Wing for all seasons?

[jagfish]

Looking into single tank wing size. I am still way early in the information gathering stage, but the Halcyon Eclipse and Oxycheq Signature Series look like good candidates. Now I am wondering if it will be possible to have one wing capacity that will do the job for both my warm and cold water diving.

I currently dive with a Black Diamond that has 50 pounds of lift. In warm water with a 3mm shortie and AL80, I dive with 12 pounds. In the winter here, with my heaviest undergarments, I dive wiith about 28 pounds. My tanks in winter are pretty mxed between AL80s, as well as 12 and 14 liter steel depending on what the dive site offers.

If I choose a lift capacity that will work for winter, I am wondering if I will have too much wing for warm weather?

Any thoughts?

JAG

 

[d33ps1x]

I dove my Eclipse 40 lb with SS plate here in the middle of winter and dove it down in Mexico with a 5 mm wetsuit on.

It was just fine in both situations.

 

[Scubaroo]

What's the negative buoyancy of your 12L and 14L steel tanks when you're wearing 28lb of lead? Do you use your drysuit or wing for buoyancy control?

There's not a terrible size difference between the OxyCheq 30lb and OxyCheq 45lb Signature wings - I can post a side-by-side picture of them if you like - I have both in stock here.

There's no real reason to have one of each of the 30lb and 45lb sizes - a single wing in either size should be sufficient - there's a bigger argument for owning say both a 18lb and a 45lb wing if you're doing different types of diving. The 18lb wing would actually suit your 12lb/AL80 setup, but probably too small for your 28lb/steel rig - although I've sold a few 18lb wings to drysuit divers who primarily use their drysuit for buoyancy. Depending on how you dive your drysuit (with minimal air, or as primary source of buoyancy), I'd lean towards recommending a 45lb size wing given the 28lb plus a steel tank. Assuming the 14L steels are negative in the water when empty.

 

[Scubaroo]

Well as promised, here's pics of the Signature 45lb next to a Signature 30lb wing for comparison - as you can see there's not a lot of difference in size. Also shown is the 45lb Signature next to the 45lb Standard wing.

 

[jagfish]

Many thanks for the input
Wow, surprising how little difference the 30 and 45 appear to have. Many thanks for that. When I dive dry, I go minimal air in the suit, BC for boyancy.

Thanks for your input, d33ps1x, as well. Good to hear two votes in the same direction.

JAG

 

[ABQdiver]

I was in the market for a new wing several months ago. After hearing good things about the OxyCheq and how little difference there was between the 30# and 45# wing, I opted for the 45# unit.

Now my diving here locally is not what you would call "cold" but at 62° it's not warm either. I use about 18# of total weight with my drysuit and the wing is flawless. I took my kit to the tropics last bunch of dives and loved it there as well with a 3mm suit. One of these days I'll get a 18# wing, but for now the larger 45# wing was just fine. I felt no loss of mobility or problems of any kind. Well, except for the fact we had to go home...

 

[jagfish]

That's great to hear, ABQdiver...Many thanks

As another version of the saying you have at the bottom of your post, I heard this one at a sales "pep rally" years ago. It was given by a motivational reverend,
"Money won't buy you happiness...but you can rent it for so da** long, you'll think it's yours."

JAG

 

[ABQdiver]

That's great to hear, ABQdiver...Many thanks

As another version of the saying you have at the bottom of your post, I heard this one at a sales "pep rally" years ago. It was given by a motivational reverend,
"Money won't buy you happiness...but you can rent it for so da** long, you'll think it's yours."

JAG

I like that one too!
It's fun to change up those sig. quotes every now and then.

Dive Safe

 

[d33ps1x]

Well as promised, here's pics of the Signature 45lb next to a Signature 30lb wing for comparison - as you can see there's not a lot of difference in size. Also shown is the 45lb Signature next to the 45lb Standard wing.

^

 

[bcsean]

I am a big guy, dive dry, in cold water and plan on getting the halcyon pioneer 36#. It'll be plenty.