OMS BC's

[Tekkie]

Hey,

I was just posting this question for people who own an OMS bc's. I was wondering if there is any diver who dives an OMS Bunggied Bladder, IQ Pack, Plain Bladder, whatever tipe of OMS bc and really hates it? Is there anyone who thinks they should have gotten the Halcyon or Dive Rite insted of the OMS? If so why do you hate the OMS wing? If not why do you love it? I was posting this because I am having a hard time choosing between a OMS Dubble Bladder #60 and a Halcyon Pioneer #38. They both seem like great Bc's.

Thankz!

Tekkie :bonk:

 

[ElectricZombie]

Why do you need a double bladder?

You will not need one if your rig is balanced.

 

[Tekkie]

Thats a good point EZ, but here's what I have been thinking.

I eventually want to get into technical diving, but not until I have logged more dives, but I also want to get my gear setup for technical diving so I will be more relaxed in the water with my setup.

I like the idea of DIR and almost all of the stuff they teach.

One problem about DIR to me is they seen to say that Halcyon gear is all you can buy or you can't have this and be a DIR diver.

Next about the wing:

I'm going to be diving singgles for a while so there is no reason to get a Halcyon #55 until I am ready.

I want to get a binggied wing because if I am diving singgles the wing will just flapp around. Also I have herd no proof of anyone getting a hole in there bunggied wing and it deflating. Also what would be the big deal about it deflating? Your spose to be properly weighted so if you do loose your wing you should be able to drop your weights and swim to the surface. No one should be soo heavly weighted that you would sink if you droped your weights.

About the bladder I would get a single bladder, but OMS doesn't offer a buggied bladder at around 55 pounds. So the next best thing is there #60 dubble bladder with bunggies. I have herd about one of the bladders inflating and you can't find which one to let out air. Why would someone be soo out of mind to connect air to both bladders (even tho it has probably been done already). If I get a dubble bladder I would only connect air to one inflator.

Also about the dubble bladder, I am not going to have a dry suit for quuite a bit of time, so I will have to dive wet and the dubble bladder would be my back up and if it all fails I can just swim to the surface.

Now about the dump valves, if I do get a bunggied dubble bladder ect..... I have noticed that there is a ball on the end of the cord and all I would have to do is just remove it right?!?!?!, then I wouldn't get stuck an let out all my air. And again even if there was a bladder failer, I could just drop weight and swim to the surface, and by the time I have dubble steels I will have a dry suit for added redundicy.

What I am thinking for my setup is my current regs, scubapro mk25/g250hp, a five foot or seven foot hose, a halcyon harness and backplate(because OMS' plates and harnesses stink) with a OMS or a Halcyon wing. The only thing bad about the Halcyon is that later on I would have to get another wing which is another $250.00. When instead I could just get a OMS and have one wing, but then of course OMs has all of those stupid dump valves and that extra long hose, but all that can be fixed, and OMS is cheeper$$$.

I just don't know what the big deal is about OMS wings.
Did I miss any thing? Wow that was a workout.

Thanks Tekkie

P.S. I have nothing against DIR, it's quite a good setup actually.

 

[pdoege]

Hello -

My buddy dives a OMS IQ pack with a trekwing.

Seems to work really well. He has not had any issues that I know of.

Peter

 

[ElectricZombie]

Tekkie once bubbled...
Thats a good point EZ, but here's what I have been thinking.

I eventually want to get into technical diving, but not until I have logged more dives, but I also want to get my gear setup for technical diving so I will be more relaxed in the water with my setup.

I like the idea of DIR and almost all of the stuff they teach.

One problem about DIR to me is they seen to say that Halcyon gear is all you can buy or you can't have this and be a DIR diver.

DIR does not require any particular brand of equiptment, just good quality gear that is properly designed.

Next about the wing:

I'm going to be diving singgles for a while so there is no reason to get a Halcyon #55 until I am ready.

I want to get a binggied wing because if I am diving singgles the wing will just flapp around. Also I have herd no proof of anyone getting a hole in there bunggied wing and it deflating.

I had a bungied wing that I used, and it deflated very quickly after a small puncture to the wing. I kept wondering why I was sinking until I noticed the bungies squeezing air out through a small hole. Without the bungies squeezing the wing, the wing would have lose little air. I will not use bungies anymore.

For singles you need a separate wing. I have a 27lbs wing for singles and a 55lbs wing for doubles. A single tank wing will cut down on drag dramatically. More expensive, but better overall.

Also what would be the big deal about it deflating? Your spose to be properly weighted so if you do loose your wing you should be able to drop your weights and swim to the surface. No one should be soo heavly weighted that you would sink if you droped your weights.

Yes, you should be balanced. But, without the bungies, the wing will still function with a small hole. The bungies seem to cause air trapping in my experience.

About the bladder I would get a single bladder, but OMS doesn't offer a buggied bladder at around 55 pounds. So the next best thing is there #60 dubble bladder with bunggies. I have herd about one of the bladders inflating and you can't find which one to let out air. Why would someone be soo out of mind to connect air to both bladders (even tho it has probably been done already). If I get a dubble bladder I would only connect air to one inflator.

