What size doubles wing?

[lonebrave]

I'm currently living and diving in Hawaii...nice warm water location. Gear is DIR rigged single tank right now. I'm looking to start diving double AL80s in a couple months (already have the tanks and manifold...just need bands, doubles wing, and another first stage), but I'm not sure what size wing to get. Currently dive a 3mm wetsuit, steel plate, 17lb singles wing, and 4lbs on a belt. Not sure what size doubles wing to get. The uncertainty is mostly due to the fact that I'll be moving to Maryland in November. I plan to get a drysuit for next year, and assume I'll be better off diving steel tanks instead of AL80s. What I don't know is how that will affect my needs for a wing.

So, any thoughts or recommendations on what size doubles wing I'll need for mid-atlantic diving and whether or not that will be too much here in Hawaii for 4-5 months of diving?

 

[Pullmyfinger]

It depends on what drysuit and undergarment you end up buying. The steel tanks you choose will also effect you choice of wing.
If diving a 3mm wetsuit with doubles 80's, I would recommend either a DSS Torus 38 or a Halcyon Evolve 40.

Note: Before anybody pounces all over that....I am recommending wings that I have actually used with a 3mm wetsuit and double 80's. Obviously there are other companies out there that manufacture wings of similar size. Must tread carefully when answering these posts. ;-)

As for your anticipated future-rig......I can't say, since I don't know what you will end up purchasing. The height of your future steel doubles might effect your wing choice; Some wings are too tall for shorter LP 95s for example.

Cheers,
Mitch

 

[TSandM]

If you are going to go from Al80s to Lp104s with cave fills, or HP130s, you just aren't going to be happy with the same wing for both.

But if you go from the 80's to LP85s or HP100s, you can use a 40 lb wing with no problems. That's what I use for both.

 

[PfcAJ]

~40lb wing for al80s, lp85s, hp100s, lp72s, and similar sized tanks.

~55lb wing for lp104s, HP130s, lp120s, and other similar tanks.

 

[decompression]

Normally I agree with PfcAJ, for smaller steels and ALs a 40 lb wing is the ticket. I also used my oxycheq 40 for Al80s up to HP 120s (drysuit). I usually recommend that the wing works with your rig as a whole (lift, fit, streamline etc) and because of the difference in tanks you would seem to need 2 wings for optimum set up. For the last 2 years I've been using a UTD Alpha wing on AL 80s, HP 100s and HP 120s. It has adjustable lift which keeps it very streamlined regardless of tanks and plenty of lift for steels with stages/deco bottles. My resources aren't "bottomless" so money is always an issue, more so it's very convenient when teaching to have a capable multi-purpose wing. The old school of thought is one wing one job but I can say with actual experience with this wing it meets a lot of needs. My friend Kelli used one in Hawaii and also SoCal with great success. Just an option. Cheers.

 

[James R]

Most of the advice on wings above is pretty good, but may not work for you when you get to steel tanks and a wetsuit. It wouldn't for me. If I am wearing a 3mm wetsuit & a 3/5 hooded vest while diving my double faber fx series hp100 tanks with my AL backplate, I need a lot more than a 40lb wing. The Oxycheq vertex 57 is barely enough lift. Diving dry, the 57 was/is fine.

For now, in warmer salt water with AL80 doubles a smaller wing would probably be fine. I would try to borrow/rent a few different wings before buying. That's what I was able to do, and it saved me a lot of headache and some cash.