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THE WING THING
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You don't have to be tekkies to qualify for your wings nowadays - many of the wing-style BCs tested here are designed to take single tanks. John Bantin provides the most complete test of "back flotation devices" yet
Divers might be adventurous in what they do but they're not so adventurous in how they do it. Wing BCs initially had such a bad press that some manufacturers avoided the term "wing" altogether and went with "Back Flotation Device", or BFD.
But today even new divers choose between wing-style BCs and conventional waistcoat types, while DIY-ers combine a ready-made buoyancy cell with a steel backplate and webbing harness to make their own wings.
A steel backplate replaces weight that might have been added elsewhere and was conceived to counteract the effect of buoyant aluminium twin cylinders.
Let's kill one important misconception about how wings differ from conventional BCs. Some say wings give you a better horizontal attitude in the water, while BCs holds you more upright at the surface.
This is only partly true. Air trapped in the buoyancy cell of a BC or wing always rises to the highest point. So whichever you wear, the small amount of air you may put in for buoyancy control will always be at your back, towards your shoulders.
Neither style gives an advantage over the other in terms of normal swimming position under water.
At the surface, the conventional BC can be fully inflated so that parts low at the front add to what's at your back to give armchair comfort. But some wings have more volume at their base to do the same.
For this test, we measured the maximum lift available by fully inflating each wing and adding weights until it neither floated nor sank. These "real"figures may not reflect those of the manufacturer.
No part of a BC, fully inflated or not, will add to your buoyancy if it is out of the water. We measured the height of our test-diver's mouth above the surface with each wing fully inflated for a better indication of surface buoyancy.
The diver used an identical tank and suit each time but our figures are for comparison product-to-product only, and do not indicate how high above the water your mouth would be.
If a fully inflated wing pushes you forwards when you're trying to stay upright, your weights are rigged incorrectly and should be worn further back. Many wings have trim-weight pockets to achieve the same effect.
So what's the point of a wing? It gives you the possibility of having a massive capacity for the buoyancy bag, often needed with technical diving and multiple tanks, while also giving you an uncluttered frontal area.
However, some designers seem to have lost sight of these aims and design wings for wannabe technical divers.
Big wings are primarily designed for use with twin tanks, and if you use such a big buoyancy bag with a single tank it will flap and billow and trap air in its folds during an ascent. It might do this even with twins, but less so.
Some manufacturers get round this by threading an elasticated bungee cord through the outer material of the bag to restrain it when not fully inflated. Others believe that the bungee can bring problems of its own.
A wing is not necessarily superior to a conventional BC. How you like your buoyancy control device configured is down to application and personal choice.
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This represents the A to Z of wing design, because for Apeks, read Zeagle. This US-made wing has the Zeagle integrated-weight release system. Zipped pockets either side take the weights and each of the red ripcords will pull out to open the bottom of the pockets. There are no other pockets.
The big bag-within-a-bag buoyancy cell is intended for twin-tank users. Two cambands, one above the other, are long enough to fit round a previously configured pair of cylinders.
Four adjustable straps are positioned to discourage billowing and flapping but you might find it inconvenient to dump air from the bag if using a single cylinder, as some air will get trapped in the folds.
Air is dumped by pulling on a simple corrugated hose to operate the valve at its upper elbow, and there is also a single forward-facing lower dump.
The wing has a conventional cummerbund with adjustable webbing and buckle over and a double crotch-strap to stop twin-sets falling over your head during a head-down descent. There are six large stainless steel D-rings.
Zeagle was the pioneer of wings and this type has become a classic. It is also the most expensive BC reviewed here.
Sizes: S, M (tested), L and XL
Dry weight: 3.7kg
Max lift submerged: 32.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 23cm
Apeks Marine Equipment 01254 692200
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The Apeks NZ3000 is at the top end of the market.
The red ripcord allows quick release of weights.
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(available separately)
The Tek Wing can be used alone and the Red Wing can be used with your own metal backplate if you wish. We combined them to provide true technical-diving redundancy. The Buddy reputation for indestructibility, combined with a simple, tried and tested, design, avoids problems under water.
Buddy Twinning Blocks and Bands allow the Tek Wing to be fitted to any pair of cylinders, such as those you might use on holiday abroad. The Tek Wing gives you everything the Travel Wing does but with more lift and including the option of using the Buddy emergency inflation cylinder.
