How long is the Tec wing? How long is the Rec wing?

If you've ever wondered those exact questions, you're in good company. This article delivers both wings measurements—and other secrets you need to know about the XDeep Stealth 2.0 in its Tec vs Rec configurations.

My experience with the XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec

I’ve been diving the XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec since 2018—and let me tell you, it was love at first dive. After a single test run at ProTec Tulum, I came out of the water knowing it was time to sell my own sidemount system and order an XDeep. Since then, I’ve dived, taught, tweaked, and shared this system with countless students.

XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec / Photo Alfred Minnaar

I could geek out for hours on gear adjustments—but here’s my teaching philosophy: start with the gear fitting designed as it was made to work, prioritize perfect fit, practice good habits, hone solid technique—and let fine-tuning and modifications come at the end.

I’ve trained students on Razor, Apeks, Katana, and even homemade rigs. Every system brings something to the table—but when students ask for a recommendation, it’s hands-down the XDeep Stealth, my preferred Mexico style Sidemount system. Here’s why:

Insider Knowledge: I trained at the birthplace of the Stealth 2.0
Streamlined: Dump gas without breaking trim—effortless and elegant!
Convenient: Quick set-up, easy adjustments!
Durable: Might be the last system you ever buy, unless you're changing color!
Sturdy: Like a turtle shell protecting your back, unbreakable!
Efficient: Fully modular and adjustable!
Complete: Best built-in weight system, period!
Versatile: Fits KISS Sidewinder and other CCR systems like it was made for it!

If you think picking the right harness is confusing, let’s break it down together, it’s actually pretty straight forward once you know a couple of details.

The XDeep Stealth 2.0 System: Harness + Wing

The Stealth 2.0 system consists of two main components:

Harness – which comes in 2 options: Tec (shown below) or Rec (shown further down)
Wing – Which comes in 3 options: Classic (not covered here), Tec, or Rec, (all shown below)

Featuring most options in the XDeep Stealth 2.0 sidemount system, a great graphic from the XDeep website.

Order via the XDeep Tuneup page for full customization. Alternatively, online retailers offer standard Tec or Rec systems, and you can mix and match components if needed—just reach out to the seller to confirm.

Let’s talk about the Harness: Tec Vs Rec

Key features of the Tec Harness (pictured above)

Features continuous shoulder webbing (DIR-inspired)—minimizing failure points but these are not linked to waist belt.
Includes a waist belt of stiff webbing connected through a lumbar plate supporting integrated weights.
Finished with a soft webbing crotch strap.
Typically includes a “W‐weight” pocket (4 × 2.5 kg) unless customized.

Key features of the Rec Harness

Adds shoulder buckles (like a regular BC) as shown in image below—for quick adjustments in rental businesses, this option is not very popular in Mexico and even when students will only dive open water side mount I much prefer the Tec version without buckles.

XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec Harness (with buckles)

Convenient for sidemount tryouts —but adds potential failure points and interference where tanks sit which are important aspects in streamlining for tec diving activities. This though can be a good option for someone who has an injury and cannot fully move the arm to wear the harness, offering the possibility to buckle the strap instead and manage the adjustment once the harness is on.
Otherwise, harness components are the same as Tec—only the buckles differ.

Tec Wing Vs Rec Wing + Measurements

Here are the precise measurements I gathered using brand-new wings to avoid differences due to the state of the cordura.

I used a seamstress measure tape. Measurements may differ very slightly using different measuring devices. All inch measurements were converted from cm as it is not my standard measuring unit). All measurement photos were taken by me with an iPhone, there can be image distorsion or small mistakes as I was both holding the tape and taking the photo at the same time. But you get the idea, +/- this is what it measures (a table is provided at the end of the measuring photos):

Tec Wing

Top to Bottom: 52.5 cm / 20.6 in

Side to Side: 67 cm / 26.3 in

Stealth 2.0 Tec measurements — Stealth 2.0 Tec Wing measurement

Side Panel Width: 7.5 cm / 3 in

Diagonal : 30.5 cm / 12 in

Rec Wing

Top to Bottom: 48 cm / 18.8 in
Measurements top-to-bottom include the central panel only—not the dump valve.

XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec measurements — XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec Wing measurement

Side to Side: 54.5 cm / 21.4 in
Side dimension excludes side panel, which is measured separately, see further down.

