously a 35# wing will be a bit bigger, but I know various manufacturers use different dimensions / shapes to achieve similar lift.

Looking for which 35# wings people like in this regard.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Not to be weird about it, but would you mind sharing your height, weight, undergarments, and how much lead you dive with? I'm 6'0, 185 (~20lbs overweight), and dive a DUI Duo Therm II (rated for 45F-65F), and use 14 lbs of lead. I have found my 32lb wing to be much more lift than I need, I think a 20lb wing would actually do the trick.

The reason I ask is, if you are of roughly comparable build and undergarments, then you might be diving with much more lead than you actually need. Or, if you really can't shed any lead, then you might consider moving some lead off of the BC and onto a belt. I find it more comfortable to dive with a belt anyway, and keeps my back from having to lift as much on the dry land.

 

[KenGordon]

Maybe put some if the weight on a weight belt?

while it is convenient and often a bit more comfortable to put it on the rig it can lead to some hassle depending on your suit.

 

[KenGordon]

Not to be weird about it, but would you mind sharing your height, weight, undergarments, and how much lead you dive with? I'm 6'0, 185 (~20lbs overweight), and dive a DUI Duo Therm II (rated for 45F-65F), and use 14 lbs of lead. I have found my 32lb wing to be much more lift than I need, I think a 20lb wing would actually do the trick.

The reason I ask is, if you are of roughly comparable build and undergarments, then you might be diving with much more lead than you actually need.

There is a not entirely obvious problem that arises when the rig on it’s own sinks when fully inflated. If I were to use my 18lb wing with a steel 12, stainless plate etc and put all the lead for a drysuit (10-12kg) on it it would sink like a stone in fresh water.

 

[Mr. Dooley]

Not to be weird about it, but would you mind sharing your height, weight, undergarments, and how much lead you dive with? I'm 6'0, 185 (~20lbs overweight), and dive a DUI Duo Therm II (rated for 45F-65F), and use 14 lbs of lead. I have found my 32lb wing to be much more lift than I need, I think a 20lb wing would actually do the trick.

The reason I ask is, if you are of roughly comparable build and undergarments, then you might be diving with much more lead than you actually need. Or, if you really can't shed any lead, then you might consider moving some lead off of the BC and onto a belt. I find it more comfortable to dive with a belt anyway, and keeps my back from having to lift as much on the dry land.

We’re roughly similar build - I’m 5’10, 187. Diving Aqualung ThermalFusion undergarment, plus two base layers (wool + fleece). So I’m pretty well bundled up, diving in 42 degree F water.

The 30# wing has enough lift to float me on the surface, certainly. And when underwater I have it totally empty anyway - with all those undergarments, I can only have a small amount of air (less than I’d like) in my drysuit before I find myself too positive. This with 15 pounds of lead.

The weight I’m using is in trim pockets in the cam bands.

Would your 20 pound wing float your rig without you in it?

 

[Brett Hatch]

We’re roughly similar build - I’m 5’10, 187. Diving Aqualung ThermalFusion undergarment, plus two base layers (wool + fleece). So I’m pretty well bundled up, diving in 42 degree F water.

OK, just checking on the lead, because if you said you were using 25 lbs or something, then that would be the issue. 15 pounds sounds reasonable.

The 30# wing has enough lift to float me on the surface, certainly. And when underwater I have it totally empty anyway - with all those undergarments, I can only have a small amount of air (less than I’d like) in my drysuit before I find myself too positive. This with 15 pounds of lead.

The weight I’m using is in trim pockets in the cam bands.

Would your 20 pound wing float your rig without you in it?

I think it would. Faber HP100's are about 8 lbs negative when full (Worthingtons about 10 lbs) and a stainless plate is about 6lbs. Then there's some plastic, D-rings, boltsnaps, a knife, shears, lights etc on the rig as well that won't affect ballast very much, maybe call it +/- 1 lb for everything combined. I don't own a 20lb wing, and don't necessarily recommend buying one, but I believe it would be sufficient to float the rig, regardless of your choice in drysuit undergarments.

The key is to put the lead on a belt. I've tried it both ways, and find that regardless of any weight considerations , it's easier and more comfortable to wear the lead on my hips instead of on my torso. Not requiring a larger wing is sort of a bonus. The other bonus is, if you ever need to remove your rig underwater, both you and the rig will be roughly neutral, instead of your rig being an anchor and you being a cork.

Nylon belts suck, though. Mako Spearguns makes a very good rubber weight belt. The rubber is stretchy, so it is more comfortable than a nylon belt. Here's a photo of my Mako belt with 16 lbs of their "pinch" weights on it. It works really well.

 

[MidOH]

I also have to split the weight with a thicker wetsuit. No way my 30# wing will float all my lead. But a 30# wing is plenty with me strapped in.

So half my lead is on my weight belt. Problem solved.

 

[JoeTPhilly]

I had the same problem as I kept my lead in ACB pockets so I got the 40 pound eclipse wing. The SS plate and STA were 7 lbs, add 8 pounds for a Faber or 10 for a Worthington, add 2 or 3 pounds for the regulator, a couple pounds for backup lights and hardware plus the lead and it was pushing the 30lb wing. The Halcyon 40 pound wing dimensions aren't much different from the 30 so it was the way I went. I have a 30 lb for warm water.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Get that weight off your rig and onto a weight belt and you’ll he fine with your 30# wing.
If you still need more lift then buy the Oxycheq Mach V 40#. The Oxycheq’s are the original “skinny” wing that everyone else copied.
Then you can sell me your 30# DGX wing.

 

[inquis]

I run a 22 lb wing with 27 lb of lead for thick undergarments and drysuit: 12 on the rig, 15 on a weight belt. The rig floats just fine without me. I float just fine without the rig. I have 17-22 lb available buoyancy to help a buddy. The wing alone would handle a severe suit flood (50%). A total suit flood is easily handled by dropping the belt. Even a total suit flood+total wing failure isn't an issue (after dropping the belt).