Air is dumped by pulling either on the corrugated hose to operate the top dump-valve or the toggled bottom dump-valve. The harness uses conventionally operated pinch-clips, and double crotch-straps stop tanks tumbling over your head when head-down.
The Red Wing is simply threaded through with the twin cambands and sits sandwiched between the Tek Wing and the main tanks. It is filled from its own corrugated hose and direct-feed but on the opposing side. Unusually for a redundant buoyancy cell, it has the luxury of a dump-valve operated by pulling on that corrugated hose. With both wings we found that this left a small amount of air in the opposing corner.
Otherwise, it's almost identical to the Tek Wing's buoyancy cell but with some little elastic straps to stop billowing when not inflated.
The lightweight Buddy ABS backplate has been proved man enough for the job of working with twins despite the reservations of steel-backplate fans. And, confusingly, the Red Wing is not red - "red" here is short for "redundant".
Harness size: One
Dry weight: 4.8kg
Max lift submerged: 44kg
Mouth height above surface: 29cm
AP Valves 01326 561040
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The Buddy Tek Wing and Red Wing combined.
A second direct-feed hose on the right side of the Red Wing
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This little wing is the least you can pack for a dive trip but as it is so efficient it may be all you need. It's almost the equivalent of a traditional ABLJ worn back to front! It uses the Buddy unbreakable double-bag construction.
Dump air either by using its corrugated hose to operate the valve at its elbow joint with the bag or, if you're inverted or want to drop water out of it once back on the boat, by the big toggle for the lower dump.
There's a simple harness with pinch-clips and an optional double crotch-strap. Six large D-rings take care of anything you wish to dangle. Lighten your load further by specifying the optional Auto Air (£37 extra) to replace your octopus, and you can also opt for a Buddy emergency air supply cylinder (£30) if you want some redundancy.
Aimed at the single-tank user, there is also a version with a slightly bigger buoyancy cell, the Travel Wing 16.
Fully inflated, the minimalist Travel Wing gave better surface support than some larger and more expensive competitors.
Harness size: One
Dry weight: 2.4kg
Max lift submerged: 14kg
Mouth height above surface: 21cm
AP Valves 01326 561040
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The support offered by the Buddy Travel Wing 13 belies its compactness.
Six large D-rings are provided
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This is the Buddy technical diving BC that's as happy with one cylinder as it is with twins and side-mounts. It combines the qualities of the Buddy double-bag construction buoyancy cell with a comfortable waistcoat harness that's fastened with a single big buckle, and there are two big pockets for storing and easily deploying DSMBs. A massive double front pouch with a zip gives immediate access to the contents, and there are eight massive stainless-steel D-rings.
There is a bottom dump-valve and a simple shoulder dump-valve operated by an over-sized, easily located toggle. Unlike most of the wings here, because the buoyancy cell is positioned where it is in relation to the shoulder straps, no air ever gets trapped during an ascent.
Regulator hoses are tidied away with fixed Velcro hose wraps and the shoulder straps come with AP Valves-designed buckles. The lightweight Buddy ABS backplate is well-proven for durability. The example shown came with Buddy Twinning Blocks and Bands. Usual Buddy options apply, including the emergency cylinder and Auto Air.
Sizes: S, M (tested), L
Dry weight: 4.0kg
Max lift submerged: 27kg
Mouth height above surface: 23cm
AP Valves 01326 561040
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The Buddy Trident switches easily between single- and twin-tank operation
The Buddy emergency cylinder can be specified for the Trident or Travel Wing
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Inflated it might look like a conventional BC but this is one of the latest Italian hybrids. It has a progressive inflation system. It inflates a little bungee-restricted wing first, giving the full jacket treatment you might want at the surface only when more air is applied.
Aimed at the single-tank user, the little wing wraps itself neatly round the tank. It has two upper dump-valves and a lower one, too.
Big zipped pockets are augmented by six large and two smaller stainless-steel D-rings and there's a small zipped slate-pocket on the cummerbund.
There is no releasable integrated-weight system but the two trim-weight pockets closed by pinch-clips at the rear are handy. We thought the price must be a mistake at first - it's very good value.
Size: M
Dry weight: 4.4kg
Max lift submerged: 24.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 23cm
Submarine Manufacturing & Products, 01772 687775
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The Coltrisub Advanced Zero Tech has a progressive inflation system.
