Does anyone have experience with this wing here?
Rec Series | Dive Rite
I use the diverite rec exp. Mine doesn't have bungees. I started with a rec exp and steel plate. Now I've got 6 different plates, and I'm starting to acquire wings. I've got a diverite steel, diverite plastic (1/4"), some noname cheap plastic, an apeks aluminum, a steel freedom plate and aluminum freedom plate.
Webbing/hardware is cheap enough and kind of a hassle to install so I don't move it between plates. After you move the webbing a couple times, you'll quickly decide that stuff is for the birds.
The rec exp is ok for single tanks, especially if you dive drysuit with a lot of lead and also use big heavy steel tanks. I would not use it for backmount doubles, it's just not quite wide enough and you won't be able to completely inflate it therefore losing a lot of the lift. Might get away with it if you were using double al80's (but why would anyone do that?) as they're only 7.25". When I dive doubles, it's sidemount and I use a diverite nomad xt.
I'm actually looking at switching to an 18 or 24 lb wing in place of the big rec exp that I've used for years.
In short, I agree with the others. Don't bother with a "dual purpose" wing. Jack of all trades, master of none. Actually I don't think I'd risk diving doubles with it, and it's a bit too much for singles - although you never have to worry about having enough lift with a single tank
. If I could do it over, I would have gone with a much smaller single tank wing.
The rec exp comes with plastic clips to clip the edges of the wing to holes around the edge of your backplate. Those clips tend to break, so need regular replacement (most diverite shops will have them in stock). Last year I stopped buying them and just went to zipties. In my profile photo, I'm using the rec exp wing. It's not clipped on the edges so you can see it taco around my single tank. Not the end of the world but it's not the best way to dive a wing. The zipties don't look quite as nice but they do the job for less money and I keep a bunch in my save-a-dive kit anyway.
The rec exp has a replaceable bladder, which IMO is important. I won't buy a wing that doesn't have a replaceable bladder. I've had the wing about 5 years now, and I'm on my second bladder (replacement cost me $99 from local shop).
As for harnesses, I've got a diverite deluxe harness. It's got quick disconnects and shoulder pads and a pad around the crotch strap. Some of my wings have regular hogarthian harnesses. The hogarthian harnesses suck compared to the deluxe. Don't get talked out of a nice harness. I often lift my rig by a shoulder strap that has a QD on it and I've not once had it come undone or break. Steel LP108 (full) + lead + steel plate = no problem. At 5 years, I replaced the harness just in case... Everything has its limits.