Went diving while y'all talked pollutics

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Magilla - 06 Nov 2006 04:28 GMT

Finally got to try out my new wing, a 65# Evolve (circular). Had seen
several divers using them this summer, figured time to upgrade from a 45#
Explorer (horseshoe). Old one was nice, but a tad light when carrying
stages.

Picked an easy site with an old bud who recently started cave. First
dive, dub steels with one stage. Major improvement in handling, gotta say
love it, just plain felt good. Trim, balance, fit, all an improvement. Not
wanting to use up back gas, burned the stage.

Second dive, figured I'd try it with dub ALs, no stage. Still nice, but
this time probably slightly lesser than the Explorer, which was designed for
dub AL80s. Probably because of the lesser inflation, not getting it into
shape, and the shorter tanks. Be a toss-up which one to use in fresh,
depending on the dive parameters leaning towards the Explorer, no reason to
use one that big in salt.

Anyways, looks like got a new cave wing, one to dedicate to AL80s /
ocean, and still have a nice Pioneer (circular) for those rare times I want
to use a stage as a single backmount tank.......like next time we swim out
to the Copenhagan. :-)

Gearing up for 3 days following Turkey day for gliding through the
limestone.

Curtis

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Clifford Beshers - 07 Nov 2006 04:23 GMT

> Picked an easy site with an old bud who recently started cave. First
> dive, dub steels with one stage. Major improvement in handling, gotta say
> love it, just plain felt good. Trim, balance, fit, all an improvement. Not
> wanting to use up back gas, burned the stage.

Glad to hear it. But my Pioneer 36 already has that airflow at the
bottom, so I guess I won't be upgrading.

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Magilla - 08 Nov 2006 01:14 GMT

> Glad to hear it. But my Pioneer 36 already has that airflow at the
> bottom, so I guess I won't be upgrading.

Unless you develope a need for a doubles wing?

Yeah, my 27# Pioneer does also, it replaced a SP model that didn't years
ago.

Waiting to hear Lee chime in how he likes his new doubles wing, think he
got one of the circular styles also.

Curtis

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Al Wells - 08 Nov 2006 02:05 GMT

> Finally got to try out my new wing, a 65# Evolve (circular). Had seen
> several divers using them this summer, figured time to upgrade from a 45#
> Explorer (horseshoe). Old one was nice, but a tad light when carrying
> stages.

I'd like to try a circular design. 65# seems a bit excessive though. I
use an old 38# Explorer that was made specifically for aluminum doubles,
and for that it is perfect. For the steel tanks, I use a 55#, and it is
fine with 2 stages and a deco tank. They are both the old original
explorer, made in Ft Lauderdale.

I have some concerns about the current Halcyon wings. 2 years ago I saw
a brand new one come apart on the first dive, and it was about 2000 ft
back. The diver was a well known and successful explorer in aluminum
doubles and no stages, and I know he didn't over inflate it. The max
depth on that dive was about 45 ft.

The outside covering is not the same material that they used earlier,
and the stitching was obviously not good, because it split on the seam.
They were using the same 70# or whatever the biggest size bladder is in
all of the different sizes, and only the outside cover was different. I
was told by others that this was not an isolated incident. Hopefully
whatever problem they had is ironed out now.

> Second dive, figured I'd try it with dub ALs, no stage. Still nice, but
> this time probably slightly lesser than the Explorer, which was designed for
> dub AL80s. Probably because of the lesser inflation, not getting it into
> shape, and the shorter tanks. Be a toss-up which one to use in fresh,
> depending on the dive parameters leaning towards the Explorer, no reason to
> use one that big in salt.

It's probably too wide for the aluminum tanks too - did your buddy
observe any tacoing? My 38# wing is narrower than the 55# one
specifically for the aluminum tanks. Cindy has the same 55# wing I do,
and I see it taco a bit when she uses aluminum tanks.

> Anyways, looks like got a new cave wing, one to dedicate to AL80s /
> ocean, and still have a nice Pioneer (circular) for those rare times I want
> to use a stage as a single backmount tank.......like next time we swim out
> to the Copenhagan. :-)

Glad it works for you. I will make it a point to try one of the circular
wings the first opportunity I get. I probably won't get down to cave
country until January.

> Gearing up for 3 days following Turkey day for gliding through the
> limestone.

We just spent 9 days of swimming about 2 miles through the limestone
each day. The water was 78 degrees and we wore 3mm wetsuits with
aluminum tanks. The new custom 3mm G231 that I had made at Wetwear is
absolutely awesome - 2 dives a day of around 2 hours each and not even
the slightest chill. The fit is perfect, and it was delivered as
promised.