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This wing has one crotch strap and one stainless-steel backplate, but two of everything else! The technical diving wing in its purest form, there are two bladders inside its outer bag and two corrugated hoses with two direct-feeds (from separate tanks) for total redundancy. Raise a hose and operate the oral inflation valve to dump air or use the simple toggle-cord dump on either side at the bottom. This wing is heavy even when dry, so use the bottom dumps as soon as you're out of the oggin.
The wing is constricted by a full set of bungee cords, and the harness (long enough to encircle the fattest diver) carries seven large D-rings. Double cambands are well spaced apart and have enough webbing to get round twinned 18 litre tanks.
So much buoyancy is available that if you find yourself alone on the surface with this, climb out of it, climb aboard and start paddling! We tested it with both one and two cells inflated. It may not be strictly DIR but it is Doing It Big.
Harness size: One
Dry weight: 6.9kg
Max lift submerged: 39.5/44.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 19/25cm
Submarine Manufacturing & Products 01772 687775
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The Coltrisub Advanced VC10 has two of almost everything!
Backplate detail
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This heavyweight is for use with twin tanks but we tried it with a single-tank-adapter bolted through to its stainless-steel backplate. Its enormous double-bag wing is unrestrained except for a couple of straps near the base but there are four dump valves to help you jettison that last bit of air - two at the lower back and one at each shoulder.
Large integrated-weight pouches are retained by Velcro and a simple pinch-clip but the only pocket is a tiny zipped one on the cummerbund. There are six over-sized stainless-steel D-rings, and the almost-armour-plated waistband is bolted to the backplate. A single central crotch-strap is provided.
This is a tough bit of kit. I felt as if I was walking on water when it was fully inflated at the surface.
Sizes: M (tested), L, XL
Dry weight: 7.2kg
Max lift submerged: 45.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 32cm
Hydrotech 01455 275030
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The Dacor Rig Pro is the heavyweight among wings tested here
The integrated weight pouches are held closed by Velcro and pinch-clips
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US manufacturer Dive-Rite, in at the start of the "wing thing", does not make a simple BC, it makes a system. Many different buoyancy cells are available to go with the Transpac harness, but most can also be paired up with a "technical" stainless-steel backplate. The Dive-Rite TransPlate harness (another product) is designed to do this.
Dive-Rite cells range from the amazing little expanding whoopee-cushion that is the Travel Wing through to the Dual Rec Wing, with redundant second cell built in, and Super Wings, which seem as massive as a small inflatable dinghy when fully inflated!
The Rec Wing is probably the most popular choice of divers, whether using single tanks or twin-sets. Combined with the TransPac it is slightly untidy when not firmly rigged to a tank, because with the constantly variable modular system you choose the bits you need and they need rigging on a tank to keep everything in place.
Key features of the harness are the base plates that allow the user to move the base back and forth for best fit. Pre-drilled, these accept special "Tek" D-rings for stage bottles or side-mounted cylinders.
The Rec Wing's double bag is kept neatly in place when not fully inflated by a bungee cord laced through the forward side of the bag only. Air is dumped either by pulling on the corrugated hose, leaving a little air trapped at the opposing side that stays higher, or by using a lower dump valve at the back.
There are seven small stainless-steel D-rings and four large ones. The waistband is fastened and adjusted by a stainless-steel weightbelt-type buckle.
Harness sizes: S, M (tested), L, XL
Dry weight: 3.5kg
Max lift submerged: 25.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 17cm
Sea & Sea 01803 663012
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A Rec Wing in limited-edition blue. The Dive Rite Transpac paired with the Rec Wing.
Pre-drilled base plates accept special Tek D-rings
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If minimalist artist Piet Mondrian had dived, he would have used one of these. A simple, doughnut-shaped, double-bag-construction bladder is mounted on a solid, stainless-steel, single-tank mount and sandwiched between that and a shaped aluminium backplate held together by bolts and wingnuts and covered with a panel of cloth.
A single length of 5cm webbing is slotted through this to provide a harness that can be adjusted to fit the wearer. Don't think that makes it interchangeable between divers. Once it's right for you, the harness becomes a real bore to re-adjust for someone else and hard to tighten around the shoulders once wearing it.
There are five large D-rings if you count the two on the crotch strap and dumping air is done the old-fashioned way -by raising the corrugated hose and opening the oral inflation valve.
In the spirit of minimalism, there isn't even a toggle on the lower dump valve cord but you will need to use this after diving to let the water out. Two cambands spaced 29cm apart with stainless-steel buckles keep the tank secure.
