What's wrong with the OMS dual bladder 100#'s?

[KidK9]

I was advised to buy a OMS dual bladder with stainless steel backplate and dive rite harness. I like it, although it's an adjustment. I probably only have about 6 dives on it. Some others have told me its too much though. So what exactly is too much about this setup. I was planning on using it to move my way into Technical Training. ANy help greatly appreciated.

 

[NEWreckDiver]

I was advised to buy a OMS dual bladder with stainless steel backplate and dive rite harness. I like it, although it's an adjustment. I probably only have about 6 dives on it. Some others have told me its too much though. So what exactly is too much about this setup. I was planning on using it to move my way into Technical Training. ANy help greatly appreciated.

If you are using it for a single tank right now, then that is why people are telling you that it is too much.

If you like it, dive it. And yes, if you are going to continue your training into the more advanced areas, then you are going to need it.

DSAO

 

[theskull]

If your instructor tells you it is too much for you after seeing you dive it, that would be a concern.

If a bunch of people who are repeating what they heard a bunch of people saying tell you it is too much, that should be taken with a tub of salt.

(It is indeed rather large if you are diving it with a single tank--not so for doubles.)

theskull

 

[No Fish]

I was advised to buy a OMS dual bladder with stainless steel backplate and dive rite harness. I like it, although it's an adjustment. I probably only have about 6 dives on it. Some others have told me its too much though. So what exactly is too much about this setup. I was planning on using it to move my way into Technical Training. ANy help greatly appreciated.

Nothing is wrong with it. It will work perfectly fine.Tuck the extra inflator away if you are not hooking it up for single tank use. Maybe the "others are jealous". What course are you taking?

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Well, it's absolutely massive for single tank use, and pretty big even for doubles with deco bottles. It looks like in the picture on OMS's site that the bladders are stacked, not one inflator to each side, so I would suggest that you only use one inflator for normal use, so that you only have to remember to dump from one inflator, which eliminates the possibility of forgetting you have the second wing and getting into an uncontrolled ascent because you weren't dumping air from both wings.

 

[trob09]

If you like it and it works for you there's not much anyone could do to convince you it's not appropriate.

but since you asked...

- It's more than you need. And, well, if you don't need it, why take it? I have dove with Doubled PST LP 120's with 3 stages (2 80's and a 40), canister light and all the various equipment needed for a 250' wreck dive here on the east coast. A 55lb. wing is plenty of wing for that amount of gear. I can't imaging the amount of gear that would necessitate a 100lb wing. In truth, I've never used a 100lb wing so i can't discuss its relative merits. I have used a 70 lb wing & found it to be more than I needed.

- There are other considerations (diving dry vs. wet, bungied vs. non-bungied) that you haven't specified, so I'll leave those.

You asked for opinions, there's mine - free of charge and worth every penny.

 

[grazie42]

I have one too with the same BP so maybe I´m biased (noone likes to admit they made a wrong purchase) but here´s my take:
My tanks (dual 15 litrs) weigh 80lbs on their own.
With plate and lead that I require for DS I´m @ 96lbs.
Add 2, 7ltr decotanks, to that and you´re past 100lbs easy.

Now all these numbers are what they weigh in at in my apartment, not in the water so I figure I have a pretty decent margin but it doesent seem all that excessive to me...

For single-tank diving I just bought an STA that I haven´t dived with yet but the wing is pretty big even around my double 15´s. I´ve just bungeed my wing (please no BW or BWOD comments...) to keep it from tacoing but don´t know how that feels/works in the water...a friend said that he felt bungees made the rig more distinct and tighter when diving, guess I´ll find out...

In short, if you like it keep diving it and if "people" don´t like it then you´re not the one with a problem.

 

[Boogie711]

I have one too with the same BP so maybe I´m biased (noone likes to admit they made a wrong purchase) but here´s my take:
My tanks (dual 15 litrs) weigh 80lbs on their own.
With plate and lead that I require for DS I´m @ 96lbs.
Add 2, 7ltr decotanks, to that and you´re past 100lbs easy.

Trob09 nailed it - a 100 pound wing is way too huge for anything you will ever take into the water.

Grazie - you're mistaking dry weight on land for bouyancy. They're not the same thing. An AL80 weighs about 35 pounds - so when you're diving a single AL80 do you need a 35 lb wing? Of course not. You're not trying to float your rig on dry land, are you? So why talk about dryland weight?

Let's take Trob's example for a minute. He had LP120's, which are water-coolers on his back. Easily 100 lbs in dry land weight there. Two AL80 stages (another 70 lbs,) plus a 40 (20 lbs) plus a cannister light (anywhere from 3-15 lbs. By now, we're up to needing a 200 lb wing! Augh!

But no - he floated the whole thing with a 55 lb wing.

 

[TwoTanks]

Its fine, there is nothing wrong with having some extra lift capacity. It is more then you will ever need, but too much is better than not enough. Since you went with OMS you really only had two choices 60LB of 100 LB. A 60 LB lift would be borderline for a load like Trob09 uses. I believe that a 55 will hold it up but do you really want to come within 5 LB of sinking? It would be better if OMS offered a 70 or 80 LB wing but since they don't the 100 (actually 94LB) is the right choice. Besides the OMS wings are a good product. Not to say any of the others aren't. I'm not trying to start a brand debate here.

TT

 

[trob09]

I don't think it's borderline...Head & Top of shoulders out of the water when the tanks are full, better than that at the end of the dive when they are +/- 1/3 remaining. The wing is not fully inflated, either.

Like I said, I've used a 70 and find it to be more than I need for that load. If you feel the need for more lift, have at it.

tim