CarcharodonCarcharias
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Review: Vintage Double Hose #18 Argonaut Wing (VDH)
- Thread starter Soloist
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TASCPA
Contributor
Yep. Put this little 18#er on for MX to try it out. Worked perfectly. Like them both. One real advantage of the smaller VDH is less of a chance to pinch the bladder when dropping the tanks into their on boat storage. Mares is longer.
TASCPA
Contributor
CarcharodonCarcharias
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- Messages
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- Reaction score
- 240
CarcharodonCarcharias
Contributor
- Messages
- 569
- Reaction score
- 240
CarcharodonCarcharias
Contributor
- Messages
- 569
- Reaction score
- 240
This is the review for my new BP/W setup. I just got back from diving in Donggala and it was a great trip. The equipment held up well and it was really comfortable. I will probably need few more dives to work out wrinkles and fine tune the setup.
Backplate: Freedom Contour SS plate
Wing: VDH Argonaut 23#
Harness: DGX Dive Rite Deluxe with 2” crotch strap
Exposure: Rash guard, compression tight, and DGX neoprene dive shorts.
No weights and positive buoyant fins (Aeris/Oceanic Accel fins)
I will review the wing here and please find the review for the plate here.
Review: I decided that I want a second setup (for tropical diving) a while ago. I’ve been shopping around and getting great and sound advice from fellow members in this forum (Thank you all by the way). Then I came across the Freedom Contour (FC) thread and after perusing it, I was sold. I phoned Eric when I was back home for Christmas last year and met up with him at Santa Rosa to pick up the plate. I finally had the chance to put everything together took it out on a dive trip last week.
I asked Eric about the best wing to match the plate as well as @TASCPA about his combo of FC and Mares wing. But after some thoughts and some digging, I decided to go with VDH 23# from Bryan. I am really glad that I’ve made that call because I just cannot believe how small the wing was when I received it. After I rigged everything up, I strapped it on and I cannot see the wing and the plate in the mirror with my frontal view. I only saw the straps and that was it – no visual of the wing and plate. My friends were astonished by the minute dimension of the entire setup.
I took the setup for a dive trip last week and the wing worked awesome! The compact design hugged the tank instead of wrapping the tank hence it did not taco at all underwater. It also reduced the drag from the currents on couple of the dives and I felt the difference immediately from my previous dive. And because it was small, I did not have to try squeeze every inch of my wing to let out air when my tank was half full.
The material on the wing is really solid and it is pretty well-made. The stitching is really tight and I really think I’ve hit a home run with this setup. But again, I’ve only got 10 dives with this setup so I’ve got other kinks to work out. I will post more observation later should I find something worth of mentioning.
Backplate: Freedom Contour SS plate
Wing: VDH Argonaut 23#
Harness: DGX Dive Rite Deluxe with 2” crotch strap
Exposure: Rash guard, compression tight, and DGX neoprene dive shorts.
No weights and positive buoyant fins (Aeris/Oceanic Accel fins)
I will review the wing here and please find the review for the plate here.
Review: I decided that I want a second setup (for tropical diving) a while ago. I’ve been shopping around and getting great and sound advice from fellow members in this forum (Thank you all by the way). Then I came across the Freedom Contour (FC) thread and after perusing it, I was sold. I phoned Eric when I was back home for Christmas last year and met up with him at Santa Rosa to pick up the plate. I finally had the chance to put everything together took it out on a dive trip last week.
I asked Eric about the best wing to match the plate as well as @TASCPA about his combo of FC and Mares wing. But after some thoughts and some digging, I decided to go with VDH 23# from Bryan. I am really glad that I’ve made that call because I just cannot believe how small the wing was when I received it. After I rigged everything up, I strapped it on and I cannot see the wing and the plate in the mirror with my frontal view. I only saw the straps and that was it – no visual of the wing and plate. My friends were astonished by the minute dimension of the entire setup.
I took the setup for a dive trip last week and the wing worked awesome! The compact design hugged the tank instead of wrapping the tank hence it did not taco at all underwater. It also reduced the drag from the currents on couple of the dives and I felt the difference immediately from my previous dive. And because it was small, I did not have to try squeeze every inch of my wing to let out air when my tank was half full.
The material on the wing is really solid and it is pretty well-made. The stitching is really tight and I really think I’ve hit a home run with this setup. But again, I’ve only got 10 dives with this setup so I’ve got other kinks to work out. I will post more observation later should I find something worth of mentioning.
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Aloha Joe
Contributor
What length LP hose are people using with the 13 in inflator?
reefrat
Contributor
Are the Freedom Contour back plates being produced again?
CarcharodonCarcharias
Contributor
- Messages
- 569
- Reaction score
- 240
Mine is a 15" miflex. I am using a shorter hose because I've also got a dive alert.
sometimes....
hard to answer. Tank position, regulator port configuration, where you want the inflator to sit, etc. all weigh in.
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