Yet another wing question ..... Sorry

[Nemrod]

If you dive a negative steel tank, like many are, up to 9 pounds negative full, an 18 pound wing will not be enough and especially with a 5/3 suit or more. The travel wings, really, are intended for aluminum 80s or tanks with similar buoyancy characteristics. The very negative steels will over tax the minimal wings.

Dear OP, I figure your LP95 will be dandy with the 30 pound class wing.

N

 

[Bob DBF]

It's really unusual that you would need a 40 lb wing for single tank diving

I got a 40# Wing because I matched my jacket, not scientific but I was not going to decrease my positive buoyancy when shifting rigs. As I found out more about the buoyancy characteristics I do not believe the wing actually delivers the advertised buoyancy since it will barely or not float the BP and and steel 120. What it does advertised when alone and inflated may not be what it does between BP/W and a tank.


Bob

 

[2airishuman]

Hello Jay

I have spent days trying to figure out what I wanted. I've read threads, blogs, manufacturer sites, etc and thought I had it figured out..... Dive Rite Transplate harness, less than $100 OMS or DGX stainless plate, and a 30# wing. The harness is now the only definate choice for the quick release buckles.

As others have indicated, a properly adjusted one-piece harness can be readily donned and doffed at the surface or at depth, without a great deal of shoulder mobility.

I usually dive aluminum 80's at home (fresh water) but I also have an al100 and a steel LP 95 as well. I read on a mfg site that a 30# wing is good for up to a al100. Sometimes I clip off a 27 cf pony when diving alone. Now the dilemma, we dive steel hp120's in Cozumel. Is the more buoyant salt water enough to to make up for the 120 tank and 30 pound wing?

I have a 30# DSS singles wing and two larger doubles wings. I usually dive hp120s in fresh water. I am 6-1 and 240#.

In a two-piece 7mm freediving suit, with an hp120 and an hp40 pony, I find that my wing is sufficient to at least 100' provided that I am ideally weighted. If overweight, it is difficult to control buoyancy at the beginning of a deep dive.

So do I go with a 40# wing, stainless BP, and just have a little extra lift in freshwater? 2 wings are really not in the budget right now. Doubles are probably never in my future, cave diving does not interest me and an aluminum 100 or steel 120 is more than enough bottom time for 1 dive.

I'm 6'1" and 230#. Dive a 3/2 full wetsuit. I have a 7 mil full but the cool water trips ( Bonne Terre in Missouri and Blue Hole in New Mexico) are on permanent hold because my wife's NOPE meter pegs out at 72 degree water.

Lucky you, my wife doesn't dive. My personal record is 39 degree water, because I live next to Lake Superior.

I don't know why you would want a 40# singles wing, unless you want a hedge against being overweighted, or are planning on bringing, say, a couple of LP72 stages with you to extend your dive time. 13 cf air weighs one pound, so two LP72 stages would require an extra 11 pounds of wing capacity.

I just would like something more travel and trim friendly. It seems DSS Is the go to brand, but a 200 plate is not in the budget, nor a $300 wing, and the standard hogartharian rig is not what I want. I appreciate his Input on this site, but the frequent "Call Tobin" advice does not seem right when I'm not going to be buying his products this time around.

I like Tobin and I like his products. I was able to find a used DSS backplate, weights, singles wing, and doubles wing, at a price that would work for me. I buy very little new gear.

 

[tbone1004]

I got a 40# Wing because I matched my jacket, not scientific but I was not going to decrease my positive buoyancy when shifting rigs. As I found out more about the buoyancy characteristics I do not believe the wing actually delivers the advertised buoyancy since it will barely or not float the BP and and steel 120. What it does advertised when alone and inflated may not be what it does between BP/W and a tank.


Bob

this is important to be aware of because most companies advertise the theoretical wing lift. The DSS wings have their lift measured while on the rig with an 8" tank to give worst case scenario *things like mounted pony bottles or argon bottles strapped directly to the tanks will obviously lower that*

 

[uncfnp]

Hey Jay.

As to wing, Eric uses steel 120's with a "lite" steel BP plus a slung 19 cf pony and does quite well with his Hog 32 wing and diving a 3.5 wetsuit.

As for harness, unless you are shore diving or otherwise spend a lot of time on land geared up the shoulder pads will mostly just be a nusense. But the quick release will be nice if you are doffing in the water. I have shoulder issues as well but on the boat I still rarely use the releases. However, in water having one to release is mighty handy.

I have not seen them but Randy with piranha dive has several version of "comfort harnesses" with quick releases with and without pads.

Dual-Quick-Release-Adjustable-Comfort-Harness

 

[Bob DBF]

However, in water having one to release is mighty handy.

You can rig a steel buckle on a regular harness for the same effect and avoid the plastic. I have a leftover old plastic backpack from the '70's that came standard with that configuration, I use it in the pool when checking equipment because I can get in and out quicker. I don't need it on my diving rig, but if I develop shoulder or back issues I'd make the modification in a heartbeat.


Bob

 

[Colliam7]

Now the dilemma, we dive steel hp120's in Cozumel. Is the more buoyant salt water enough to to make up for the 120 tank and 30 pound wing?

More than enough. I often dive a SS BP, 30 lb wing, and HP120 in fresh water and have sufficient lift. There isn't a need to go with a 40lb wing just for a 120.

I had it figured out..... Dive Rite Transplate harness, less than $100 OMS or DGX stainless plate, and a 30# wing. The harness is now the only definite choice for the quick release buckles.