Side Panel Width: 6.5 cm / 2.5 in

XDeep Rec measurements — XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec Wing measurement

Diagonal (back): 25 cm / 9.8 in
Measures the diagonal seam that meets the horizontal axe of the wing (black lines).

Here’s a table with the measurements recap:

XDeep Stealth 2.0 Tec and Rec Wing measurements by Cenote Girl

Other Fitting Tips: What to Look Out For

Spine Soft Plate Placement: Should sit just below the neck bump, reachable by bending an arm back—similar to setting a twin-set backplate.

Cenote Girl and Xdeep Rec — Cenote Girl in Stealth 2.0 Rec / Photo Álvaro Herrero

Dump Valve Position: Should sit on top of your butt as it is the highest point of the system when in a horizontal position, driving gas to the dump without breaking trim—low placement makes it hard to reach or dump gas effectively because dump valve sits below the gas bubble (when you know there’s gas but you can’t dump and you must tilt forward to vent…).

Stealth 2.0 Rec with wetsuit — XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec worn with 5mm wetsuit / Photo Alfred Minnaar

Common Fitting Pitfalls if the XDeep Wing Is Too Large:

Shoulder straps angle outward, increasing slip risk, uncomfortable fit right on shoulders.
Dump valve falls below the butt, impairing gas release.
Butt d-ring not accessible for clipping, or when clipping items they sit between the thighs.
Covers essential drop d-rings on hips and back.

Which Wing Suits You?

Here’s my tried-and-tested guideline:

Tec Wing:

Height ≥ 1.76 m
Broad shoulders, thicker waist, or > 82 kg
T-shirt sizes L–XL–XXL

Rec Wing:

Height ≤ 1.75 m
Slim to moderate build (≤ 82 kg)
T-shirt sizes S–M–L

Overlap exists—many divers fall between sizes and both wings can work. Technique can compensate for minor mismatches.

Examples from my teaching experience with small bodies:

A 1.40 m tall and 40 kg student’s Rec wing covered full back from neck bump to tailbone—no wiggle room. We compensated through technique: hip movement to shift gas, arching instead of curving. Equipment changes that would help a better fit would be a drysuit, which would increase the surface of her back slightly.
Another student, 1.45 m and 50kg, showed up with a Tec wing, it had to be placed near the upper limit of her back right at the neck bump. We made it work with minor adjustments—but ideally, Rec would’ve been the better fit.

Wisdom wins: Technique can fix equipment problems. Equipment won’t replace lack of technique— mastering both is where the magic happens.

Pro-Fit Tips

Waist Belt: Position it just below hip bone—not high on the waist. Too high = restricted breathing and discomfort.
Crotch Strap: Should sit ~4 fingers below the navel once you are fully kitted—crucial for pulling the wing flat. This is one of the common mistakes we make when fitting a wing the first time, crotch strap too lose allows the wing to float up from the back.
Short Divers: If your hips don’t allow space to move D-rings forward in water to adjust tank trim, shorten the crotch strap so that the belt sits in a V-shape instead of in a straight line—adding range or what is commonly known as, real estate.
Wing Bungee: Thread it through the crotch strap tightly. If it's too thin, uneven, or slack, your wing will rise when gas is added and the wing will lift from between you and the tanks, this doesn’t look tidy.

XDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec cave diving — Front view of Stealth 2.0 Rec ready for cave diving / Photo Álvaro Herrero

Wrapping It Up

The XDeep Stealth 2.0 is a marvel of versatility, modularity, and personalization—but success lies in choosing the right wing for your body and diving style as well as adopting the right habits to use it to its maximum. Setup it correctly, prioritize technique, and you won't just dive—you’ll glide! I highly recommend using the help of a qualified instructor who can, aside from fitting the wing to you, teach you what you need to know to make your own adjustments.

If this article helped, share it with your dive buddies or drop me a comment. Want to send in suggestions for gear reviews or articles? Let me know!

P.S. I haven’t covered wing lift values here because I’ve dove both cold and warm water with the Rec wing—steel, aluminum, rebreather, scientific, lighting, photo gear—it’s always been balanced and I haven’t come across the need for the extra lift of the Tec wing. But that’s a conversation for another day!

XDeep Stealth 2.0: Tec vs Rec – Which Fits You Best?