We were surprised that the buoyancy cell was wider at the top than at the bottom. This part is out of the water when fully inflated and at the surface, playing no part in buoyancy, so we would say Halcyon has its design the wrong way up. However, it did perform better than the larger Explorer in this capacity.
Harness size: One, wing size: 18kg,13.5kg
Dry weight: 3.8kg
Max lift submerged: 18kg
Mouth height above surface: 19cm
Silent Planet 01305 826636
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Halcyon as usual adopts the minimalist approach in the Eclipse.
A single length of webbing is slotted through the backplate
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We tested the original Sea Eagle back in 2002. It is a twin buoyancy-cell wing-style BC restrained by laced bungee cords and has a stainless-steel backplate. It has two corrugated hoses and direct-feed controls and is designed for use with twin tanks.
The latest version has an integrated-weight system with weight pockets which we understand are held closed against accidental ditching by Velcro. It is smothered in D-rings (we counted 17!) and has two useful pockets. It's no lightweight at around 7kg dry weight, something to think about if your journey to the dive site involves more than a car ride.
The distributor claims that this wing has 50kg of maximum lift with both cells inflated. We were unable to verify this because Northern Diver declined to send an example for this comparison test. When we tried to buy one privately online, we were told that there were none in stock now or expected to be within the timescale of our test.
Northern Diver, 01257 254444
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The Northern Diver Sea Eagle II is designed for use with twin tanks
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This is the twin-tank version of the Eclipse, and if wasn't for the Halcyon minimalist philosophy we'd say it gives you the whole nine yards! The buoyancy cell comes in three maximum-lift capacities, and the corrugated hose is routed from the centre of the cell. That's good, as it's the only means of dumping air.
The solitary length of 5cm webbing for the harness is threaded through a stainless-steel backplate. Once adjusted, it stays that way! It's closed by a simple weightbelt-type buckle and a crotch strap is threaded through it. The shape of the stainless-steel backplate ensures that the bolts and wingnuts don't press into the wearer's back - no bungee cords to snag, no extra straps, not even a toggle on the lower dump valve.
The wing will billow and wrap around your tanks, so mind how you dump. It's simply designed to be indestructible but we were disappointed by the small amount of surface support offered. There are five stainless-steel D-rings.
Harness size: One
Dry weight: 4.5kg
Max lift submerged: 25kg
Mouth height above surface: 17cm
Silent Planet, 01305 826636
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The Halcyon Explorer, seen here and tested with medium lift capacity
There are five large stainless-steel D-rings
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This very attractive wing-style BC will please travelling single-tank divers. It's lightweight yet loaded with features such as the Mares patented integrated-weight system (MRS), which locates the ditchable weight-pouches using a track and stud and spring-loaded release. You can see at a glance whether the pouches have been installed correctly.
You can dump air without lifting the corrugated hose by pulling on it to work the dump at its upper elbow. This does pull that corner of the bag down lower than its opposite side, where a little air may get trapped. There is also a lower-back dump.
The harness is separate from the wing, eliminating torso squeeze when it's fully inflated, and because it is wider at the bottom the wing gives a surprising amount of surface support. Zipped trim-weight pockets are hidden at the back. Adjustable elastic straps allow the user to decide how much the uninflated wing should flap and there are two stainless-steel D-rings.
The harness has rotating shoulder clips, which tend to route the slim-cut straps comfortably. Four stainless-steel D-rings and a small zipped pocket in the cummerbund is the only provision for carried accessories. It's ideal for the minimalist diver.
Sizes: S, M (tested), L, XL
Dry weight: 4.5kg
Max lift submerged: 19.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 20cm
Blandford Sub-Aqua 01923 801572
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The Mares Jubilee, appealing to minimalist single-tank divers.
Release for the Mares secure integrated weight system
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This is another wing-style BC which at first glance looks to be aimed at the single-tank user but which inflates to give a decent amount of maximum lift. Should you want to use it with twin-tanks, an adapter is available.
This wing distinguishes itself with enormous integrated-weight pouches that, if they are not completely filled, allow you to choose where the lead is positioned within them, and hence fine-tune your trim.
They are secured by big slabs of Velcro combined with a patented Quicklock Release buckle system.
Trim-weight pockets are also positioned at the back and prove useful when this wing is used with a floaty aluminium cylinder.
