I am not sure if I am confused or not, being confused about being confused, hmmm
. But I have a VDH 18 wing (and a 22#) and I have an Oxy 18 wing and they are not the same. Inflated or deflated, the Oxy 18 is longer and more narrow when compared to the VDH wing. And the Oxy does not have the internal retraction bungee. Construction, the Oxy 18 seems a little heavier built but some of that is due to having a polyvinyl bladder. The VDH wing is amazingly small and lighter than the Oxy because it seems to have a textile bladder. I have not taken either of my two VDH wings apart but have dug into my Oxy 18 and 30 several times.
One of the key elements concerning double hose use for the VDH wing is that it seems to have less material across the top loop which allows it to sit cleanly under and behind the can. My Oxy wings work fine with dh, but there is more material there and the wing wants to extrude between the plate and the can. Here you might can see what I am talking about, on the left is the VDH 22# and notice that you cannot see the top of the wing in the cutout. Notice that the Oxy 18# wing and UL plate on the right the wing extends well above the top of the plate. The VDH plate and the Oxy UL plate are the same length top to bottom (center of cut out on the VDH plate).
For single hose diving this does not matter but for double hose, the VDH wings that Bryan had made are unequalled by any wing I have come across. Yes, the Oxy wings and similar do work, push them down as low as possible and tuck or roll the top edge of the wing behind the can and be happy, it is fine. At least one well known double hose diver
has tied a piece of cord around the top loop of a fat Zeagle wing to keep it compressed there and that seems to work. But what works best IMO is the VDH wing.
Wing thing lift, I vote 22 pounds if VDH could only market one. The 22 pounds VDH wing retracted is smaller than the Oxy 18 and when inflated it is wider which allows it to fully inflate. The Oxy 18 is so narrow that it is pinched between the metal VDH plate and the tank limiting inflation to about 16 pounds. That is not enough to get my head above the water cleanly with my camera and other equipment, especially in the often rough Gulfstream waters of Jupiter, Florida. The VDH 22 rocks
and that is all I can say there, it is perfect.
In water trim, well, the Oxy 18 trims me better than the VDH 18 and 22. Why, well, there is more wing further aft and the cut (pattern) of the Oxy seems to focus the air further aft. My legs are boney and heavy, what can I say and I doubt the titanium bit help in that regard
..
I would rather pay more for made in a democracy if not in America. But something is better than nothing, maybe, I guess. Well, sometimes not.
James