Which wing / bcd?

[KerrenL]

Hi all!

I’m a fairly experienced diver who is going through the DM course this year.

Most of my diving is in warmer waters when I get (too many early years of cold water diving has put me off!) and I’m looking for a BCD that I can travel with but also set up for side mount.

I’m hoping to do the side mount course also this year.

Diving is a mix of liveaboard and local dive centres so can’t guarantee that everywhere I go will have side mount capability. So may have to dive single BM some times.

Appreciate the best option would likely be to buy a good SM rig and a separate BM wing then make sure before I go that the dive centres can accommodate. However some of my travel will include impromptu diving so ideally I’d like something that can do both.

I like the looks of the Hollis SMS75 but not sure whether it’s likely to be too bulky for travel.

Any thoughts / ideas would be well received.

Thanks!
K

 

[KerrenL]

As others have said, there's no off-the-shelf dual purpose system.

If you're doing the DiveMaster course, you'd probably have to dive in their poodle jackets like all their clients in rental kit. Would imagine they'd get upset if you're using a tech-style backplate + wing with longhose, necklace, etc.

Sidemount diving is very different from the classic recreational single diving. For one thing you have proper redundancy, which is why it's used in overhead environments. Sidemount is pretty easy but is an endless faff to get correctly configured. Once adjusted, it's wonderful. You don't need a sidemount course, more like a sidemount mentor who can configure your kit correctly and show you the quick way to kit up.

For single tank warm-water backmount I use an aluminum backplate + single piece harness + single cylinder wing (Halcyon Eclipse) + single tank adapter + weight pockets + longhose and necklace regs. This is very lightweight and convenient to travel with.

For sidemount I have an Xdeep Stealth with a pair of dedicated Mk25 first stage regulators. This works really well for shore dives, overhead cave/mine dives, etc.

For deep and wreck dives from a boat, I use a rebreather with all the associated bailout cylinders.

The point is you use different types of kit for different types of diving.

Thanks for this. I’ve come to this conclusion too. I was looking at the Xdeep systems, again maybe one that can do singles and twins. So much kit so little time haha

 

[Wibble]

BP+wing backmount requires two different sized wings for single and twinset, e.g. 40 lb Halcyon Evo for twins and a 30 lb Halcyon Eclipse as they're different shapes

 

[KerrenL]

BP+wing backmount requires two different sized wings for single and twinset, e.g. 40 lb Halcyon Evo for twins and a 30 lb Halcyon Eclipse as they're different shapes

Could have sworn I’ve seen some that can do both, they just have an adaptor on the BM to change strap configuration?

 

[Wibble]

Could have sworn I’ve seen some that can do both, they just have an adaptor on the BM to change strap configuration?

It's a compromise. The wings wrap around the cylinder (single large), the twinset (pair of large cylinders) or the rebreather (pair of small cylinders plus large scrubber, effectively three cylinders wide). All require different wings.

However, if you're happy to look like a floppy eared dog, of course a doubles wing will work on a single.

 

[KerrenL]

It's a compromise. The wings wrap around the cylinder (single large), the twinset (pair of large cylinders) or the rebreather (pair of small cylinders plus large scrubber, effectively three cylinders wide). All require different wings.

However, if you're happy to look like a floppy eared dog, of course a doubles wing will work on a single.

Thanks!! Having spent some more time down the google rabbit hole I’m leaning towards the Halcyon Eclipse Pro Wing System. I can then swap out the tank adapter and Wing for the Evolve. Keeps the weight light but also the flexibility to do both

 

[Wibble]

Thanks!! Having spent some more time down the google rabbit hole I’m leaning towards the Halcyon Eclipse Pro Wing System. I can then swap out the tank adapter and Wing for the Evolve. Keeps the weight light but also the flexibility to do both

Now the big tip...

Buy second hand! It's massively cheaper for what's just a bag.

 

[KerrenL]

Now the big tip...

Buy second hand! It's massively cheaper for what's just a bag.

Yea if I can find one!

 

[Srose22]

when I did my DM course through PADI they made us do an under water gear exchange and I specifically used a jacket style bcd for that class I had laying around instead of my wing back plate set up because of how annoying the task would be underwater with other people.

I also use xdeep set up side mount, as others said don’t try and mix the two. The styles of diving you want to do will need there own separate pieces of kit to do so correctly.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

If I were you, I would really think about the types of diving you plan to do.

Generally (generally) any place that can accommodate technical diving will be able to handle backmount doubles / twinset and sidemount. Accommodate means they have the boats, allow long dives, can blend the gases, can provide O2 clean stages and you trust them to actually be there after 30 minutes of deco or if someone gets bent.

If you frequently dive in a place that cannot accommodate techie divers (vast majority of dive centers and liveaboards out there), you will be just another awkward sidemount w*nker doing the same 60 minute 20 meter dives like everyone else, except that you spent first 3 days faffing with gear while everyone else was in a bar.

 

[happy-diver]

Be aware or be square