SP Hydros Pro vs Halcyon Eclipse

[jd950]

Hello. This is my first post on this site. I own both the SP hydros pro and Halcyon Adventure plus, with a lightweight carbon fiber backplate, paired with the 30lbs Eclipse wing. I dive in warm water so only need 6 lbs trim weight. I have also tried the xdeep ghost (deluxe harness). Notes below (not exhaustive).


- small chest D rings. Not great if you're going for a DIR config, which would require 3-4 bolt snaps on the right shoulder.

Faisal:

Thank you for your extensive thoughts on this. I am not a DIR person and have no intention of becoming one, so this is just idle curiosity. What is the purpose of having 3-4 bolt snaps attached to the right shoulder D ring?

 

[Trailboss123]

Hello. This is my first post on this site. I own both the SP hydros pro and Halcyon Adventure plus, with a lightweight carbon fiber backplate, paired with the 30lbs Eclipse wing. I dive in warm water so only need 6 lbs trim weight. I have also tried the xdeep ghost (deluxe harness). Notes below (not exhaustive).

SP Hydros Pro:
+ very light, and remains lightest post dive. Much more so than the rest
+ packs smallest of the group
+ lots of lift at the surface, but does ride up a bit. Probably can be addressed with a crotch strap.
+ has a handle built into the monprene "backplate".. extremely useful
- small chest D rings. Not great if you're going for a DIR config, which would require 3-4 bolt snaps on the right shoulder.
- not a hogarthian harness, so extra bits of webbing hanging under the pinch clips when tightened. And the articulated joints feel like a failure point. SP extols the easy field repairs, but compared to a standard webbing harness that doesn't require repair.. this is a negative..

Halcyon:
+ As light pre dive as the SP, but feels like the wing material retains more water than the SP so post dive weight perceptibly higher than the SP
+ Very DIR, which is an approach I'm beginning to appreciate
+ has a handle stitched on the wing. You don't have as much control as having the handle on the backplate like the SP, but very useful vs not having a handle.
- cambands have a grippy bit of rubber hanging separately. Sometimes requires a bit of fiddling about with...
- at the surface, a lot of the wing is outside the water so not providing lift. You can comfortably lie back and keep your head above water, but in a straight up position, a little less lift than I'd like (with the 30lb wing). (The "infinite" adjustability unfortunately doesn't include adjustment of the wing relative to the BP..)

XDeep:

+ the wing sits lower down than on the halcyon and is smaller at the top and wider at the bottom. Best of the three at the surface for lift.
- no handle on the BP, or wing. But very easy to use cam bands... best of the three...
- I didn't find the Y crotchstrap any more comfortable than a traditional one..
+ All three have good trim in the water... but deflated, the xdeep has the lowest profile / becomes thinnest. I'm not sure whether this has any practical benefit at the type of speeds we're talking about... but it probably packs smaller than the Halcyon...
- in both standard and deluxe setups, the harness is not a standard one piece.. the waist belt is separate from the shoulder straps. Not a negative, but worth noting.

My order of preference would be Ghost (with a standard harness), Halcyon, SP. SP last because I want a standard D ring at the shoulders, and prefer to avoid the the extra webbing associated with pinch clips. I'd choose the Xdeep over the Halcyon for the much better lift at the surface. The practical thing I'd be giving up is the handle that's stiched on the Eclipse wing. Bit of convenience lost but more gained by having better lift at the surface.

Thanks for taking the time to outline the pro's and cons of each system. I just purchased the XDeep Ghost and will get it into the water for the first time this weekend. Already feeling like I made an intelligent choice for my intended uses. Thanks again @FaisalF

 

[FaisalF]

Faisal:

Thank you for your extensive thoughts on this. I am not a DIR person and have no intention of becoming one, so this is just idle curiosity. What is the purpose of having 3-4 bolt snaps attached to the right shoulder D ring?

Thanks for you comment and question. By of caveat first (and background) I've been diving in the DIR style for just a few weeks. I took the GUE fundamentals course because I wanted to be better with trim and finning techniques. What I came away (addition to a better trim / finning technique) was an appreciation for the equipment config (e.g. the SPG is small, on a shorter hose, and clipped off to the left hip D ring, rather than stuffed down a waist belt..)

To your question: on the right shoulder D ring, you would clip your primary second stage, your primary light when not in use, an extra double ender (to attach to an SMB or bang against your tank for noise), and if diving in an overhead environment, you would carry two backup lights, one on each of your shoulder D rings. So that's 4 in an overhead environment.

I highly recommend checking out this clip for more on the topic and the rest of this guy's playlist:

 

[dmaziuk]

So that's 4 in an overhead environment.

As a side note I prefer 2 d-rings with octo holder on top and camera leash on the bottom one. Of course it's easy when you're neither a DIR person nor use a deluxe comfort padded harness.

 

[jd950]

Thanks for the information and the video link. I watched the video. The DIR configuration isn't for me, but I appreciate having a better understanding of what you were discussing. I can see why you would want a large D ring although that would not be an issue for me.

You mentioned the hydros riding up and the need for a crotch strap. I have never seemed to have much problem with BCs riding up on me so have never used a crotch strap even with BCs that can utilize them. I have a hard time understanding how a 2" strap wrapped around ones crotch would be very comfortable, although I suppose that might be personal preference for some. I wonder if it is a question of how snugly one wears the BC or if it is a fit issue? I have played with the hydros some now and someone has offered to let me try it in a pool and I might, just out of curiosity. Not that a pool session is very good measure. It seems to me like it would be pretty grippy and not prone to slip.

 

[tridacna]

It has nothing to do with slipping. The crotch strap prevents the wing from riding high on your back ESPECIALLY when you're on the surface. I find it easier to stay vertical when floating. It is also useful when doing a long backswim from shore to a divesite.

 

[jd950]

Perhaps I used poor terminology, I meant to refer to the BC riding up...I think we are talking about the same thing

 

[FaisalF]

Perhaps I used poor terminology, I meant to refer to the BC riding up...I think we are talking about the same thing

Tridacna is right. I previously used a jacket style BC and that did not require a crotch strap.. I guess that's because when inflated, you are sandwiched between air cells. Inflation from all sides keeps the BC tight to the body. With a back inflate (hydros) or wing, the air cell is just on the back, and it would naturally move away from you, so requires better anchoring.. with the hydros, it wasn't a big problem, just a bit of movement that required a bit of adjustment... which presumably is the reason SP designed it with a slot for a crotch strap..