Question Wing Size Regret: 30 or 40 pound?

[Inscrutable]

Hello, I am relatively new to diving so please forgive my ignorance. And apologies if I posted this in the wrong place.

I’m switching from a Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD with a 35 pound lift to a Halcyon backplate and wing. With my Scubapro, I currently dive with a single AL80, a 7mm semi dry wetsuit (yeah, yeah, I know) and about 12 pounds of lead in a cooler tropical climate which leaves me neutrally buoyant at 15 feet with 5-700 PSI left in my cylinder. I’m 5’9-5’10 and 125 lbs. I used both the Optimal Buoyancy Calculator and the Wing Calculator and both suggested roughly a 28 lb lift after I input everything.

I ordered the 40 lb Halcyon wing as I plan to do drysuit diving with steel cylinders in colder water and thought, perhaps, I could use one wing for both as the physical size difference appeared minimal (a few centimeters).

Now, I’m having some regret about purchasing the 40 pound wing. Would the 30 pound wing have been the wiser choice? I like having a bit of lift at the surface as I’ve been caught in some pretty turbulent surface conditions, but not at the expense of battling air pockets while diving if the 30 pound wing would be the better choice. Or, will I likely need both?

Thank you.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

It depends.
If you plan to use a big heavy steel tank and also put all your ballast on your rig which seems to be the current fashion rage in scuba and especially with BP/W gurus, then keep the 40 lb. wing.
You want to make sure it will float on the surface with all that weight.

 

[Inscrutable]

It depends.
If you plan to use a big heavy steel tank and also put all your ballast on your rig which seems to be the current fashion rage in scuba and especially with BP/W gurus, then keep the 40 lb. wing.
You want to make sure it will float on the surface with all that weight.

I eventually plan to dive steel tanks with a pony bottle but currently am diving AL80s. It looks like I’ll be ordering another wing.

 

[Wibble]

For a single you don't need more than 30lbs.
For a twinset/doubles you need 40lbs

I eventually plan to dive steel tanks with a pony bottle but currently am diving AL80s. It looks like I’ll be ordering another wing.

I've dived for years in cold water with steel twinsets with decompression stages and have never needed more than 40lbs.


For rare technical diving with ridiculous amounts of ditchable weight you could do with more than 40lbs. This won't apply to you in the near future, nor probably ever.

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Hello, I am relatively new to diving so please forgive my ignorance. And apologies if I posted this in the wrong place.

I’m switching from a Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD with a 35 pound lift to a Halcyon backplate and wing. With my Scubapro, I currently dive with a single AL80, a 7mm semi dry wetsuit (yeah, yeah, I know) and about 12 pounds of lead in a cooler tropical climate which leaves me neutrally buoyant at 15 feet with 5-700 PSI left in my cylinder. I’m 5’9-5’10 and 125 lbs. I used both the Optimal Buoyancy Calculator and the Wing Calculator and both suggested roughly a 28 lb lift after I input everything.

I ordered the 40 lb Halcyon wing as I plan to do drysuit diving with steel cylinders in colder water and thought, perhaps, I could use one wing for both as the physical size difference appeared minimal (a few centimeters).

Now, I’m having some regret about purchasing the 40 pound wing. Would the 30 pound wing have been the wiser choice? I like having a bit of lift at the surface as I’ve been caught in some pretty turbulent surface conditions, but not at the expense of battling air pockets while diving if the 30 pound wing would be the better choice. Or, will I likely need both?

Thank you.

You are correct as to size, in 2019 Halcyon redesigned their 30 pound eclipse and made it wider. I think it now may actually be a bit wider than the 40 pound wing. The 40 pound wing's bladder is wider but it is just closer to the single tank adapter.

I think you will be fine with the 40 pound Halcyon eclipse wing but for warmer weather a 30 pound eclipse would be sufficient. If in cold water all the time with a drysuit, heavy undergarments, redundant gas source you may want the 40 pound wing.

edit. I uploaded photos I took of my 40 and 30 pound eclipse wings. The grey is the 30 pound wing. I hope it helps.

 

[Inscrutable]

T

For a single you don't need more than 30lbs.
For a twinset/doubles you need 40lbs



I've dived for years in cold water with steel twinsets with decompression stages and have never needed more than 40lbs.


For rare technical diving with ridiculous amounts of ditchable weight you could do with more than 40lbs. This won't apply to you in the near future, nor probably ever.

Thanks! Never thought I’d scuba dive and now I go multiple times a week. 30 pounds seems to be the consensus.

 

[Inscrutable]

You are correct as to size, in 2019 Halcyon redesigned their 30 pound eclipse and made it wider. I think it now may actually be a bit wider than the 40 pound wing. The 40 pound wing's bladder is wider but it is just closer to the single tank adapter.

I think you will be fine with the 40 pound Halcyon eclipse wing but for warmer weather a 30 pound eclipse would be sufficient. If in cold water all the time with a drysuit, heavy undergarments, redundant gas source you may want the 40 pound wing.

edit. I uploaded photos I took of my 40 and 30 pound eclipse wings. The grey is the 30 pound wing. I hope it helps.

View attachment 810185
View attachment 810186

Thank you very much! This helps tremendously. I think this shows how I ended up ordering the 40 pound wing as opposed to the 30 pound wing. I think I’m going to take everyone’s advice and get the 30 pound though for now as I’m still diving warmer water.

 

[Wibble]

Thank you very much! This helps tremendously. I think this shows how I ended up ordering the 40 pound wing as opposed to the 30 pound wing. I think I’m going to take everyone’s advice and get the 30 pound though for now as I’m still diving warmer water.

Keep your eyes open for a second hand Halcyon Evo 40lb doubles wing as they occasionally come up — but never when you’re looking for one!

 

[JoeTPhilly]

Thank you very much! This helps tremendously. I think this shows how I ended up ordering the 40 pound wing as opposed to the 30 pound wing. I think I’m going to take everyone’s advice and get the 30 pound though for now as I’m still diving warmer water.

I think that would be the way to go since you are diving warm weather. I had purchased the 40 pound wing for cold water drysuit diving but I mostly dive warm water so I ended up purchasing a used 30 pound eclipse and the 40 pound wing sat unused. I recently sold the 40 eclipse because I purchased a 40 pound Evolve. If I dive cold water it is going to be in doubles and no pony bottle nonsense...

 

[Inscrutable]

Keep your eyes open for a second hand Halcyon Evo 40lb doubles wing as they occasionally come up — but never when you’re looking for one!

Thank you for the tip! I’ll be sure to do that. It seems to always work out that way!

 

[Inscrutable]

I think that would be the way to go since you are diving warm weather. I had purchased the 40 pound wing for cold water drysuit diving but I mostly dive warm water so I ended up purchasing a used 30 pound eclipse and the 40 pound wing sat unused. I recently sold the 40 eclipse because I purchased a 40 pound Evolve. If I dive cold water it is going to be in doubles and no pony bottle nonsense...

Ah, that seems to describe my current situation. I anticipate using the 40 for colder water but mostly dive warm. Now I am definitely going to get the 30 for singles instead. This is extremely helpful, thank you so much!