Wing shape & Bouyancy

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Doctor Rig

Contributor
Messages
482
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Location
Michigan
# of dives
I just don't log dives
I’m 5’10” and 165lbs and in the market for an upgraded BP/W set up. I started diving with a Zeagle Covert XT and now have a Tusa T-Wing. I did not like the horse-shoe shaped Covert wing, as level trim was always a challenge even after extensive trials of weighting configurations.

After surmising I needed more wing butt lift, I got the 27 lb lift T-Wing which has a donut shaped wing. Much better!

Much of my diving has been in a 7mm suit (and have a drysunit on order) here in Michigan waters and a 3mm suit on numerous Carribeam trips. I added a 3 pound P-weight to my T-Wing to aid in weight distribution. With this BP/W setup my trim has been much better, but I’m not quite satisfied. I’m feeling like I still need slightly more butt lift to be able to maintain desired trim without any butt lift aid from fin (Eddy) use.

I‘ve found Dive Rite‘s donut shaped wings are slightly vertically asymmetric providing more lift in bottom than the top, which sounds perfect for my needs, as I’m researching a new BP/W purchase. Any other wing suggestions?

There are some really great SB discussions on BP/W configurations which I’ve enjoyed, but I‘ve not noticed much info on trim optimization to guide readers. Just wondering if anyone has any experience and input on this subject.
 
I have Halcyon wings and the newer oval shaped models hold a lot of air at the bottom, which holds your head up out of the water better. Trim is perfect too.

The older horseshoe shaped ones, floated me very low because a lot of the bladder was above water. I had one of the rare 18lbs “bat wings.” It was the closest thing to no wing while swimming. But unfortunately, it was also like not having a wing on the surface too.
 
Check out the DGX, it has a larger bottom section and tapers toward the top.
 
The Mares XR wing at DGX looks like a good option. Anyone have any experience or info on this wing? If I was to buy this XR would anyone be concerned with availability of service in the USA or traveling?
 
The Mares XR wing at DGX looks like a good option. Anyone have any experience or info on this wing? If I was to buy this XR would anyone be concerned with availability of service in the USA or traveling?
I do not personally think there’s a reason to pick the Mares over the DGX wing.

Things that can go wrong with a wing:
Torn bladder (bike tire patch)
Inflator issues (DIY service for generics, parts kits for some other brands)
Leaky OPV (clean or DIY replace)
Elbow issues (replace)
Destroyed flange (plastic piece that sandwiches the hole in the bladder. Elbows and OPVs screw into this)
Torn corrugated hose (replace, not likely warrantied anyway)

In short, I’d save the $100 and buy the DGX of the options listed on that site. The inflator on the Mares is not the generic OEM that most wings use and thus is less likely to be serviceable by a random LDS or shop. Warranties are a wash between the two. The additional capped OPV hole on the other side of the Mares is unnecessary (unless you’re hellbent on dumping with your right rather than left). The $100 of savings could be used towards spare components for other things on the wing, rather than dealing w sending the wing off or bringing to a dealer to fix.
 
I found it extremely difficult to contact Mares for a warranty on the seams of my 10 kg (22 lb) wing. Once I got the retailer involved, all went smoothly. It's a great wing, and I also use their doubles wing. No regrets.
 
Mares over the DGX wing
Size is the main possibility, IMO. I have the 22 lb Mares and prefer it to the 30 lb I got for my son. (That one is a HOG, so not quite the same thing.) Not a huge difference, of course, but it's there (mainly in the "look & feel" topside and in the luggage).

ETA: If I needed a wing and a recreational torch, I'd get the DGX and this torch. The wing difference is subtle.
 
Size is the main possibility, IMO. I have the 22 lb Mares and prefer it to the 30 lb I got for my son. (That one is a HOG, so not quite the same thing.) Not a huge difference, of course, but it's there (mainly in the "look & feel" topside and in the luggage).
Sure. In the interest of OPs case, he’s currently using a 27# wing and moving towards drysuit use, so felt it easier to round up to the 30 of DGX and ignored possibility of the 22. I do wish the smaller VDH wing existed.

OP, you’ll likely find that either the leg lift of the drysuit will fix this problem, or that it flips your difficulties entirely and that you’ll need a heavier fin for local diving.
 

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