The harness also has two ancillary pockets together with a fold-out "shopping-bag" otherwise concealed behind a zipped section. There are eight heavyweight stainless-steel D-rings.
The harness is separate from the single-bag-design buoyancy cell and this is kept neat when not fully inflated by four elastic straps with buckles for tension adjustment - two at the top and two at the bottom.
Air is dumped by pulling on the corrugated hose to activate the valve at its elbow. This is the only upper dump-valve, but it is perfectly positioned for releasing all the air and little or none gets trapped. For quick head-down descents there is a valve with a simple cord and toggle at the lower back.
Sizes: S, M (tested), L, XL
Dry weight: 5.0kg
Max lift submerged: 19kg
Mouth height above surface: 18cm
Oceanic SW 01404 891819
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The Oceanic Chute 3 has particularly big integrated weight pouches.
The pouches are secured by Velcro and Oceanic's Quicklock Release buckles
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Obviously designed for use with independently clamped-together twin tanks, the Techlift has two long cambands, one above the other. The massive bladder-within-a-bag buoyancy cell is restrained at the lower points by 3cm webbing and adjustable buckles.
The integrated weight system uses two small forward weight-pockets, secured and retained by so much powerful Velcro that we had trouble releasing them.
These are augmented by two more buckled-up pockets immediately behind them on the harness waistband, essential when using aluminium cylinders.
There are 12 big stainless-steel D-rings and a small zipped pocket that will take a slate or small rolled-up DSMB. This neatly covers the 5cm webbing-adjustable waistband and pinch-clip positioned over the pre-formed cummerbund. It has a single crotch-strap.
Two lower dumps face forward and are operated bytoggles threaded through to the back. Routine air-evacuation is done by pulling on the corrugated hose, with its nicely integrated direct-feed hose, to operate the upper left shoulder dump.
The buoyancy cell might tend to billow and fold to make it difficult to dump that last bit of air during an ascent, and the internal cell did not inflate fully to fill the external covering of the wing. Other than that, it's a purposeful-looking item - although Swedish engineering does not come cheap.
Sizes: S, M, L, XL (tested)
Dry weight: 5.6kg
Maximum lift submerged: 36.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 22cm
Poseidon Diving Systems 01420 84300
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The Poseidon Techlift is for twin-tank use.
One of the four well-secured weight pockets
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It's hard to identify an individual wing-style BC from the OMS system because it is exactly that - a system. So we took a single-bladder BC and married it to a stainless-steel backplate. This will bolt directly to a previously paired twin-set, or you could use a couple of long cambands to clamp it securely together.
We cheated by fixing it to a single-tank adapter for the photography but you are unlikely to choose to buy a buoyancy cell with this much lift to use in this way - although you could, because the bungee cords stop the bag billowing like a spinnaker.
We have heard tales of people doing up the bungee cords so tightly that it impedes proper inflation of the wing but we encountered no such problem. It blew up like a small Zodiac and deflated just as readily when asked to.
We used the simple dump-valves equipped with pull-cords and toggles, one at the top and one at the lower back.
The whole thing exudes high quality, with a classic technical harness arrangement that has four big D-rings, including one suitable for use with a DPV on the jockstrap. Naturally OMS can supply smaller buoyancy cells as well as double-redundancy versions and if you don't like the idea of a backplate there's a soft IQ backpack too.
Harness size: One
Dry weight: 6.5kg
Max lift submerged: 41kg
Mouth height above surface: 23cm
Otter Watersports, 01274 307555
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The test OMS combination blew up like a Zodiac.
Pull cords with toggles operate the simple dump valves
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One of the smallest wings in this line-up, it would seem ideal for divers for whom baggage-weight is a problem. Nevertheless, it has plenty of features, including a safe-stowage integrated-weights system called Sure-Lock, complemented by trim-weight pockets hidden away at the rear.
Swivelling buckles on the harness add comfort, and two stainless-steel D-rings plus a single zipped pocket that concertinas out is probably all most divers need.
Dump air by pulling on the corrugated hose and this allows the direct-feed hose to integrate nicely with it. A rear lower dump is operated by a pull-cord with a toggle. This wing - or BFD, as SeaQuest would prefer we call it - is of a single-bag construction. When fully inflated at the surface, it expands well out at the bottom to put plenty of lift where you need it - under the water when your head is out.
That the example sent to us for this important test had an obvious manufacturing fault might indicate issues of quality control. We were able to borrow an alternative locally.
