Another "What Wing?" Thread - Sorry

[thehappychappy]

Also, any suggestions for shops/suppliers in the midlands that will allow me to try before I buy?

Being a Jock I am not sure how midlands this is but I've found Divelife to be very helpful over the phone.

- Scuba diving equipment from DiveLife. Supplying equipment from all the UK's



As for the rest of your question, well its all very emotive and there are reasons good and bad for most makes,models and styles, no matter what you buy some folk will like it and others wont although all that really matters is you like it, you can use it and it does what you want it to safely.


Davie

[digital_steve]

Get a backplate and 2 wings... a singles wing and a twins wing. You'll be better off in the long run
If you seriously just want one wing then i reckon, IMHO, zeagle SS backplate with a zeagle ranger wing
Same wing that is on their BCD's so it will do singles (big tho) and up to twin 12's. It's got like 44lbs of lift

[Twinsetmad]

Stay well clear of the Poseidon Beesea... they are pants....

Stainless plate, harness that you like.. and a 40lb bungied wing should fit your bill..... there are loads out there.

[yazzyfooty]

Frog or Halcyon either are great bits of kit...given the choice i would go for Frog as you get the same thing with one hell of a saving when compared to Halcyons inflated prices.Both are modular in design so the wing can be changed to suit cylinder choice.
Paul.

The OP was quite specific in what she was looking for I dont think either Halcyon and Frogs matches any of her criteria? My understanding also is that you have to have one for single tank and one for twins so would either of these meet the OP's criteria? Dont think so.

[TerryH]

Another vote for the Zeagle, I use a Tec.

Same wing can do strapped singles with two straps (much better than
one).
Replace straps with AP pony bands for VERY secure pony use.
Same with AP twinning bands for holiday twins.
or
Can bolt through a single adapter or twins WITHOUT a backplate or
bolt through with one.

I know no other wing that can do the bloomin lot. Every single variant
with hardly any change to the basic structure other then what straps to
use.

[Digger]

Decent shop for trying on wings and plates in the midlands - either go to niknaks to try on Frogs, they're in Birmingham(ish). Give them a call I'm sure they'll happily get you geared up.

Other option for other brands the guys at Aquasport are pretty good for honest advice. I've seen customers told they don't want x expensive piece of kit, because it's more than they need for their holidays, where a lot of dive shops would have let the customer spend money they didn't need to. Oh, and they've got nice sofas to sit around on talking dive crap.

Personally in your position I'd look at a Tekwing. They're big enough for the twins, neat on a single, and unless you get into stages and everything else will be as big as you need for a very very long time. Plus they're dirt cheap.

Avoid the Poseidon, it's crap. The others may be good, I reccomend the stuff I've used and seen used for hundreds of dives.

Another good option for getting into all this stuff is to do a one day thingy with a decent instructor who can probably let you try a range of wings and help you get things set up properly.

Digs.

[mkhari]

Thanks chaps, that's given me a few more places to look around. Think I'll make some trips to dive shops this week seeing as I have nothing else to do, and see what happens. One more question - I know there will be no definitive answer, but diving on twin 10s, with a drysuit, how much lift should I aim to buy into? What would be sufficient??

Thanks,

El.

I dive twin 300bar 10l on a Buddy Tekwing and they are very heavy. You should be fine with 22kg/50lb of lift, which is what the Tekwing gives. You would probably have enough lift left over for a small stage. Also, I dive pretty much 100% on the wing and I don't use my drysuit for bouyancy.

I know this isn't a brand name but try John Hewitt's site, for Red Hat Diving, Red Hat     diving   supplies . He orders stuff from a Far Eastern Manufacturer and is very cheap. The only one person I know who has one raves about it, so I am thinking of getting a Maximus configuration. It seems really strongly built and his trading terms are very fair, 20 day money back guarantee etc. Saying all that, I haven't used him yet. I think the OEM Manufacturers site is here scubaL.com - Scuba Gear and Diving Equipment Store )

[Mal Bridgeman]

So basically an all-rounder that will fit my current and future diving.

The OP was quite specific in what she was looking for I dont think either Halcyon and Frogs matches any of her criteria? My understanding also is that you have to have one for single tank and one for twins so would either of these meet the OP's criteria? Dont think so.

IMO an all-rounder is another phrase for compromise .... and not ideal for either circumstance.....which is why I think the recommendation to go for a single tank wing for single tank diving and a doubles wing for doubles diving is right ..... they are the right thing for the job.

The best choice if an all-rounder is the only thing being considered would be the DiveRite Rec wing, IMO, which has enough lift for a set of doubles yet, with the use of the gusset controls, can be pulled in for a single.

I would also be of the view that "future proofing" and "diving" [1] are phrases which should not appear in a sentence ..... you never know where you will end up I think I have bought about 6 or 7 wings in my time whereas if I'd just bought the singles wing at the beginning and added the doubles wing later, I'd have saved a pile of money.

HTH
Mal

[1] except a stainless steel backplate

[infernalzen]

Another vote for the Zeagle, I use a Tec.
Replace straps with AP twinning bands for holiday twins.

i did the same

[nickb]

The OP was quite specific in what she was looking for I dont think either Halcyon and Frogs matches any of her criteria? My understanding also is that you have to have one for single tank and one for twins so would either of these meet the OP's criteria? Dont think so.

When did we ever limit ourselves to the original poster's criteria?

I can't see any problem with outlining an alternative strategy and, frankly, it's up to the OP to object rather than self-appointed censors.