There's a
lot of choices, so don't rush into a purchase until you've exhausted your research.
Question 1# Why do you want/need a Comfort Harness?
Do you just
assume that is would be better due to the cost..or because it resembles the jacket BCD style you are already familiar with? If you've not tried a plain ('
Hog' or Hogarthian) harness, then do this
first. You may find that you much prefer the basic harness, to the fancy one. Many divers do
In my logic, it's better to get the standard version first...and upgrade later
if you have to, then to get the fancy one first and end up selling it a month later on Craigslist at a major loss.
I made this mistake when I bought my first wing. The comfort harness was listed on Ebay within a month of buying it. sigh.
Question 2# How much wing volume do you need?
Single tank wings are available in a range of volumes, from 16l up to 40l. Don't buy bigger capacity than you will need.
Oxycheq sell some great small volume (<30l capacity) wings.
Question 3# Do you have any specific requirements?
I wreck dive, so I look for the most robust and puncture/abrasion resistant wing possible. I imagine the same is true for cave divers, and even many 'reef' divers. Investigate the wing fabric materials. The Oxycheq Mach V Extreme wing has 3x the abrasion and puncture resistance of Kevlar. I've already singled this out for my next purchase
Question 4# What backplate do you need?
Steel? Aluminum? Kydex? Nylon? The weight and durability of different backplate materials is a key factor in your decision. I have both a steel and aluminum backplates. Steel is best when I drysuit dive, as it compensates more for the increased buoyancy. Aluminum is a great option for travelling.
Question 6# How might you want to expand your configuration in the future?
Getting a good single tank configuration can save time and money later, as you might get into twinset/technical diving. Plan ahead if that is a possibility.
OMS are fine in terms of quality and cost. Some brands like Halcyon, Agir and Oxycheq offer wider ranges and
may have better quality, but are also more expensive. Do check out DSS wings.... they are simular to OMS, but may be cheaper?