DSS LCD20 Wing Feedback

[stargost]

earlier this year I was debating what kind of small wing to buy.
Idea was to get one for a young diver for warm water, but also one to be used from time to time with a 7mm suit locally.
There were several choices, like DSS (T17, T26, and LCD20), as well as other from oxycheq (18lbs, or even the 30lbs), and Hollis S25.

We bought the DSS LCD 20.

One of the key reasons it took so long to decide was to the debate about horse-shoe vs donut/tore wings. Many experience divers were claiming it was a non issue, but personal experience as well as feedback from other people tend to still lead to an easier venting when the wing is a donut.
I think donut may be easier to vent, especially for someone who won’t dive too often. Now, for this size of wing, it does not matter, and it takes 1 dive to get use to the horse shoe wing shape, maybe 2.

I tried the wing myself together with the freedom plate. Works great (funny there is a youtube video on FP+LCD20 : YouTube - Deep Sea Supply LCD20 wing on a Freedom Plate ). It is an excellent warm water set up. No suit, no extra lead. Perfect.

Then the young diver has been using it in warm water (together with a full DSS rig), and no pb (also a video on youtube: YouTube - Plongees Belize july2010 : few seconds at the middle of the video there is a diver with blue fins frog kicking with a complete DSS setup. This is the LCD20) .
The overall small size of the rig makes it an excellent set up for kids. A 3mm suit was necessary to avoid being over weighted with a SS plate, but once again, worked very well.
Locally with the 7mm wetsuit (~+11lbs), the 20lbs of lift are plenty to have the rig float, even using a steel HP100 tank, which is usually not the case anyway (more often it’s AL80 or HP80).

There are 3 specific advantages I see with this wing:

1/ wing pack really flat, and takes no space in a bag. This is really a good travel wing.

2/ in several tropical locations, the rigs are placed in boats in some kind of tubes or tank size-holes to maintain them. It works well with std BCD, but not at all with a plate and a ‘long wing’: high probability to pinch the wing with this system (that I saw in Fiji, Belize and French Polynesia)
The short LCD 20 makes it a no issue at all.

3/ When using short tank like HP80 or some AL (60?), same as above, the wing can be pitched below the tanks. Not with this one.


Conclusion: it is certainly a wing I’d recommend, especially if you are facing the 3 points mentioned above.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Thanks for the review. The LCD 20 is the shortest wing we offer, and sometimes that is a benefit.

Tobin

 

[divesergeant]

Stargost,

Thanks for taking the time to post. Mrs DS is still thinking about getting a BP/W and sizing / shortness is very much an issue. A long wing wouldn't work on her short torso.

It might take her trying a BP/W on a trip to get her to commit, But she keeps getting closer. Heck, I started emailing with Tobin about his rigs at least 3 years before I took the plunge. I wish now I had given in sooner.

DS

 

[stargost]

Stargost,

Thanks for taking the time to post. Mrs DS is still thinking about getting a BP/W and sizing / shortness is very much an issue. A long wing wouldn't work on her short torso.

It might take her trying a BP/W on a trip to get her to commit, But she keeps getting closer. Heck, I started emailing with Tobin about his rigs at least 3 years before I took the plunge. I wish now I had given in sooner.

DS

No pb.
Beyond the wings, the other advantage if the DSS rigs is the multiple plate sizes, which makes it easy for short torso women (or kids, knowing that they will grow...)

Now, you need to make sure you are not too conservative about the short torso. I did screw up and got small plate instead of medium as the body height was right at the limit.

Other cool&good feature if diving dry is the possibility to add the weight plate on top of the BP.

 

[divesergeant]

Thanks stargost!

No need to worry about diving dry suits, though. We're sissies and stick to tropical diving.

Before buying, we'll send Tobin her exact height and he'll guide us right from there! Can't go wrong doing that...
JB

 

[shimbob]

... (funny there is a youtube video on FP+LCD20 : YouTube - Deep Sea Supply LCD20 wing on a Freedom Plate ).

Glad my video's useful. I also have the 17# and 35# wings to use with the Freedom plate. I thought of making another video with the 17# but frankly, pointless.

[edit]
YouTube - Installing DSS 17# on Freedom Plate
YouTube - Removing DSS 17# on Freedom Plate

 

[fxrguy]

I know this is a somewhat dated post but I just wanted to mention I also have been trying to decide on either the T17, T26, and LCD20 wings for almost the exact same reason. I plan on doing a combination of different types of diving from spearfishing off daytona with 6/7 mm suits and full spearfishing gear to chasing lobsters in the Keys with just skins on. Tobin had recommended the T17 but that was for just diving warm water with minimal gear. I was looking at the T26 but you advice has me considering the LCD20 expecially its being so compact. Thanks!

 

[SereDiver]

Hey Stargost, just wondering, when you dive in your 7mm wetsuit with the HP100 how much lead do you use? I was considering gitting a similar set up but wasn't sure if the rig would float at the surface with only 20# lift. TIA

 

[cool_hardware52]

Hey Stargost, just wondering, when you dive in your 7mm wetsuit with the HP100 how much lead do you use? I was considering gitting a similar set up but wasn't sure if the rig would float at the surface with only 20# lift. TIA

Thick suits (7mm) typically require more than 20 lbs of lift.

Tobin

 

[stargost]

Hey Stargost, just wondering, when you dive in your 7mm wetsuit with the HP100 how much lead do you use? I was considering gitting a similar set up but wasn't sure if the rig would float at the surface with only 20# lift. TIA

Well, i wont dive the 7mm with an HP100 and the LCD20. It might work with an AL80 (cf. comment on first post), and if you dont attach the weigth to the rig (need belt)

my daughter uses a 6mm with this wing, and has used a steel tank HP80, it worked because the doesnt need weigth then, but it doesnt trim well and it's not an ideal set up. You have to just check to make sure the rig float !

I'd say it's a kid wing, or great as a travel one for adults.