Halcyon's H2 Eclipse, reviewed by Charled Hood |
Halcyon H2 Eclipse wing system • £449
While setting up my gear on board a liveaboard in the Faroe Islands recently, I immediately had my fellow dive buddies hovering around me, wanting to take a look at the new Halcyon H2 wing system – always a good sign when I’m testing a new piece of kit. It took about half an hour to set up the one-piece harness, adjust the height of my pony cylinder and correctly position the integrated weights.
I was using the new recreational-diver H2 wing with a single 12-litre steel cylinder and three-litre pony for which it is designed (for twin-sets, a different wing is recommended). Since I couldn’t fly with my preferred choice of twin sevens, this made a good option for the diving we were going to carry out. To counteract the lopsided effect of the pony cylinder, I attached three of the weight pouches to the opposite side to the alternative air source, which I later discovered balances the set perfectly underwater. The rest of my weight easily went into the weight-integrated side pockets, which meant my entire setup was neatly self-contained.
It took a little time to become accustomed to donning and doffing the wing, as the harness is a continuous loop that is permanently adjusted to fit the individual diver, and there are no clips or buckles. This system was originally developed by cave divers in Florida and is part of the Hogarthian configuration (named after its inventor, Bill ‘Hogarth’ Main). The theory is that if there aren’t any buckles, they can’t undo themselves when you don’t want them to. After a week of using this method, it became second nature and I started to appreciate the simplicity of putting on the set and the uncluttered front that it affords.
Some of the dives we did were in some fairly ferocious currents and required a negative entry. This involved getting all the gas out of my suit and BC before entry and adding a couple of kilograms to be slightly overweight. The idea is that you can quickly get down to the dive site before being swept away by the current. So I had to inflate the wing at depth – and it orientates you perfectly in the horizontal position. The only niggle is that the inflator hose is a touch on the short side, and I had to grapple around to locate it on a few dives.
To release air from the wing, I used the rear lower dump valve, which was efficient and simple to find. On a few dives, we had an inflatable pick us up, which meant I had to empty the two side weight-integrated pouches. Releasing the buckles proved tricky while wearing 5mm gloves and with slightly numb fingers, but I spent several minutes perfecting the method, which became easier once my hands had warmed up.
The wing is minimalist, which is its greatest asset. It has one single continuous webbing harness, separate jockstrap, five chunky pre-bent stainless-steel D-rings and a choice of either a stainless-steel or an aluminium backplate. Options include side weight-integrated pockets and rear-mounted balancing weight pouches that easily accommodated the 14kg of lead that I used when wearing a crushed neoprene suit with plenty of undergarments.
This system is a delight to use, and for the sports diver who wants a more technical wing and harness while still using a single cylinder, you can’t go wrong. If you do want to use a twin-set, you can simply change the wing and retain the harness and backplate, which bolts straight onto twinning bands. At just under £450, it’s a touch on the pricey side – unfortunately, well-manufactured kit comes at a premium.
DIVE says…
Less is more with this minimalist wing
Value 7
Performance 9
Contact
Silent Planet • 01305 826666 • www.silentplanet.info
