DSS vs Halcyon

thedariolama · Mar 8, 2013

Hello - new diver looking at investing in a BP&W system. My local dive shop is a big advocate of Halcyon gear, but I have also heard good things about DSS and recently spoke with Tobin who suggested the following after a brief discussion:

Single Tank Rig w/ Medium Stainless Steel plate, Hogarthian Harness, Torus 26, Full Circle Style Single Tank Wing

I live in the northeast so the bulk of my diving would be up here [FONT=trebuchet MS, verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]although i def plan warm water diving trips at least once or twice a year. I dont presently use a dry suit but could see that as an option in the future...if that has an impact on the decision.

In regards to Halcyon...should the Halcyon travel BCD be a consideration? Is it comparable to the DSS rig that Tobin suggested or would I just be better off going that route if I didnt go for the Halcyon Infinity or Eclipse? the price of the DSS gear is also a lot easier to swallow than Halcyon...

Any help or insight would be great - thanks![/FONT]

fisheater · Mar 8, 2013

Of course your local LDS is a big promoter of Halcyon. Halcyon's prices are so considerably higher, that they are said to include the mythical "H tax."

DSS rigs perform just as well, are at the same (or better) level of quality, cost less and, in many cases, are better thought out.

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lindenbruce · Mar 8, 2013

I just got a DSS back plate with the continuous belt harness and an Apeks wing. I haven't dove them yet, but the plate and wing are good quality pieces. If you are doing single tanks a 30 pound wing should be fine. Both brands are good quality as far as I know so it will boil down to what is available and personal choice. I will say this about the DSS back plate. The web slots are rubber coated and that will extend the life of your webbing. Bruce

ams511 · Mar 8, 2013

With backplates and wings there are probably more similarities than differences. Halcyons are nice but very expensive. There was a thread a while back comparing the pricing of the two, that I cannot seem to find at the moment. The backplates and harnesses are of similar quality. Halcyon includes a backplate pad that can be used to hold a SMB. DSS does not have a similar product but a pad from another manufacturer may work. The main difference are in the wings. The Halcyon has a zipper that you can use to get at the bladder, so it is possible to field repair the Halcyon. The DSS wing is sown shut, so any repairs need to be made by DSS. I prefer the inflator and hose that Halcyon provides over DSS but that is a personal preference. Some will prefer the DSS. Halcyon wings are very flexible and can be packed easily. I am not sure of the Torus as I have the LCD wings. The LCD wings are a bit stiffer but still easy to pack. The DSS has a built in STA while the Halcyon uses a metal single tank adaptor.

thedariolama · Mar 8, 2013

thank you guys for the quick and excellent feedback - very much appreciated. Leaning towards the DSS. The cinch quick adjust on the halcyon gear seems like a nice feature...and the padding as well, but like ams511 says I can probably find one that would work on the DSS if i really ended up feeling i needed it. And Im not sure those features are quite enough for me to justify the price difference I think. I could use the $ savings towards a better regulator haha

thanks again, I really appreciate the help!

buddhasummer · Mar 8, 2013

Although nice gear for me the additional cost of Halcyon is not worth it over some equally good products such as DSS, in your shoes I'd go the DSS for sure and use the money saved by not buying Halcyon on other cool toys. Good luck.

koozemani · Mar 8, 2013

+1 for DSS.

diverjen · Mar 8, 2013

Was in the same boat as you were just a few months back. I just got that exact DSS rig - love it and Tobin! Also they have a glide adapter system ( comparable to cinch) you can add it on now or later for $40. In fact DSS just posted a video of it in their forum.

The price on the single tank DSS package was just too good, plus I really like not having a single tank adapter for the DSS and assembly disassembly of the wing from the backplate seems much more convenient than Halcyon's setup.

Good luck!

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/de...ved-glide-harness-adapter-intro-giveaway.html

fisheater · Mar 8, 2013

Pads look like a good idea, but only in the LDS.

They're not needed and require more lead to sink.

TSandM · Mar 8, 2013

One of the nice things about the DSS plate is the ability to bolt on the weight plates Tobin makes. That can bring the plate up to 14 pounds of your ballast, making it easy to carry the rest on a belt or in a weight harness.

A properly adjusted harness doesn't need the slide ability of the Cinch, IMO. If you can't get in and out of your harness pretty easily, it's probably too tight.

DSS vs Halcyon

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