Sizes: S, M (tested), ML, L, XL
Dry weight: 3.0kg
Max lift submerged: 20kg
Mouth height above surface: 19cm
Aqua-Lung UK 0116 212 4200
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The SeaQuest Balance SL , for divers who want a more compact wing.
Swivelling buckles help make the harness comfortable
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Scubapro's Rec-Tek technical wing is married to its S-Tek harness by tabs of Velcro and supported mainly by being sandwiched between it and the tank. The harness is very easy to adjust for personal fit, though you need a spanner to do it, and in true technical style it has a waistband closed in the same way as a weightbelt, with a pocket for a DSMB.
The bottom flap is kept closed by a pinch-clip. Of five small D-rings at the back of the harness, one seems to beg for a crotch-strap to be attached. Eight other, slightly larger, D-rings take the place of otherwise missing pockets.
Designed for use with a single tank, the two cambands, one above the other, are Scubapro's own type. You'll love it if you always use the same cylinder but probably hate it if you don't.
The double-bag wing is discouraged from flapping under water by a length of bungee cord threaded through the front side, and a dump-valve at the top of the corrugated hose is operated by pulling on it. This tends to distort the bag a little, leaving residual air in it. There's also a simply designed lower dump with cord and toggle.
Water is easily drained from the outer bag through mesh at the bottom on each side of the buoyancy cell, itself shaped like an upturned U. Its backpack sported the most padded cushion of almost any wing-style BC here, but you can always fit the wing to your own metal backplate. We felt the harness was unnecessarily complex when it came to fitting it in the water.
Sizes: S, ML (tested), XL
Dry weight: 3.7kg
Max lift submerged: 26kg
Mouth height above surface: 22cm
Scubapro UK 01256 812636
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The Scubapro RecTek wing with S-Tek harness
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Wing or plain BC? This unusual hybrid looks like a conventional BC with large zipped pockets and an integrated-weight system that relies on Velcro and some toggles on elastic webbing. It has the usual cummerbund with a small zipped pocket and straps with pinch-clips and a full complement of dump valves, including one operated by pulling on the corrugated hose, and one at the opposite shoulder and lower back operated by cords and toggles - both cords needed shortening.
But wait - it has a wing too, kept tidy with a bungee cord and some plastic net material. This has its own bottom dump operated by a toggle at the back, on the other side. It's the Sequential Buoyancy System!
On the dive the little wing takes all the air, with surplus air meant to be passed into the front part of the jacket once this is full. You get the perceived buoyancy qualities of a wing during horizontal swimming and the full armchair effect upright at the surface.
The front started to fill with air long before the wing was anywhere near full, but little air is needed in the wing part for buoyancy control if you're weighted OK.
The wing part also has two trim-weight pockets, closed by pinch-clips. It's designed for single tank use but provides masses of lift. It dumped all its air impeccably and gave very adequate surface support when fully inflated.
Sizes: S, M (tested), L, XL
Dry weight: 4.6kg
Max lift submerged: 28.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 23cm
Beaver Sports (Yorks) 01484 512354
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The Tigullio T52 Hover is a conventional BC and wing all in one.
Two useful big zipped pockets
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The philosophy of manufacturers in the Far East is to give a complete spec with their products. This Taiwanese-made wing-style BC is a case in point. A single tank is held securely between two cambands and a shaped gripper on the backpack. The wing is discouraged from flapping by both adjustable little straps with buckles and a bungee that is easily removed if you prefer.
There are three ways of dumping air - by pulling on the corrugated hose, pulling on a toggle threaded through to the other front shoulder facing, or by using either of two lower dumps at the back. These valves looked a little toy-like. Six large and four smaller stainless-steel D-rings augment two tiny zipped pockets, but one reveals an auxiliary clip-on net pocket that can be worn apron-like if needed.
An integrated-weight system has large weight-pouches retained by massive overlapping slabs of Velcro. There are two additional buckled trim-weight pockets at the rear. A separate harness ensures that the fully inflated wing does not give the wearer any squeeze and surface support was adequate.
Sizes: XS-S, M, L-XL (tested)
Dry weight: 5.0kg
Maximum lift submerged: 22.5kg
Mouth height above surface: 18cm
CPS Partnership, 01424 442663
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The fully-specced TUSA Imprex Pro 3D Cubic.
Large front weight pouches are secured by Velcro
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