Explorer 55# or 40# for AL80 doubles?

O-ring · Aug 22, 2002

I have always been told that the 55# was the wing of choice, but most of the people that I have talked to about it were diving 104s in caves. Lately, a couple people have told me that the 40# wing is the preferred wing for open ocean diving with small double steels (72s, 95s) or double aluminum 80s. What are your thoughts on this?

Obviously, I want the right wing for the job (currently double AL80s), but also don't want to limit my options if I end up getting the cave bug (going to Ginnie in Nov.) and want to switch to 104s.

Opinions?

WreckWriter · Aug 22, 2002

I started out with a 40, diving double 80s. It was great. When I got my 104s though, the 40 was marginal so I got a 55. Now I dive the 55 with either 80s or 104s. The 40 is likely to go on Ebay soon.

My opinion is get the 55 as it will work great with either tanks.

Tom

JamesK · Aug 22, 2002

I dive my Explorer 55 with both AL80's, and 104s. It works great for both of them. I would recommend getting the 55, because as WW said, it has the greatest range. If you ever want to strap on a stage bottle, you will be happy you have the 55.

Wendy · Aug 22, 2002

I used my DR trek wing whichI think is 45 lbs of lift and it worked well with the double Al 80's. I also beleive that they use this size wing down in Mexico at that DIR cave diving place. I triend using a bigger Halcyon wing and I felt terrible under the water with it. It was just too big for me. The air would shift and I kep t getting a turtle ting going on where i would get flipped over.

How bout this (I love spending other people's money).....you already have a single tank wing...keep it. Get the bigger wing for doubles, don't get the double AL80's (if you already have them just break them down to singles or sell them to me), buy a set of lp steel 104's, and buy a dry suit. You'll end up need ing hte dry suit eventually if you do long cave dives or wreck diving in the colder months in NC.

O-ring · Aug 27, 2002

After reading all the replies (some very good long ones) it looks like the 40# is the way to go. From what the guys over there said, the 55# traps gas pretty badly with AL80s and you have to reach back and pull the wing fabric down to redistribute the gas. The 40# doesn't do this, but is not a good wing for double steels. The "perfect wing" for both uses is apparently the 45#, which Halcyon stopped making to sell us two wings (40# and 55#).

That being said, those of you with AL80 doubles and 55#, do you find yourself having problems with gas trapping and having to reach back and fiddle with the fabric to get the gas to redistribute?

Thanks!

JamesK · Aug 27, 2002

So far I have never had a problem with that. I am going to be doing a LOT of AL80 diving while in Mexico next week though, and will let you know if I notice anything like that.

WreckWriter · Aug 27, 2002

O-ring once bubbled...
That being said, those of you with AL80 doubles and 55#, do you find yourself having problems with gas trapping and having to reach back and fiddle with the fabric to get the gas to redistribute?

Thanks!

Nope, no problems at all.

I assume you got some private replies from Quest? Only one guy said he had trouble from what I saw.

Tom

O-ring · Aug 27, 2002

I got probably 10-20 private replies on it. Most said the 45# was the way to go, but you can't get one unless you get lucky and find one used. A lot of people said they have problems with the 55# and AL80s since the extra fabric on the wing (around the tanks) sits up too high and doesn't let the gas redistribute. One guy said that in tech 1 he learned how to reach back and pull the extra fabric down and that seemed to work really well. I didn't have any problems with the #55 I dove while using the "vertical tilt" method to redistribute the gas, but then again those were double steels and not al80s...interesting that nobody on here is having the same problems.

WreckWriter · Aug 27, 2002

Yea, that's one thing I dislike about Quest. By replying privately the rest of the list doesn't get the benefit of the knowledge.

For me the 55 works fine with 80s but then again I'm a stroke so maybe I just can't tell the difference

Tom

O-ring · Aug 27, 2002

How non "PC" is it of me to repost the replies here if I strip out the authors? I will be glad to share...I saved the best ones...

--E

Explorer 55# or 40# for AL80 doubles?

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