Oxycheq Vertex vs Halcyon Evolve vs DSS Torus

I test drove a few doubles wings over the last couple of months and wanted to post stats and opinions.

The wings used: Halcyon Evolve 40, DSS Torus 45 and Oxycheq Vertex 55. All buoyancy ratings are from the manufacturer.

Dimensions at widest / tallest points:

Evolve: Max width 26.5", max length 29"
Torus: Max width 29.75", max length 25.5"
Vertex: Max width 27", max length 25"

Construction: All three wings are constructed well (I'd say they have superior construction but they're all roughly equal so what would they be superior to?).

Inflation: Both the Evolve and Vertex were fine wings. They performed their job with no muss or fuss. Allowing me to keep buoyancy and trim withough needing to deliberately make adjustments is what I want from a wing. Since these were all tropical dives, the wings were more than satisfactory for double 80s plus deco.

Unfortunately, the Torus didn't meet this objective, the Torus continually kept shifting me to a head down position. This wasn't impossible to overcome, of course, but it was something else to concentrate on.

To be fair to Tobin, while I didn't like the Torus, I did like the construction of his plates. I also liked his LCD 30, at least as much as I can like a horseshoe wing since I prefer doughnuts.

Edit: Entered wrong size for the Torus, now fixed

Were you diving the same backplate for all 3? What type of doubles? Steel or Al? What size?

Thanks for the review.

Bjorn

jeckyll:

Were you diving the same backplate for all 3? What type of doubles? Steel or Al? What size?

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Same BP for all three.

Halthron:

Since these were all tropical dives, the wings were more than satisfactory for double 80s plus deco.

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Deco bottles varied though.
Edit: Aluminium 80s

Halthron:

Unfortunately, the Torus didn't meet this objective, the Torus continually kept shifting me to a head down position. This wasn't impossible to overcome, of course, but it was something else to concentrate on.

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If you aren't trimmed out, and wing can be trying.

If you are routinely heads down, you just need to move a little weight "south" or the wing a bit "north".

The Torus Provides multiple grommets to allow you to adjust it's position relative to the back plate.

With some back plates, including the DSS PB, you can move your tanks down relative to the plate.

Moving the wing up one position, and the tanks down on position can have dramatic effects. If that's not sufficent you can always use a tail weight.

I routinely dive a Torus 45, and it's very stable, if you are properly trim weighted.

Tobin

Because I had been warned of the "feature" by its owner, I had moved the wing up as far as possible. My Hammerhead provides six holes for moving wings/tanks around. I was already overweighted just using the two aluminium 80s and a manifold with my 6 lb plate and cannister light and deco bottles, no extra weight was used.

Halthron:

Because I had been warned of the "feature" by its owner, I had moved the wing up as far as possible. My Hammerhead provides six holes for moving wings/tanks around. I was already overweighted just using the two aluminium 80s and a manifold with my 6 lb plate and cannister light and deco bottles, no extra weight was used.

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If you are over weighted you need a lighter plate. Not only will that help your overall weighting, but it will reduce the amount of weight higher on you body.


Tobin

There's only so much weight you can remove and when tech diving in the tropics, it's easy to get overweighted quickly. I could go with a lighter plate but that wouldn't solve the problem, just reduce it.

Halthron:

Unfortunately, the Torus didn't meet this objective, the Torus continually kept shifting me to a head down position. This wasn't impossible to overcome, of course, but it was something else to concentrate on.

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I had the same issue with my Torus, and moving the wing did not solve the issue. I put 3# in a tailweight and that seemed to tame things. I did not need this solution in the Evolve 40, nor do I need it with my DR Classic. This is with my AL80s.

I did not have this issue with LP95s, and I am going to try the Torus tomorrow with a set of 104s. I'll post back.

Halthron:

There's only so much weight you can remove and when tech diving in the tropics, it's easy to get overweighted quickly. I could go with a lighter plate but that wouldn't solve the problem, just reduce it.

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How can you say that without trying it? Our Kydex plate is less than 1 lb negative, that's a lot less weight compared to a HH plate, more than 5 lbs less.

I know if I wrap 5 lbs of ankle weights around the tank valves I'll stand on my head, I know because I've tried it.

Tobin

cool_hardware52:

How can you say that without trying it?

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Who says I haven't tried it? I've tried an OMS aluminium plate, I was overweighted.