Is this guy smoking something or is he on to something?

[dumpsterDiver]

...
Whenever someone comes out ranting against how someone else dives, my first question is "have you ever actually tried it?"

Usually the answer is "no" ... in which case the only practical response is "then STFU" ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Does that apply to deep air as well??? Is STFU the appropriate response that DIR divers should receive when they poo poo "Deep Air" and at the same time say they don't need to do it, in order to determine that it is a bad idea?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Does that apply to deep air as well??? Is STFU the appropriate response that DIR divers should receive when they poo poo "Deep Air" and at the same time say they don't need to do it, in order to determine that it is a bad idea?

Speaking for myself here ... yes, it applies in that case too. And there's been a few times when I have made my feelings known to DIR folks who speak about things they've never experienced.

I don't dive deep air. The reason is because I did a dive to 154 feet on air, and got so bloody narced I couldn't think straight.

So I choose not to do it again.

Your choices are your business. I won't tell you that you're wrong for making a different choice than me. It might, however, affect my decision to accompany you on a deep dive ... but that's my choice to make ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Where I live the DIR crowd are very ..... er ..... "strict" in their interpretation of what's right and wrong and very "narrow" in their interpretation of proper diving practices.

R..

I've seen their website ... and all I can say is that I'm glad I live here and not there. If I had to put up with that mentality I think I'd write them off as a bunch of anal rententive jerks and go find something else to do.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Hank49]

I I also have to admit to a loud underwater guffaw when I see DIR-style divers attempting a basic tropical recreational dive all fully geared out in what is next-to-useless equipment.

C.

Maybe they're just practicing using their set up for later, more technical dives. Didn't the father and son in the Last Dive take a lot of ribbing when they'd show up a the local quarry with full decked out deep/ cave gear?

 

[PfcAJ]

There is so much misinformation about DIR, what it is, and why people do it. Sigh...

 

[David_57]

IMHO DIR is for divers that are nervous and insecure in the water so they enjoy over analyzing and complicating things, that with the team mentality gives them a warm fuzzy feeling making them feel safer (of course there are exceptions).To be honest if that's their thing great, I have nothing against it but don't belittle me because I don't dive with a long hose, have a bungied wing, and enjoy Solo Diving.

I have a hard time understanding is the fact they have a course called Fundamentals the prerequisite is minimal with maybe 25 dives. Yet over a couple of weekends they expect their students to dive like someone who has 300 or 400 dives in a 3 or 4 of years with many courses. and whats with the helicopter kicks and reverse kicks sure a good thing to be able to do but to fail a relatively new diver because he cannot perform them then sending the said diver home dejected, disillusioned, with maybe a probationary pass is pretty sad in my book, but hey they get to boast their grads are the best

Again to each his own I prefer to learn over time take courses as I advance my skills at my own pace rather than in a boot camp kind of setting.

Added to this if it wasn't for pioneers that think outside the box and like to try new things, techniques, different equipment configurations say like side mount, different gas mixtures, or RB's diving would never have advanced into what it has today. It would have been interesting to see how a squared away DIR type would have viewed matey strapping two bottles each side of him then jumping in the water before side-mount became known.

 

[DennisH]

David, the "pioneers thinking outside the box" you refer to, were, in many ways, the folks at WKPP. Making a statement that DIR divers are "nervous and insecure in the water" is simply silly . It does not contribute to the discussion and has no basis in reality. Divers are divers; each school will have people of great competency, and some people who are less competent. Each school will have respectful divers and asshats. Read TS&M's posts, and tell me she is a DIR bully or an insecure diver...or have the integrity to retract your blanket statement.

For myself, I have had mostly -- but not exclusively -- positive experiences with GUE and UTD trained divers. The nice ones were all competent in the water (much more so than I). Have a nice day.

 

[String]

ID be reluctant to take diving, especially decompression advice from someone that's been bent as many times as Elliat has. Pretty much all of his "big" dives have resulted in him getting bent to various degrees and requiring assistance.

He's loud, vocal and quite often irritating which nicely balances out the DIR-Irvine rants that are the same.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

IMHO DIR is for divers that are nervous and insecure in the water so they enjoy over analyzing and complicating things, that with the team mentality gives them a warm fuzzy feeling making them feel safer (of course there are exceptions).To be honest if that's their thing great, I have nothing against it but don't belittle me because I don't dive with a long hose, have a bungied wing, and enjoy Solo Diving.

I have a hard time understanding is the fact they have a course called Fundamentals the prerequisite is minimal with maybe 25 dives. Yet over a couple of weekends they expect their students to dive like someone who has 300 or 400 dives in a 3 or 4 of years with many courses. and whats with the helicopter kicks and reverse kicks sure a good thing to be able to do but to fail a relatively new diver because he cannot perform them then sending the said diver home dejected, disillusioned, with maybe a probationary pass is pretty sad in my book, but hey they get to boast their grads are the best

Again to each his own I prefer to learn over time take courses as I advance my skills at my own pace rather than in a boot camp kind of setting.

Added to this if it wasn't for pioneers that think outside the box and like to try new things, techniques, different equipment configurations say like side mount, different gas mixtures, or RB's diving would never have advanced into what it has today. It would have been interesting to see how a squared away DIR type would have viewed matey strapping two bottles each side of him then jumping in the water before side-mount became known.

... so have you ever actually tried DIR?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[rhwestfall]

DIR - what its not

This is a "double-post" to try to get a balanced perspective. For the record, I am a new "convert" to DIR-style diving and am liking it, and still learning.

my knee-jerk answer was that you are either (1) trolling or (2) trying to convince yourself that what you are currently training is "correct" (need for self-confirmation) :nailbiter:.


Most of the replies to date are quite correct - use your brain, use your (expanding)experiences, and craft your way based on sound judgement.

Nothing bad can come from furthering your knowlege base.