Which xDeep model and which wing?

[hammerhead_sm]

I know this question has come up, in different shades on other threads in this forum, but I can't seem to get the answers I've been looking for. So thought of just posting it directly.

I've shortlisted the XDeep for my first BP/W, but I'm a little confused between the Zen Standard and the Zeos Standard (both in Al) I'm not considering the xDeep Ghost as I believe it is not GUE compatible and I hope to do my fundies course in a couple of months. Please do correct me if this is not accurate.

I'm 6'1 and most of my diving will be single-tank warm water diving in a rash guard or a 3mm full wetsuit. For nearly all of my past 200 dives, I've used about 3Kgs on my weight belt and a jacket BCD. Also, nearly all of my diving requires a flight to get to. Finally, I am hoping to get into sidemount soon and eventually go down the tech route. From what I gather, I will anyway be needing a new wing for twins. Will I also need a new wing for sidemount? How can I estimate what sized wing do I need that will support both my single-tank BM as well as my future sidemount diving?

So my concerns are essentially -

• The 19Kg of lift on the Zen seems excessive for my diving. Or am I overthinking it? Do the wing sizes really vary much? I have this image of my wing folding into a taco while diving. Is the taco a real problem? Will such a large wing cause excessive drag?
  
  
• I can't seem to find any reason to differentiate between the Zen and the Zeos apart from backplate design and wing size? How should one think about this decision?
  
  
• If I were to consider the Zeos - would the 13Kg lift suffice, or should I get the 17Kg?

Unfortunately, given where I live there aren't too many other options and I'm getting a decent discount through my dive shop, so I'd like to take a decision soon, and hopefully one that doesn't leave me with buyer's remorse.

All of your advice would be most appreciated.

 

[drakcheslav]

Ok, so if you wanna switch to sidemount, I'd advise to go ahead with it, instead of going the backplate route.
As for the backplate, I have experience with all of the Xdeep wings and I suggest the Zeos. 13L if you dive aluminium tanks, 17 if you dive steel. Also, I prefer the more classic wing. Zen is great, but fits a bit different, and it's a bit more cumbersome than the Zeos, since the backplate is bigger, but it's more comfortable. And in case of switching to the doubles wing, a bit more streamlined, since it's lower down the back, and the valves are not obstructed.

As fot travel, a sidemount rig is the best. Since you don't have any plates. And you can even use it in a single tank configuration. I switched to sidemoun when i started my tech courses and to be hones, I'm not looking back. I've configured it so I can dive both one and two tanks. Two steel tanks at home and where I can drive, and If a dive center doesn't have a sidemount set, I can mount a left tank only, and mount weight on the right side to offset it.

 

[hammerhead_sm]

As fot travel, a sidemount rig is the best. Since you don't have any plates. And you can even use it in a single tank configuration. I switched to sidemoun when i started my tech courses and to be hones, I'm not looking back. I've configured it so I can dive both one and two tanks. Two steel tanks at home and where I can drive, and If a dive center doesn't have a sidemount set, I can mount a left tank only, and mount weight on the right side to offset it.

Thanks @drakcheslav . That's very helpful. I do agree on the Zeos being a more classic setup.

However, on the Zen v Zeos wing difference - does 13L v 19L make a visible difference underwater? Is the wing taco, really a thing? Does it impact your diving profile at all? Why should one think deeply about these differences?

Finally, if I am doing AN/DP and trimix courses, would you be suggesting that the Zen might be better, and more comfortable, once the wings are switched?

 

[inquis]

A 19 kg singles wing does not work with doubles. (It's not wide enough.) Doing fundies with the 13 kg singles wing will teach you a lot. That wing will also be fine for 3mm diving.

If you continue along the GUE path, you'll need a dedicated doubles wing. Side mount doesn't appear in the GUE curriculum until WAY down the road. If you want to do side mount and not bother with doubles, just know it will be outside the GUE structure. Side mount requires a dedicated rig, replacing the backplate & wing. (There is a version of SM that uses 2 backplates, the Toddy rig, but it's very much out of favor.)

