oms wings

[DevonDiver]

would you buy one now?

I've never owned an OMS. I started with the UK equivalent; a Custom Divers TDB. Used Halcyon for a decade after that. Then I've used sidemount thereafter (but still have an Halcyon Evolve on the shelf for occasional teaching purposes).

 

[beester]

Know someone who had a big accident with the OMS double bladdered 100lbs wing of death. He had both inflators connected and one of them started freeflowing... By the time he found out it was the other one... the wing was already fully inflated and he couldn't reach it anymore... Big blow up... talking polaris rocket here, from 40m.

 

[WarrenZ]

That is a great example for why you only need one inflater hooked up you can always inflate the other bladder manually or move the hose.

 

[beester]

That is a great example for why you only need one inflater hooked up you can always inflate the other bladder manually or move the hose.

Yep...I think he realised that on the way up going faster than a Los Angeles class attack submarine

In Europe in any case OMS is now distributed by BTS.

 

[ripman3]

so what I understand is, they were bad. they were good. we just don't know yet. I think that sums it up. am I missing anything?

 

[lowviz]

they were good.

Yes, well loved for durability and the design wasn't all that bad either.

so what I understand is, they were bad.

Only one of their designs was truly questionable.

we just don't know yet. I think that sums it up. am I missing anything?

"We don't know yet" is correct. They were bought out by DUI. Things change. We shall see.

Suggestion: Get a used OMS 60# (double 20L) wing and you will be right in there with your dive buds. Theirs are used too...

 

[decompression]

My first doubles wing was the 94# bungee'd wing.......I've learned a lot since then.

 

[ripman3]

Thanks lowviz, I think I understand.

 

[lowviz]

My first doubles wing was the 94# bungee'd wing. ...

Judging by your avatar, it looks like a good match.

-and don't tell anybody, I bought one for the kid when we went to doubles years ago. Didn't last long. There is an odd correlation between maximizing "true" safety and maximizing survival options via gear.

I've come to believe that it isn't all one or the other, it is a balance that can change from dive to dive for the same diver. I've come to like gear and I have a lot of it. But now I only dive stripped down versions of my various gear configs. It can be done in spite of DIR dogma, each config becomes something like an old friend.

All this has begun to come together for me just lately, oddest thing, serious swim lessons improved my diving. I think it just comes down to comfort in the water.

 

[halocline]

I've heard so many horror stories about their customer service and all the ones that I've seen have some fatal (to me) design flaw like bungies or just being way oversized, so I've avoided them. Since there are so many excellent choices in wings these days, why bother.

OMS seems to have had distribution in recreational dives before any of the smaller tech oriented companies, so that's what a lot of divers bought, probably influenced by their teachers who were using shop brands. With halcyon, DSS, oxycheq, and dive rite easily available online, there's no shortage of really good wings.