Halcyon Evolve 60 for new rec diver, single tank, overkill?

I'm currently shopping for my first BCD, I've been reading a lot on here about the advantages of BP/W over Jacket style even though I'm quite unlikely to get into Tech diving anytime in the near future or even next several years (never know I guess). I'm sold on BP/W as long as I can get something I like for a fair price.

I live in Tokyo so even finding BP/W sets here is challenging, they really love their jacket styles here. I have a chance to get a pretty good deal now on a Halcyon Evolve 60 w/ Stainless Steel plate. I know 60 pound lift is FAR more than I'd ever need. I'll be diving say 90% tropical in a 5mm wetsuit with a single rental tank, (seems 12L or 15L tank is the norm). The other part will be a very occasional dive in Japan in about 18-20 degree C water with the same gear (pretty much all steel tanks in Japan).

I know certainly I don't NEED the 60, the 40 would be ideal, but it's a very good deal (by Japan standards) and I can't find anything else available here for under $1000. Is it a practical choice or am I going to have unforeseen problems as a result? Other option is to import something else from the US myself, shipping is about $100 plus I may or may not get hit with a heavy customs duty.

I think the 60 will cause more problems than it's worth. Its way way too much lift. I use a 60lb wing with lp104 doubles. Thats almost 100lbs of gas tanks. You will have tons of tacoing and defeat the benefit of the bp/w setup with that arrangement. Its worth it looking for a proper single wing. Hollis, halcyon, light monkey, etc all make great wings that would be better suited. I'm sure a vendor here could help set you up. Finding a tech isntructor may help you source a good wing also, even if you don't get training from them. I know GUE lists their instructors by region, one of them could surely help you find a better price on a wing.

You're not understanding how wings and tanks interact. An Evolve 60 may be the biggest, flashiest, most expensive Halcyon wing made - but it's not "overkill" for single tank diving, it's a functionally poor choice. So would the Evolve 40: they're both doubles wings.

The wing will be too big, wrapping around the tiny single tank like a taco, and the gas you'll need to vent for minor trim corrections will be trapped up in the top of the wing that's wrapped halfway around your tank. You won't be able to vent it and your buoyancy will suffer. I wouldn't even use my Evolve 60 with double 100s unless I was, for some reason, wearing a retarded large amount of lead. It's too big to work on much of anything but the giant steel doubles for which it was designed.

If it's a great deal, buy it. The H SS plate is a work of art and extremely functional for single tank diving. Sell the Evolve 60 to someone who can use it, and buy yourself something like a nice used Pioneer 27 or a new Eclipse 30, or a DSS Torus wing in whatever lift capacity nutty ole Tobin tells you to buy. Given what you say about the occasional excursion into steel tanks, the Eclipse 30 (something I think is generally too big for ideal AL80 tropics diving, and requires an STA to boot) might not be the worst idea…but oh how you'll pay for it. Whatever wing you buy, replace its OPV with a DSS OPV.

To my knowledge Halcyon don't make any 60lb single wings, only doubles. As mentioned already this would be the worst possible solution and potentially dangerous. I use the 60 on a pair steel 120 (15l faber's) with 4 stages and that's touch and go for being to large. 30lb lift for singles should be ample.

As Dr.Lecter says, the wing you suggest is far too big for single tank diving. For my BP&W setup, I have an Apeks WTX3 for single tank diving and a larger Frog Midnight for twins.

This is the Halcyon wing you want for single tank diving: Halcyon Eclipse Wing by Halcyon - DiveLife

Is there any reason you want Halcyon? In my part of the world, I find them overpriced, but it may differ in other parts of the world. When buying a BP&W set-up, you can mix and match. I made my own BP as I have access to a laser cutter and CAD facilities, but if I was buying, I would go for the cheapest - at the end of the day, it is a lump of metal with holes cut in it. The harness is a length of stiff webbing, some D-rings and sliders - get whatever is cheapest. As long as the wing has the same hole spacing as the BP (I haven't found one that doesn't), it will fit. You may find a single manufacturer's packaged deal works out cheaper though.

The wing itself is where the difference in quality is noticeable. My Apeks doesn't feel as sturdy as the Frog, but I didn't want to spend a lot as most of the time I'd be on twins. Since buying the rebreather, all my deeper diving is on that, so the only OC stuff I do is on the Apeks now!

Frog stuff is good, DIR Zone is, and so is Halcyon. Deep Ideas are quite new to the market and I really like some of their kit.

Buying a BP&W system is a great idea for a new diver. Technical divers use them because they are simple, sturdy, hard wearing and adaptable. There is no reason why these are not benaficial to a recreational diver too. If you ever get into technical diving, the rig can be adapted.

For single tank diving, get a single tank wing. As others have mentioned, this isn't just about the buoyancy, it's about the shape of the wing itself; in particular the spacing across the back to accommodation double or single tanks.

An Evolve 60 on a single tank would be a taco-mess, and is likely to feel quite atrocious in the water.

Get a Hog single-tank wing, with shipping/import, and it'll still be much less than the 'deal' you've been offered in Japan on the Evolve.

Dr. Lecter:

The wing will be too big, wrapping around the tiny single tank like a taco,

Click to expand...

More like an enchilada,.... or even a burrito.

---------- Post added July 3rd, 2014 at 01:13 PM ----------

Or a "Pig in a Blanket."

(above) Example of single/double tank width specifics for Halycon Eclipse & Evolve wings.

(below) Extreme example of 'taco' effect.

No definitely not any of the evolve wing for single tank, you need Eclipse 30lb. Evolve wing will be way too wide for single tank.

Dr. Lecter:

Whatever wing you buy, replace its OPV with a DSS OPV.

Click to expand...

Why you would recommend that? As someone who owns several wings from multiple different manufacturers ... including DSS ... I haven't really noticed a functional difference between how their OPV's work ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)