Oxycheq Mach 5 is the most unsafe???

[John_B]

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.

You have to have a balanced rig, for that very reason. You need to be able to swim it up when you are most overweighted, with a full tank at depth. If the difference between a full and empty tank is 6 lbs, then IMO you need at least 6 lbs of ditchable weight. BTW, it's also possible to be too positive, where ditching weight may cause you to go rocketing past your stops to the surface.

 

[rongoodman]

I'd suggest getting new instructor too, along with the OPV valves from DSS. They're very nice, I have them on both my BM wings, in addition to the wing for the Razor.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

None of these is unique to Oxycheq Mach V. It seems like he is against the whole idea bp/w, hogarthian setup. If I were you, I won't argue with him. The fundamantal believe is too far here to disucss in a logical way. He could still be a good instructor tho, but just not a open minded one. Being close minded do limited the ability to learn new things. Especially for an instructor, it is not a good thing.

Not sure if I will continous to use him myself because there are good instrutors out there with a open mind.

I do not consider any instructor with a closed mind as being good. In fact they may be downright dangerous.

 

[shekes]

@awap I am in Dublin, but you probably already know that.
I called divegearexpress. The man on the phone answered "I don't know I sell DiveRite" to each and all of my questions. When I asked "Well would you find it in your heart to ask somebody?", he shouted "Mike, do you know Oxycheq?" and then back to me "No, he doesn't." It was quite funny actually. Then I called DiveRite and a very nice man told me that the parts are compatible, or rather used to be because their OPV base is now welded with the bladder because of the problem you and I had and because the bladder opening used to widen over time so that the base popped out. The nice DiveRite man gave me a website of their nice distributor in the UK and the nice distributor gave me the address of...
My LDS!
Now the interesting thing about it is that I was in my LDS last week where I ordered two octos and left a reg for servicing. I had brought my wing and they looked at the leak. Moreover I called my LDS again about 30min prior to calling divegearexpress and asked them if they might find some gasket that might fit my BCDs and they said that the Americans have different standards and that they couldn't help me.
Ah and last week I had called most of the numbers on oxycheq's "Dealer Listing - Europe"; UK, NL, Sweden...
I went a full circle, from LDS to LDS for two pieces of rubber.
Ah yes. When I gave my LDS the exact number of the DiveRite part, they said they would call me back with a quote but they didn't.
The man probably got a cold. That is what usually happens.

Thank you!

Sorry if I highjacked the thread. I though it might be pertinent. And finally: IMHO Oxycheq makes great wings. Too bad they assemble them as well.

 

[vel525]

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.

I've had my Oxycheq Mach V #30 for a long time (I ordered the first red wing actually ) Anyway, the exact thing happened to me during one of my dives. I was at depth (not 150 ft ), wanted to let out a little air and the entire thing came apart in hand..lol. I was near the end of my dive, so I finished the dive. I stayed vertical during my ascent and let air out through my inflator hose...no biggie. I wasn't too worried because I can swim my gear up without any help from my BCD....but I had to borrow a BCD the rest of my trip :depressed:. Good news is, I bought my wing from Scubatoys and they were great about getting it fixed.

On a separate note, recently my wing developed a leak where the inflator hose attaches to the wing during my last trip . So it's back at Scubatoys for repair. Otherwise, I love the wing!

 

[John_B]

Back from my dive. Basically here were his concerns.

1. It lacks a dump valve on the shoulder.

As a very new diver, I had a BC with a pull-style dump valve on the inflator hose fail the first time I gave it a serious tug. Only later did it occur to me that, since I already had the inflator hose in my hand to use the pull dump, I could've just dumped air using the dump valve on the end of the inflator.

On the upside, it did start me down the path to minimalism and eventually a BP/W and the whole Hogarthian system.

 

[OldNSalty]

None of these is unique to Oxycheq Mach V. It seems like he is against the whole idea bp/w, hogarthian setup. If I were you, I won't argue with him. The fundamantal believe is too far here to disucss in a logical way. He could still be a good instructor tho, but just not a open minded one. Being close minded do limited the ability to learn new things. Especially for an instructor, it is not a good thing.

Not sure if I will continous to use him myself because there are good instrutors out there with a open mind.

I have been agonizing over this for several days. I agree with you when you say that our beliefs are too fair removed from each other for him and I to have a logical conversation on this topic (although I did try). I have to accept some of the blame-I didn't fully assemble the thing as my wife was basically tired of me dealing with the stuff and said "Can't he finish that when i go to class in the morning?". Really, it was just a matter of adjusting it to fit her so I packed it up for the night. Also, I would say that a good instructor will teach at least to the standards. I believe that he will do that. A great instructor will go beyond.

I have talked with a local pool to arrange some time and me and my wife are going to go down so I can show her the things her instructor would rather not deal with. I have a hose with a dump valve that will fit her wing and I figure this will be a good opportunity for us as I can double check her weight and trim as well as get her comfortable with removing the equipment. I wonder if he will split the instructor fees with me?

 

[rongoodman]

I think you should set your wife up with a long hose and bungeed secondary and really set him off! Your wife might like them too.

 

[shekes]

I stayed vertical during my ascent and let air out through my inflator hose...no biggie. for repair.

You were just or almost as lucky as I was. The bases for the elbow and the OPV are identical. Therefore, at least in theory, the former was just as likely to snap as the latter and in that case you wouldn't have had the luxury of a BCD lift at all.

As far as liking it: I do too but here is a thought I'd like to share:

Those divers who hated a particular piece of gear most of all do not always live to tell the ones who love it.

 

[buddhasummer]

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.

That's funny, never heard that before. Another American colloquialism?

---------- Post Merged at 09:08 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 08:57 AM ----------

I replaced both my Oxy OPVs with the ones from DSS, quality difference is obvious. I also replaced the Oxy elbows with new ones as sold by DGX again the quality difference was obvious. I know the elbows are the same but they certainly are not coming from the same factory.