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mike gray - 08 Nov 2006 16:36 GMT

> The new custom 3mm G231 that I had made at Wetwear is
> absolutely awesome - 2 dives a day of around 2 hours each and not even
> the slightest chill. The fit is perfect, and it was delivered as
> promised.

I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.

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Lee Bell - 08 Nov 2006 16:57 GMT

>> The new custom 3mm G231 that I had made at Wetwear is absolutely
>> awesome - 2 dives a day of around 2 hours each and not
>> even the slightest chill. The fit is perfect, and it was delivered as
>> promised.

> I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.

Tell us all more. My 3mm looks a lot better than Mike's but I'm betting
it's old enough that it's no longer providing the same level of protection
as it once did, not to mention that I'm not exactly the same shape as I was
when I first purchased it.

Lee

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Lee Bell - 08 Nov 2006 16:58 GMT

> I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.

Mike, were you not satisfied with the suit you got out of the custom shop in
Hollywood? You did get one there, right?

Lee

Reply to this Message

mike gray - 09 Nov 2006 01:57 GMT

>>I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.
>
> Mike, were you not satisfied with the suit you got out of the custom shop in
> Hollywood? You did get one there, right?
>
> Lee

Nope. The last custom suit I had made was from that shop in Ft.
Lauderdale, long since closed.

I did have some alterations made there, and was not entirely
happy. See below.

The lovely Deborah had a winter suit made there a few months
ago. Looks to be well made. Will know about fit in a month or
two. Unfortunately.

Carlos Rico had a suit made there and was very happy.

My biggest problem with them is that they are very aggressive in
telling you what you want. Bullheaded bastards like me don't
like that, especially as I like to experiment a bit and don't
mind the consequences if I'm wrong.

I was planning an having them do a summer suit for me, which is
why Al's comment lit me up.

m

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Al Wells - 09 Nov 2006 02:49 GMT

> I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.

First, I misstated what I have. It is Rubatex, but is not the G231
nitrogen blown stuff.

I bought it from these guys: http://www.wetwear.com/
They are in Hollywood, FL. The suit I got is a 3mm jumpsuit, and they
were running a special at the BTS show for $200 (pricey for a 3mm). I
added a pocket and I think the total cost was about $250 with shipping.
I have been buying a new $100 suit every year for the past several
years, so if I get 2 or 3 years out of it I'll be even. They measured me
at the show and delivered a perfect custom suit in about 4 weeks.

The suit is noticably warmer than any 3mm I've had. I did a one hour
dive in a quarry up here, and while it was really cold, I stayed for an
hour and wasn't chilled when we got out into 70 degree air. The water
was in the 60's. I wouldn't say it was comfortable, but I would have
never stayed that long in previous suits, and I would have been frozen
for a day afterwards. I didn't get arm or leg zippers, but it goes on
easier than any wesuit I've had. It feels heavy, but doesn't restrict
arm or leg motion. I haven't had it past about 130 yet, so I don't know
how it will handle that. Friends who bought the $500 nitrogen blow suits
tell me that no wetsuit hold up to 300 ft. I know every one that I've
taken there is permanantly crushed to half its original thickness.

I've heard of customer service problems with these people a few years
ago. They told me that they had supply problems that are no longer an
issue. They did ok by me.

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Lee Bell - 09 Nov 2006 03:40 GMT

> First, I misstated what I have. It is Rubatex, but is not the G231
> nitrogen blown stuff.

> I bought it from these guys: http://www.wetwear.com/

That's the shop Mike and I were talking about.

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chilly - 09 Nov 2006 05:27 GMT

> > I'm in the market for a new summer suit. Tell me more.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> years, so if I get 2 or 3 years out of it I'll be even. They measured me
> at the show and delivered a perfect custom suit in about 4 weeks.

What's involved with ordering online? Do you guys think it would be a
problem for me?

I want ankle zippers too.

(snip)

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mike gray - 09 Nov 2006 15:45 GMT

> What's involved with ordering online? Do you guys think it would be a
> problem for me?
>
> I want ankle zippers too.

The only issue is fit. Order it on line and come to SoFla for a
final fitting.

m

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bullshark - 09 Nov 2006 21:40 GMT

> What's involved with ordering online?

Go to their website. Click on ordering. Decipher their measurement
instructions and then get real friendly with someone.

>Do you guys think it would be a problem for me?

Is there some reason you think this would be different from everything
else?

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