Why NOT DIR?

[limeyx]

Let's say you and your buddy are both fouled in a net that's snagged on a wreck, not a particularly far fetched position. Keeping ahold of your gear is easier said then done since you are buoyed up by the same force that it is dragged down. You take your rig off, made doubly difficult by the continuous web, and now you only have one hand to untangle with since the other is occupied preventing you from separating from your rig with extreme prejudice. Me thinks I'd rather not be lazy and wear a belt.

I guess we are just going to have to disagree on this one (and probably many others

 

[Cave Diver]

Correct me if I'm wrong Cave Diver,

Being DIR, do you have to "have" certain equipment such as:

1. double tanks
2. Jet fins
3. Octopus hose that wraps around your neck
4. Drysuit

As for training, I heard thats another story and it looks more stricter then Padi or Naui guideline for diving. Otherwise, I'm confused :confused2 otherwise, I've had run-ins with mean people who "claim" to be DIR but are in fact, mr. know-it-all. Unlike you C.D.

Royston

Sorry for the late response, but a surprise visit from Hurrican Humberto has kept me busy with things other than ScubaBoard.
I saw at least one brief answer to this, but since I was asked, I'll chime in anyway.

1) No. You can do recreational dives using a single tank setup while still maintaining a DIR compliant gear configuration.

2) No. There is *NO* brand that is specified for something to be DIR. Not even Halcyon! There are certain criteria that each piece of gear should meet. As long as it meets that criteria, brand is not importants. Halcyon was developed to meet some of the gaps in the market, but there are many other sources for acceptable gear. Jet Fins happen to be one of the most prominently noticeable pieces of gear, but there are several alternatives, such as Turtles, etc.

3) The backup regulator should be secured on your chest, just below your chin. A bungie strap around the neck would be the preferred method. Your primary regulator crosses your chest and comes behind your neck. Neither "wraps" around your neck.

4) No. Your exposure suit should match the conditions you're diving in. If diving wet, your should have an alternate source of bouyancy. i.e. liftbag.

As far as your "run ins" with divers that claim to be DIR... They should be able to provide you thoughtful, well reasoned explanations of "WHY" something is done the wa it is. All to often people parrot the philosophy without understanding the reasonings.

It's (mostly) those people and their pigheaded approach and spouting of rhetoric they don't understand that give DIR such a bad rep.

 

[RS]

There's such a thing as a DIR sticker ??

https://secure.gue.com/catalog/order/merchandise.shtml

Scroll to the bottom.

Where do I get one of them "Global Underwear Explorer" stickers?

 

[Cave Diver]

I wear a weighbelt (usually 6# in SW). Neither of my two GUE instructors had a problem with it. Most GUE divers I personally know wear weightbelts in SW. Is this really an issue?

No, it's not an issue. Weight belts are allowed, although there are other preferred methods. (V weights, ACB system, cannister lights). What is advocated is proper weighting, balanced rig and making sure that all of your additional ballast is not ditchable.

 

[Nemrod]

OK, but once DIR has been presneted in the kindest and most knowledgeable manner possible by the most seasoned of DIR divers and then one chooses to not be a DIR dkiver, can you guys just give this stuff a rest and accept that some of us really don't care if the hose is 40 inches, 28 inches or some other number of feet---jeeeeez and I think that Force Fins rock.

N

 

[Cave Diver]

I am not DIR because I don't feel it is compatible with my diving. While I find certain concepts of team work, planning, and standardization useful I don't agree with the one size fits all. I don't think a doubles set is optimal. I don't need a can light for every dive. The overly equipment intense and buddy dependent format just does not suit my underwaer explorations. I am a minimalist, DIR is equipment intense,

N

I keep seeing the references to "one size fits all" and I think that a lot of people have a lot of misconceptions on the system, based off of their reading on the internet and exposure to "self proclaimed, yet ill informed advocates."

There is nothing that requires doubles on every dive.

There is nothing that requires a can light on every dive.

There is nothing that requires a drysuit on every dive.

There is nothing that disallows using a weight belt.

The gear configuration is built around a minimalist approach and is much more streamlined and easy to use when properly configured.

It appears too many of you are equating DIR with full cave or tech diving and not realizing that it does make allowances for openwater recreational diving.
Many of you are also not realizing that it can be applied to just about any situation because someone else has said that it can't.

 

[Cave Diver]

OK, but once DIR has been presneted in the kindest and most knowledgeable manner possible by the most seasoned of DIR divers and then one chooses to not be a DIR dkiver, can you guys just give this stuff a rest and accept that some of us really don't care if the hose is 40 inches, 28 inches or some other number of feet---jeeeeez and I think that Force Fins rock.

N

Absoluletly.

I dont walk around dive sites critiquing gear, or telling people they are "doing it wrong." I'm not the SCUBA police. :no

Usually people come to me and ask questions about my gear which opens the door. I politely answer any of their questions and will discuss any of my choices with them as long as they are interested. Sometimes that conversation is 5 minutes, sometimes its an hour.

 

[RoyN]

Thanks Cavediver.

The one thing I probably want to get is a back plate for my S-tek BC, unfortunately that looks its been discontinued.

Drysuits I could get it in the future or save up to $2,000 because I want that Pinnacle Evolution 2 with triple underwears.

Oh and probably get another regulator, but I was planning on getting that a long time ago, I was just too lazy.

I'll probably get the scubapro jetfins and then I'm an instant DIR. Well, maybe a dork form of DIR too.

However, gonna have to wait a while because college students don't make too much money. Thats why I joined Dork Diver and then I'll upgrade myself...don't tell the Dork Diver though...who knows what they'll do to me. :11:

 

[Thalassamania]

I guess we are just going to have to disagree on this one (and probably many others

That's fine, as I've oft observed we each have the right to go to hell in the handbasket of our own choosing. I'd be very sorry to see you go that way. But that's not my point ... my point is that here is a much more clear and present danger than a lot of things that have defined DIR requirements yet DIR ignores the issue, likely because it's not a cave issue ... it's a second order problem that has caused fatalities in open water, that they did not think about ... it's what we call caveblind.

 

[RS]

I don't have many dives but I do want to learn as much as I can.
I did not know what DIR or GUE realy was but have some idea. I am land locked here in OK
and may never go tech, but I would rather be tought so if I ever find myself in anotherrealm
by accident I would have a better chance of getting back alive. SB is a good place to veiw
others opinions and learn quite abit! I know reading dose not take the place of proper training
and never will!!! but gives me some understanding!
THANK'S

Here's something you can view. Let me know if you hear the term "left-hand release, as in all scuba" when they get to the weightbelts.

http://www.deepsouthdivers.org/DIR3.html