As others have suggested, I would really think twice, and thrice, etc.) about a Transplate harness, if the goal is simply to have quick release buckles. The Transplate / deluxe harnesses are built with a swivel ring in each shoulder strap to accommodate a chest strap. The chest strap is really unnecessary for single cylinder diving, and its placement (and that of the rings to which it attaches on those harnesses) substantively limits where you can position the shoulder D-ring on each side. That limitation is enhanced by the placement of a Quick Release buckle - there is a limited range on the shoulder strap for placement of the D-ring.

Rather than a commercial harness, you may wish to consider getting a continuous / one-piece harness, and either using an extra waist buckle to allow you to tighten / loosen one shoulder (to allow you to more easily get out of the rig), or have a plastic quick release sewn into the left strap at a local shoe shop (mine charged my $10 to do it - I provided the QR buckle).

I can appreciate your preference for a quick release. I use one on my doubles backplates. Frankly, at the end of a long deco dive, particularly in a drysuit, I value the convenience of releasing one shoulder to make it easier to slip one arm out of the rig, after which the other arm isn't an issue. But, going with a deluxe / Transplate harness doesn't give you the flexibility that alternative approaches might. Just a thought.

And, for future reference - don't ever feel you should apologize for asking another question. Asking questions is what SB is all about - it is a place where we can all exchange ideas and information, and learn from each other. So, keep asking.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I have spent days trying to figure out what I wanted. I've read threads, blogs, manufacturer sites, etc and thought I had it figured out..... Dive Rite Transplate harness, less than $100 OMS or DGX stainless plate, and a 30# wing. The harness is now the only definate choice for the quick release buckles.

I usually dive aluminum 80's at home (fresh water) but I also have an al100 and a steel LP 95 as well. I read on a mfg site that a 30# wing is good for up to a al100. Sometimes I clip off a 27 cf pony when diving alone. Now the dilemma, we dive steel hp120's in Cozumel. Is the more buoyant salt water enough to to make up for the 120 tank and 30 pound wing?

So do I go with a 40# wing, stainless BP, and just have a little extra lift in freshwater? 2 wings are really not in the budget right now. Doubles are probably never in my future, cave diving does not interest me and an aluminum 100 or steel 120 is more than enough bottom time for 1 dive.

I'm 6'1" and 230#. Dive a 3/2 full wetsuit. I have a 7 mil full but the cool water trips ( Bonne Terre in Missouri and Blue Hole in New Mexico) are on permanent hold because my wife's NOPE meter pegs out at 72 degree water.

I just would like something more travel and trim friendly. It seems DSS Is the go to brand, but a 200 plate is not in the budget, nor a $300 wing, and the standard hogartharian rig is not what I want. I appreciate his Input on this site, but the frequent "Call Tobin" advice does not seem right when I'm not going to be buying his products this time around.

Thanks in advance for your response.

Jay

A couple points:
When purchased as a package, i.e. wing, plate, harness and cambands our pricing is very competitive, typically under $480. We know our goods work best together, and that divers with a DSS wing and DSS plate are going to generate far fewer CS contacts than rigs that are pieced together. The package price is intended as an incentive for divers to buy a system of parts designed to work together.

Harness fit and the need for Quick Releases and or adjustments on the fly:

The typical jacket BC user will cinch their harness down very snug in an effort to keep it the cylinder from flopping around and the BC from riding up. Lacking a crotch strap, and having only fabric between the diver and cylinder these efforts typically fail, but divers still wear jackets "Marty Feldman" tight.

These same divers assume that they will need to run a "Hogarthian" harness on a BP&W just as tight, and reason that they won't be able to don or doff such a tight harness.

Once they understand that the plate takes the "flop" out of the cylinder, and the crotch strap stops ridding up, and the combination of shoulder straps, crotch strap, and waist strap exist to position the late on the diver, and need not be any where near as tight as the typical jacket, the concerns about getting in to and out of a Hog harness largely goes away.

For those that may have unusual needs, / limited range of motion the DSS Glide Harness Adapter may be useful and can be added to our Stainless Plates anytime in about 3 minutes.

Tobin

 

[stuartv]

I'm 6'1" and 230#. Dive a 3/2 full wetsuit. I have a 7 mil full but the cool water trips ( Bonne Terre in Missouri and Blue Hole in New Mexico) are on permanent hold because my wife's NOPE meter pegs out at 72 degree water.

I'm 6' 1", 230# also. For single tank diving in warm salt water, I use a SS BP and Hog 23# wing with my steel HP120s. It works fine. No additional weight needed. I started with a DSS LCD30 wing, but I upgraded to the Hog 23 to have a smaller, donut-shaped wing and haven't used the LCD30 since.

And, actually, I am now seriously considering getting a more minimal BP that is single tank-only and selling my original DSS rig as a complete setup.

This BP will hold the tank even closer to my body:

Store - Vintage Double Hose

I will have to use a little add-on weight with it, compared to the SS BP. But, 2 - 4 # in trim pockets on my tank straps is no big deal, to me. Nor is 8 or so pounds, if I happen to get stuck diving an AL80.

In your situation, I would probably get the VDH Universal plate, a DGX Gears wing (for $199), and the DGX ScubaPro-style Quick Release tank straps ($20 ea). And the webbing and D-rings for a Hogarthian harness. At least, that is where I am heading now (saving that I have a Hog wing).

DGX Gears Single Tank Wing | Dive Gear Express®

DGX Tank Strap, Quick Release with S/S Hinge Buckle | Dive Gear Express®

DGX Gears Trim Weight Pocket (each) | Dive Gear Express®