I still do not see why you need a double bladder. Balance the rig and there goes the need for a double bladder. For doubles, just get a 55lbs wing with no bungies. For singles, get a 27lbs or 36lbs wing. Whatever brand you want but, I really, really like the Halcyon wings.

Also about the dubble bladder, I am not going to have a dry suit for quuite a bit of time, so I will have to dive wet and the dubble bladder would be my back up and if it all fails I can just swim to the surface.

You can double up a set of Aluminum 80s for wetsuit diving. They have really good bouyancy characteristics and if you need more air than that, carry a stage bottle. I don't have a dry suit either so, I'm sticking with my Al 80 doubles as not to be overweighted. You cannot balance heavy steel tanks with a wetsuit, you can easily do so with Aluminum tanks.

Now about the dump valves, if I do get a bunggied dubble bladder ect..... I have noticed that there is a ball on the end of the cord and all I would have to do is just remove it right?!?!?!, then I wouldn't get stuck an let out all my air. And again even if there was a bladder failer, I could just drop weight and swim to the surface, and by the time I have dubble steels I will have a dry suit for added redundicy.

Remove the ball on the pull dump. These will catch under bungies sometime...another reason to avoid them.

Drysuits are not really for redundancy, you should not have to inflate your dry suit to get you back to the top if the bladder goes. The positive bouyancy of the drysuit just helps balance the rig.

What I am thinking for my setup is my current regs, scubapro mk25/g250hp, a five foot or seven foot hose, a halcyon harness and backplate(because OMS' plates and harnesses stink) with a OMS or a Halcyon wing. The only thing bad about the Halcyon is that later on I would have to get another wing which is another $250.00. When instead I could just get a OMS and have one wing, but then of course OMs has all of those stupid dump valves and that extra long hose, but all that can be fixed, and OMS is cheeper$$$.

Do it right the first time. Get a Halcyon or FredT BP and Harness (I like the FredT a little more). For now, just go ahead and get a single tank Halcyon wing, either a 27lbs or 36lbs model. Save up some cash for a while, and start buying some of your tech gear. After you get the doubles, then get a 55lbs wing...Halcyon or whatever is similiar and within your budget. Will cost a little more but keeping the rig balanced is part of basic safety.

I just don't know what the big deal is about OMS wings.
Did I miss any thing? Wow that was a workout.

Their bungee less, single bladder wings are not that bad really. Not as nice as the Halcyon wings, but still well made. The Halcyon ones are just more rugged and durable. The also have the correct length deflator hose.

 

[matt t.]

What's wrong with OMS plates?????

 

[ElectricZombie]

matt t. once bubbled...
What's wrong with OMS plates?????

For doubles they are ok. I'm not sure what type of metal they are made out of though.

I like the integrated STA slots on the Halcyon and FredT for single tank diving, that's why I suggested those.

 

[Tekkie]

Thanks EZ I think I will go with halcyon, even though they are a bit more expensive, the quality is better.

 

[Atticus]

Tekkie once bubbled... Also I have herd no proof of anyone getting a hole in there bunggied wing and it deflating. Also what would be the big deal about it deflating? Your spose to be properly weighted so if you do loose your wing you should be able to drop your weights and swim to the surface. No one should be soo heavly weighted that you would sink if you droped your weights.

If you have a hole in the bladder and you squeeze the bladder, the inverted glass analogy is no longer true, and the air will be squeezed out through the hole.

On the second point of being able to drop weights and swim to the surface -- I agree in theory. Many of the folks here end up only carrying 6 lbs of lead total (which they carry on a ditchable belt), however they are weighting to be neutral at the end of their dive (after they have breathed down their tanks), and are carrying ~ 20 lbs of gas. This means that even if they ditch their 6 lbs they are going to be 14 lbs negative. You can probably swim up 14 lbs negative, but it's not quite the same as recreational conditions where typically if one drops all their weight they are positive (that's a whole other danger . . . )

Tekkie once bubbled... I have herd about one of the bladders inflating and you can't find which one to let out air. Why would someone be soo out of mind to connect air to both bladders (even tho it has probably been done already). If I get a dubble bladder I would only connect air to one inflator.

Connecting both inflators appears to be normal practice for the tech divers here that use OMS dual bladder wings. I don't own an OMS dual bladder, so I've never had to cross this road.


Question about the trim comments -- the OMS dual bladders are intended entirely as redundancy. Specifically, only one bladder should be used at a time. How does the OMS dual bladder have anything to do with trim? (Aside from the issues of adjusting the bungies and trapping air in the folds created by the bungies?)

 

[RoyalAquaMaster]

I want to get a bungeed wing because if I am diving singles the wing will just flap around. Also I have herd no proof of anyone getting a hole in there bungeed wing and it deflating. Also what would be the big deal about it deflating?

My friends and I have used OMS w/o any problems with bungee’s.
A punctured wing (bungeed or not) will seek to equalize itself with the ambient pressure outside of the wing if a puncture is sustained. This prolonged argument is a moot point more for argument sake then a actual perceived problem.