Oxycheq Mach 5 is the most unsafe???

[buddhasummer]

Personally I would would have gone down there and had a chat.

*Just noticed you are diving with him tomorrow would be very interested to hear what he has to say an how he justifies such a dramatic, false broad sweeping statement.

 

[cbrich]

I feel like getting out of Scuba because of how everything will kill you, I feel the incline to get more guns because guns by themselves don't kill people.

 

[OldNSalty]

Back from my dive. Basically here were his concerns.

1. It lacks a dump valve on the shoulder.
2. It is too light a lift (he feels it probably wasn't designed for open water use-probably for limited things like cleaning boat bottoms or pools)
3. That idea of using weight belt material to make the straps from...not good as it is too uncomfortable. He suggested changing it all out for padded shoulder straps with buckle releases and a sternum strap. Also to make the waste strap not connected to the rest and have it be a separate part.
4. Remove the cutting device from the hip and place on the shoulder strap as it would interfere with the buckle.
5. Remove the integrated weight pockets and replace with weight belt.

After talking to him on the way out it was clear that he has a certain idea of how to dive and is not comfortable at all in deviating from it. I pointed out to him that I dive the exact same rig off of his boat all the time so if it was so unsafe how can he let me do that. That didn't really get an answer.

Regardless, he did admit that my wife would be a safer diver if she trained in the gear she was going to be diving with so she now has to demonstrate that she can remove the gear and put it back on both under the water and on top...and I will have to show her how to do it. I wonder if he is going to split the teacher fees.

 

[Dr Dog]

I do not work in the diving industry, so this is unrelated, but strangely related at the same time. But a cardinal rule of professionalism, is to never cut up the competition.

The minute I hear anyone doing that anywhere, I will not do anything with that individual or business. Same should apply here. If someone said that to my wife, I would seriously have to have some words with that individual and his employer

 

[lsorenson]

To me... Its a Fools statement...! Nothing more.

Are they the best thing since sliced bread? Doubt it, Are they the best wing on the market? Maybe/Maybe not, Can one fail? Pretty sure one could fail... With that said; several years ago I purchased two Mack 5's, one 30# and one 40# for me and the wife... Love them! Never had a problem with them and would certainly purchase one again and recommend them ofter...!

Again, Fools statement!!! lee

I didn't realize this as I have been diving this setup for a couple of years now but the OxyCheq Mach 5 is the most unsafe piece of equipment ever...this according to my wife's instructor.

Now I wasn't there for her pool session but she just came back from the first one with SCUBA and she was a little upset by the entire experience. He allowed her to try it and then asked her if I had recently taken out life insurance on her because of the wing. He then told her that it was unsafe (unsafest thing he had ever seen to quote him exactly).

I am a little mad, I found his comments a little ignorant...but mostly concerned about my wife's comfort in the water (which the comment didn't help)

Anyway, thoughts?

 

[JamesK]

1. It lacks a dump valve on the shoulder.
2. It is too light a lift (he feels it probably wasn't designed for open water use-probably for limited things like cleaning boat bottoms or pools)
3. That idea of using weight belt material to make the straps from...not good as it is too uncomfortable. He suggested changing it all out for padded shoulder straps with buckle releases and a sternum strap. Also to make the waste strap not connected to the rest and have it be a separate part.
4. Remove the cutting device from the hip and place on the shoulder strap as it would interfere with the buckle.
5. Remove the integrated weight pockets and replace with weight belt.
.

1. That is a good thing as a dump valve is a failure point. If you are properly trimmed a dump valve on top is useless.
2. Too little lift? What does he need that much lift for in rec diving? Oh yeah the 30 pounds of lead he will put on someone on warm water and no suit.
3. Ok so add buckles and straps everywhere and turn it in to a convoluted hot buttered mess. But hey, it has padding!!! Ten years in harness setups and I have only ever found one uncomfortable. The webbing was super soft an rolled and dug in.
4. So put the cutting device up by your inflator hose. Hmm. Ok. Interferes with the buckle? Which one? One of the ones he thinks you should add I am guessing.
5. Hmmm. Add more of that uncomfortable webbing. Whatever.

This guy is a douche canoe. And yet he expects you to teach part of his class because he is unfamiliar with multiple gear setups. And we wonder why students don't know squat coming out of class. The damn instructors can't even take time to learn about alternate gear configurations, why should he students. This guy should take this opportunity to show his other students how to deal with other types of gear, not scaring a student in to fearing their gear. Buttcheese.

 

[JamesK]

Sorry for the rant.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I just had my gf take pictures for an article I will be submitting to our next quarterly newsletter. Both of me in my bpw and my express tech. I see it raising some eyebrows and maybe some ire from closed minded and uninformed instructors for me. The prelim title is "Tech gear? No, just another BC for open water students!"

I look forward to the reactions.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[JamesK]

How do I get a copy of said newsletter?

 

[shekes]

1. That is a good thing as a dump valve is a failure point.

A couple of years ago I bought an Oxycheq Macv V Signature 30lb and tested in in a pool. Intending to submerge I pulled on the rear dump valve and it just tore off. The entire valve was hanging from the string in my hand and the aircell was flooded.

The plastic part of the OPV base snapped. Oxycheq says that it was probably damaged in transportation.
But I can't imagine how it would be when it is surrounded buy the soft parts of the assembled wing.

What I can imagine is that if something like that happens to me at -150 feet... Well, I think that one of the better case scenarios would definitely include me having to drag my SS backplate all the way to the surface, probably not being able to keep my buoyancy and my cool for these safety stops and ultimately being left bent and without a flotation device in the middle of a sea.

I am not saying the valve wasn't broke when it was shipped, I am not blaming Oxycheq and otherwise the wing is very sleek and quite comfortable. But I couldn't bring myself to really trust this product after that.