SM also complicates AN/DP a bit and especially Trimix. What's your reasoning for wanting to get into SM "soon"?

 

[drakcheslav]

Thanks @drakcheslav . That's very helpful. I do agree on the Zeos being a more classic setup.

However, on the Zen v Zeos wing difference - does 13L v 19L make a visible difference underwater? Is the wing taco, really a thing? Does it impact your diving profile at all? Why should one think deeply about these differences?

Finally, if I am doing AN/DP and trimix courses, would you be suggesting that the Zen might be better, and more comfortable, once the wings are switched?

13 vs 19 isa big difference. The 19 Zen is more streamlined than the 17 Zeos, but as inquisit said, 13 will teach you a lot, especially since you're a warm water diver.

P.s. 13/14 is more than enough for anything apart wetsuit winter diving. I used to dive a DGX 14l wing for winter diving, and since the wing couldn't floar the 15l steel tank with weights for dry diving. I'd recommend against it.

If you're going for compactness 13 is a safe bet. If you want comfort Zen19 is the way to go. If you're going sidemoun (do to what ever reason, mine was a bad back and a nerve compression in the neck) then you can freely skip any plates and get a Xdeep Stealth. And go down that route.

 

[inquis]

you can freely skip any plates and get a Xdeep Stealth.

Just know this removes the fundies option.

 

[drakcheslav]

Also, I forgot to address one of the questions. Yes the wings taco. All donut wings (apart from the oblong narrow ones, Argonaut, DGX) taco. But it's not excessive. I'd say the 17 Zeos tacos more then the 19 Zen

 

[LFMarm]

I know this question has come up, in different shades on other threads in this forum, but I can't seem to get the answers I've been looking for. So thought of just posting it directly.

I've shortlisted the XDeep for my first BP/W, but I'm a little confused between the Zen Standard and the Zeos Standard (both in Al) I'm not considering the xDeep Ghost as I believe it is not GUE compatible and I hope to do my fundies course in a couple of months. Please do correct me if this is not accurate.

I'm 6'1 and most of my diving will be single-tank warm water diving in a rash guard or a 3mm full wetsuit. For nearly all of my past 200 dives, I've used about 3Kgs on my weight belt and a jacket BCD. Also, nearly all of my diving requires a flight to get to. Finally, I am hoping to get into sidemount soon and eventually go down the tech route. From what I gather, I will anyway be needing a new wing for twins. Will I also need a new wing for sidemount? How can I estimate what sized wing do I need that will support both my single-tank BM as well as my future sidemount diving?

So my concerns are essentially -

• The 19Kg of lift on the Zen seems excessive for my diving. Or am I overthinking it? Do the wing sizes really vary much? I have this image of my wing folding into a taco while diving. Is the taco a real problem? Will such a large wing cause excessive drag?
  
  
• I can't seem to find any reason to differentiate between the Zen and the Zeos apart from backplate design and wing size? How should one think about this decision?
  
  
• If I were to consider the Zeos - would the 13Kg lift suffice, or should I get the 17Kg?

Unfortunately, given where I live there aren't too many other options and I'm getting a decent discount through my dive shop, so I'd like to take a decision soon, and hopefully one that doesn't leave me with buyer's remorse.

All of your advice would be most appreciated.

I have a (a) Zen, a (b) Ghost and (c) Stealth Tec. In terms of easy travel I rank them (c), (b), (a). Difference between (b) and (a) is small and I would go for the larger wing in case you want to use it at a later stage with more than one tank or in colder waters. In terms of drag and streamlining the difference between the 2 wings is minimal.

 

[inquis]

I would go for the larger wing in case you want to use it at a later stage with more than one tank ...

Do you mean with doubles? A singles wing will not achieve most of its rated lift when used with doubles. (Much of it is squashed between the tanks and plate.)

 

[inquis]

In terms of drag and streamlining the difference between the 2 wings is minimal.

Noticeable difference in terms of packing bulk though. I am glad I have a 10 kg wing when traveling!