Dive Master gear set up

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4 on the tread? Not possible. I'd challenge that -

Exercise 2: 15-minute Tread
Tread water, drown-proof, bob or float using no aids and
wearing only a swimsuit for 15 minutes, with hands (not
arms) out of the water during the last two minutes.
Exceptions: A candidate with a physical impairment that makes it difficult/
impossible to hold hands out of the water is exempted from that
portion of the exercise with no effect on the score.

Criteria Score
Performed satisfactorily 5
Stayed afloat, but hands not out of 3
water the entire two minutes
Used side/bottom for momentary 1
support no more than twice
Used side/bottom for support incomplete
more than twice

It’s what he wrote on the score sheet, maybe he deducted a point because I was begging for credit on the 400m
 

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It’s what he wrote on the score sheet, maybe he deducted a point because I was begging for credit on the 400m
right - at least you passed overall - but the guidelines are VERY clear. There is no "4" score in the tread. If you move onto becoming an instructor - remember that.
 
right - at least you passed overall - but the guidelines are VERY clear. There is no "4" score in the tread. If you move onto becoming an instructor - remember that.

I looked for my score sheet and standards book to jog my memory of the timed swims - I seen that too and wondered, I didn't think anyone else would notice, a very minor detail but it's clearly spelled out in the standards.

I wish we would have reviewed the score sheet daily, there was ample opportunity to work on some things that the instructor graded low - the course for me wasn't just about passing.

I really do like how everything is spelled out in the standards manual and yes, I am moving on to instructor training in the next few months but I'm going to do that over a three month period - too much detail and skills needed imo to do that just as a "simple" course.
 
Its already basically been said, the set-up you have is fine and well within PADI standards.

The only problem with the harness is if you are assisting with a rescue class and playing the role of victim. It is extremely hard to get someone out of a harness. That's why you have a z knife on it. If you really were being rescued they would just cut you out of it!

So if you instructor needs you to help with a rescue class and play the role of victim, they should let you use rental gear for that session.
 
Its already basically been said, the set-up you have is fine and well within PADI standards.
I thought several instructors and DMs said there is no Padi standard?

As has been described, level of similarity to students might be judged between:
a) same exact gear for very flat but limited learning curve - how to dive this one setup with someone else in this one setup (DSD), but then you are leading one or two non divers in not your best gear, and
b) some options for broader learning like primary donate, necklaced secondary, back inflate, BP/W with quick disconnects or continuous harness, long hose, or baby doubles for instructor redundancy with the same drill pattern as the students.

It seems a call on how little extra bandwidth/time your students have. When compared to all the skills they learn, will a different color, shape, length, or attachment point of the regs, or material and buckles of the BC on you throw them off?
 
As everyone has suggested, there is no standard past needing a buoyancy control device, depth gauge etc etc. The configuration is very open.

I did my DM with a DSS backplate and wing, hogarthan harness, 40” underarm hos routing. The instructor had no issue herself with it except for laughing every time I mentioned crotch strap.

However, before my IDC, I did go out and buy a jacket style BCD. My reasons were personal. The wing would not allow me to sit stationary in a comfortable position in the pool for surface skills and the hog harness did make it a little harder to demonstrate skills when I was doing them differently to them. I found I ended up swimming in circles around them as I had to lay back and move my fins to stay in that position. The rescue skills, everyone actually preferred mine as it was a single pull on the first stage to remove my gear.

The jacket, although not my favoured BCD, does make it easier to sit still on the surface, generally has the same look as the jackets they learn in and so easy to demo.

PADI standards are open to allow any config; the regulator recovery for example is often shown by leaning over, moving your arm in an arc to recover your reg which you obviously can’t do but all PADI says is, recover the reg from behind your shoulder. That, you can do.

If your instructor is being a pain on the equipment, he/she is not being the best mentor that they should be for the DM course. Maybe worth considering other instructors.
 
I'm in DM training right now (NASE) and my instructor doesn't really care what we use for training dives since it's what we're going to normally be diving anyway. But if we're assisting with an OW class, he at least wants us in something close to what the students are wearing, especially in the pool. We are of course welcome to use the shop's gear both at the pool and the lake if we want, which is all jackets and short hose primaries w/ longer octos. I'm just using my back inflate Zeagle with a 40" primary and standard octo during OW classes, but I may change that up and use a jacket to set more of an example for students, especially with regards to buoyancy, etc. Much easier to get better buoyancy and trim in a back inflate and that's not what they're learning in so in the interest of solidarity I may go back to basics. Not like I can dive my ffm during an OW class anyway.

I would think whatever shop you're DM'ing for would want you to use equipment close to what the students are learning in so you can set an example for them. For me, like I said I'm allowed to use a back inflate and whatever hose configs I want, even a BP/W if I choose. As long as when I'm helping with an OW course I'm using gear that the shop sells since I am in fact acting as a representative of the shop as their "employee." And that works out okay for me because I actually like my LDS and part of my reasoning for becoming a DM is to give something back. I've bought all my gear from them and they carry pretty much all the brands I know and trust. Not to mention they're starting a tec program and already carry a few different brands of "tec" gear and may be getting more soon. Not to mention as a DM for them, I get a pretty decent discount on all my gear, too, so that definitely helps.
 
I'm in DM training right now (NASE) and my instructor doesn't really care what we use for training dives since it's what we're going to normally be diving anyway. But if we're assisting with an OW class, he at least wants us in something close to what the students are wearing, especially in the pool. We are of course welcome to use the shop's gear both at the pool and the lake if we want, which is all jackets and short hose primaries w/ longer octos. I'm just using my back inflate Zeagle with a 40" primary and standard octo during OW classes, but I may change that up and use a jacket to set more of an example for students, especially with regards to buoyancy, etc. Much easier to get better buoyancy and trim in a back inflate and that's not what they're learning in so in the interest of solidarity I may go back to basics. Not like I can dive my ffm during an OW class anyway.

I would think whatever shop you're DM'ing for would want you to use equipment close to what the students are learning in so you can set an example for them. For me, like I said I'm allowed to use a back inflate and whatever hose configs I want, even a BP/W if I choose. As long as when I'm helping with an OW course I'm using gear that the shop sells since I am in fact acting as a representative of the shop as their "employee." And that works out okay for me because I actually like my LDS and part of my reasoning for becoming a DM is to give something back. I've bought all my gear from them and they carry pretty much all the brands I know and trust. Not to mention they're starting a tec program and already carry a few different brands of "tec" gear and may be getting more soon. Not to mention as a DM for them, I get a pretty decent discount on all my gear, too, so that definitely helps.
I always used shop stuff at the pool and my own stuff for the ocean checkout dives.
Will you be working at the same shop and getting paid? Just curious.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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