Question Tecline Peanut 16 or Mares XR?

[CatSalvargh]

Hi there!

I am about to buy my first wing (having tried them before) and I've got two really good offers on these 2 second hand, which is good enough for my first own wing.
I've read some good reviews on both, but I couldn't find a comparisson, so I am a bit confused as to which one would be better. the Mares XR seems to be an excellent, resilient wing and the Tecline gets lots of praisal for the peanut shape. Can you guys give me some feedback on these two and what would be your pick:

- Tecline 16 Peanut with trim pokects and comfort harness
- Mares XR (SS) single tank (it is not the xr-rec model)

About my dives: I am a female (5''7 / 1.70m) AOW, PADI rescue and I recently did a first level of Tech diving and intend to continue down the route of tech training, although I'll be diving single tanks for the time being. I dive in Europe, North Athlantic (North of Spain, France and Ireland), so water temperature ranging from 12 to 20C (if I get lucky in the summer), I usually wear a 7mm semi-dry suit and ocassionally a 3mm shorty underneath. With this configuration, I gnerally carry about 4-4.5kg extra wieght with a BCD and about 3.5-4 with a SS W/BP. I have been told by my instructors that I have a good trim with either BCD or Wings, but once I tried the W/BP on the Tec training there was no going back to the jacket

Thanks in advance!
Cath

 

[sinidive]

I'm roughly the same size as you and am generally quite happy with a Tecline Peanut 16.

I can vouch that the Peanut works, but I would be happy with any other decent donut shaped wing too. Have dived 6L->15L singles with it, sometimes with a stage.

The only personal disadvantages of Peanut that I have found
- Works ok even without a STA but if not using STA one has to focus more when attaching a new tank
- Ships with a normal corrugated hose and I prefer a oval one (trivial to change, and very subjective)

I prefer a standard DIR style harness rather than those comfort harnesses, but whatever works for you.

For the Mares XR setup, hasn't Mares used a lighter weight nylon has had issues with the durability of the wing? But perhaps in only some wings?

Someone can comment more on the Mares offering probably!

 

[CatSalvargh]

I'm roughly the same size as you and am generally quite happy with a Tecline Peanut 16.

Thanks a mil!! It is nice to hear this because I'm a bit more inclined towards the Tecline, merely because the one I used for my tec training was a Tecline that I found quite comfortable to dive with.

The corrugated hose is not an issue for me and the one I'm buying comes with a STA. I'd agree that I'd rather start getting used to the DIR style early, although in this case I'm getting a great deal, and since I'm just after purchasing a reg, as well... my budget dictates that DIR may have to wait a bit lol