I only know of Oxycheq and Apeks.
They seem more than adequate for single-tank recreational diving. Am I missing something?
They seem more than adequate for single-tank recreational diving. Am I missing something?
Why don't more companies make an 18# wing?
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Hog has a 22, I think the DSS fellow has something similar. An 18 pound wing is adequate for warm water diving with an aluminum 80 and minimal exposure gear. Anything more than that, my opinion, you need to graduate to a 30 pound class wing. I do not believe Apeks has an 18?
JFYI, a human head weighs 9 to 12 pounds (my brain is really big so it is surely closer to 12 pounds
)so consider that to get your head out of the water 50% to 60% of the 18 pound class wing is being consumed just to lift your head. My camera is about 2 pounds negative, bits and pieces here and there and considering also that a slim wing like an Oxy 18 might not fully inflate with some plates there is nothing left. Which explains why all my BC jacket wearing buddies float high and proud comfortably floating over waves while each and every wave washes over my head and drowns me.
N
JFYI, a human head weighs 9 to 12 pounds (my brain is really big so it is surely closer to 12 pounds
)so consider that to get your head out of the water 50% to 60% of the 18 pound class wing is being consumed just to lift your head. My camera is about 2 pounds negative, bits and pieces here and there and considering also that a slim wing like an Oxy 18 might not fully inflate with some plates there is nothing left. Which explains why all my BC jacket wearing buddies float high and proud comfortably floating over waves while each and every wave washes over my head and drowns me. N
DevonDiver
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1. Because when it comes to marketing scuba equipment, 'more is more'.
2. Because many American and European scuba equipment manufacturers don't focus expertise on warm/tropical water diving.
3. Because a trend to over-weighting students in entry-level training demands greater BCD buoyancy to correct.
2. Because many American and European scuba equipment manufacturers don't focus expertise on warm/tropical water diving.
3. Because a trend to over-weighting students in entry-level training demands greater BCD buoyancy to correct.
Given the test of proper weighting is 20 ft and no air in the bc and being neutral..... add air for full tank and you get 6 heavy and a 10# head would take all the wing has to offer. bring into the pic a wet suit and its compensating weights and you go deep you add the amount of weight and you run out of lift if needed. Warm water, no suit, no extra equipment and 18# is ok.
I have the 18lb Apeks wing. When it turned up at the shop by special order I though "oops, this is way too small" but it is actually excellent. If you are diving in conditions where the question is shorts or a 3mm suit then there is little suit compression, so it is only the weight of the gas you need to be concerned with.
I usually dive a fairly complicated setup, but when conditions allow less is more.
I usually dive a fairly complicated setup, but when conditions allow less is more.
If I only have one 18lb wing I would need to purchase another bigger wing for dry suit diving. Last time I dived a neoprene dry suit I needed 12kg + SS plate to sink. My 30lbs wing managed to deal with it even at 40m.
The tropical warm water in Philippines can get below 20C, pretty cold for me and 3mm full suit will never do. 5mm full suit + hood + vest + thermal will need quite a bit of weight to sink.
The 30lb wing is just perfect for me for both cold and warm water diving.
Back to the original question:
1. No idea because I don't make them.
2. Demand and supply. Jacket bc is still the preferred style over BP/W.
The tropical warm water in Philippines can get below 20C, pretty cold for me and 3mm full suit will never do. 5mm full suit + hood + vest + thermal will need quite a bit of weight to sink.
The 30lb wing is just perfect for me for both cold and warm water diving.
Back to the original question:
1. No idea because I don't make them.
2. Demand and supply. Jacket bc is still the preferred style over BP/W.
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I took a 20# wing on my recent trip to the Bahamas, and while it was very nice under water, I have to say that the flotation on the surface was cutting it close. Not something I'd want to deal with for long in rough seas.
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what was said above, but I'll add that if the 30lb wing is designed properly, and you're using it with an AL80, the smaller wings will just get shorter. Since they are not really any wider there is nowhere for the air to get trapped.
I own an LCD30 wing and it is brilliant on al80's despite being quite a bit more lift than I actually need, and the Torus 26 is about 3" narrower but same length. The LCD20 is no narrower than the 30, just shorter. If I was diving AL63's, then the LCD20 would be better since the LCD30 is the length of an AL80 and would be too long for use with a 63.
For me, the LCD30 is actually the most comfortable to dive since the dump valve is low enough for me to reach easily and since the intent when I bought it was to use with AL80's, I think that or the Torus 26 is a no brainer. If you're shorter and intent to use AL63's regularly, then I'd go with the LCD20 since it is the right length for that tank, but the LCD30 offers no real more drag, wrapping, or air trapping than the others because the lift is created by length, not width.
If you look at Halcyon who has a 20/30/40lb Eclipse wing, they get a lot of that extra lift with width of the wing and then you really need to pay attention on how you size it. Their shape is really nice for picking up the weight of the tank valve and first stage, but I've found it requires a more head down attitude to dump than my DSS wing does. Different strokes for different folks, but for me I appreciate the fact that DSS took the two "common" tank sizes for single tank diving and created wings specifically around that design so while the lift may be more than you actually "need" you aren't penalized for it by extra wing width.
I own an LCD30 wing and it is brilliant on al80's despite being quite a bit more lift than I actually need, and the Torus 26 is about 3" narrower but same length. The LCD20 is no narrower than the 30, just shorter. If I was diving AL63's, then the LCD20 would be better since the LCD30 is the length of an AL80 and would be too long for use with a 63.
For me, the LCD30 is actually the most comfortable to dive since the dump valve is low enough for me to reach easily and since the intent when I bought it was to use with AL80's, I think that or the Torus 26 is a no brainer. If you're shorter and intent to use AL63's regularly, then I'd go with the LCD20 since it is the right length for that tank, but the LCD30 offers no real more drag, wrapping, or air trapping than the others because the lift is created by length, not width.
If you look at Halcyon who has a 20/30/40lb Eclipse wing, they get a lot of that extra lift with width of the wing and then you really need to pay attention on how you size it. Their shape is really nice for picking up the weight of the tank valve and first stage, but I've found it requires a more head down attitude to dump than my DSS wing does. Different strokes for different folks, but for me I appreciate the fact that DSS took the two "common" tank sizes for single tank diving and created wings specifically around that design so while the lift may be more than you actually "need" you aren't penalized for it by extra wing width.
halocline
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I use the 18 lb oxy wing with 3 and 5 mil suits all the time. I've never had any problem at the surface. But, I'm not overweighted. I suspect many new divers are overweighted to compensate for bad technique getting down, and as such need more lift at the surface than they other wise would. I try to be neutral at 15 feet with 500 PSI, this puts me a bit positive at the surface with a near-empty tank. So my wetsuit is adding to my post-dive buoyancy at the surface.
There's very little difference between a well designed 18, 20, 30 lb wing in terms of how they feel in the water. As tbone mentioned, it's mostly in the length.
There's very little difference between a well designed 18, 20, 30 lb wing in terms of how they feel in the water. As tbone mentioned, it's mostly in the length.
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