Question Subgravity Paragon or HOG System?

[RobPNW]

I do not think you will have much luck getting a vdh wing.

I dive a 38lb dry no issues with integrated weights, carrying pony bottle, full camera setup..ect.

Yeah but do you have as much bioprene as I do?

 

[Eric802]

I saw you decided on the Paragon, which I’m sure will be great. But I figured I’d take the opportunity to post a pic of the HOG setup I put together last weekend. It’s the 32lb wing; overkill for now but who knows what the future holds.

 

[RobPNW]

I saw you decided on the Paragon, which I’m sure will be great. But I figured I’d take the opportunity to post a pic of the HOG setup I put together last weekend. It’s the 32lb wing; overkill for now but who knows what the future holds.
View attachment 752720

I have that same cutter.

 

[RobPNW]

I noticed the Paragons look a little taller and narrower than some others out there. Can anyone speak to advantages and disadvantages of taller/narrower vs shorter/wider wings? Off the top of my head, it seems the narrower ones would taco less. That's all I can think of right now though.

 

[inquis]

If I ditch the goal of no weight belt, I may look at the VDH38

Your travel wing might work in that case. I use a weight belt for thicker layers and use a 22 lb wing.

Remember, a wing must do two things:

A) Compensate for air yet to be consumed (5-7 lbs for most cylinders) plus wetsuit crush (zero in a drysuit)​

B) Float the rig alone​

With some weight on a weightbelt, (B) becomes easier. You do need to consider a suit flood, but you conveniently have ditchable weight to compensate for lost suit buoyancy. (Assuming it gets flooded enough to overwhelm the wing.)

Don't worry about a can light: add a 1.5 lb battery, subtract 1.5 lb lead. It's a wash if you have lead on the rig to give up. (It's only a problem when you're using steel tanks / plate for all your ballast instead of lead bricks.)

 

[Regulated]

Remember, a wing must do two things:

A) Compensate for air yet to be consumed (5-7 lbs for most cylinders) plus wetsuit crush (zero in a drysuit)​

B) Float the rig​

Respectfully, I would add:

C) Support the diver at the surface with enough positive buoyancy to prevent fatigue in rough conditions
D) Provide sufficient reserve buoyancy to enable the diver to assist a fellow diver in distress.

That’s why I opted for a 30 pound wing. YMMV.

 

[inquis]

I agree those are considerations, but not typically driving ones. When properly weighted, you are neutral at the end of the dive with an EMPTY wing. This leaves the entire wing capacity for C and D (less the weight of the air if not at reserve pressure). I agree the amount of margin is a personal call.

 

[Regulated]

The Subgravity Paragon 30 package arrived fully assembled from DRIS, ahead of schedule. I would describe it as robust, utilitarian and super solid. With adjustable harness, aluminum plate and small weight system, it weighs in at 9.0 pounds. A bit heftier than the Scubapro Level at 7.5. Both fit (one at a time!) in my Stahlsac Rangi carryon. So that box is checked, so to speak.

Might I have been happier with the compromises inherent in a 6 pound XDeep Ghost? The HOG? Or something else with a soft “backplate”? We may never know. I do know the Zeagle looked like a toy on my husky 6’ frame. The SG does not.

It will take some time to get all adjustments dialed in and to grow accustomed to this beast. Clearly though, the SG Paragon is plenty strong to last for a lifetime and versatile enough for any imaginable scenario of rec diving from a boat.

Really appreciate all the varied opinions expressed here. Thanks!

 

[kelpdog]

The Subgravity Paragon 30 package arrived fully assembled from DRIS, ahead of schedule. I would describe it as robust, utilitarian and super solid. With adjustable harness, aluminum plate and small weight system, it weighs in at 9.0 pounds. A bit heftier than the Scubapro Level at 7.5. Both fit (one at a time!) in my Stahlsac Rangi carryon. So that box is checked, so to speak.

Might I have been happier with the compromises inherent in a 6 pound XDeep Ghost? The HOG? Or something else with a soft “backplate”? We may never know. I do know the Zeagle looked like a toy on my husky 6’ frame. The SG does not.

It will take some time to get all adjustments dialed in and to grow accustomed to this beast. Clearly though, the SG Paragon is plenty strong to last for a lifetime and versatile enough for any imaginable scenario of rec diving from a boat.

Really appreciate all the varied opinions expressed here. Thanks!

Awesome! Write a report once you get it in the water!

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

The Subgravity Paragon 30 package arrived fully assembled from DRIS, ahead of schedule. I would describe it as robust, utilitarian and super solid. With adjustable harness, aluminum plate and small weight system, it weighs in at 9.0 pounds. A bit heftier than the Scubapro Level at 7.5. Both fit (one at a time!) in my Stahlsac Rangi carryon. So that box is checked, so to speak.
It will take some time to get all adjustments dialed in and to grow accustomed to this beast. Clearly though, the SG Paragon is plenty strong to last for a lifetime and versatile enough for any imaginable scenario of rec diving from a boat.

Really appreciate all the varied opinions expressed here. Thanks!

Enjoy, I love my Sub Gravity Paragon system.