Gear Help

[Scuba_Steve]

Good ideas are evolutionary for the type and level of difficulty of the dives you are doing. One begins by researching a trusted source, an instructor with 8000 dives and deep technical experience for example...........

The OP already said he didn't like DIR.

 

[JeffG]

Good ideas are evolutionary for the type and level of difficulty of the dives you are doing. One begins by researching a trusted source, an instructor with 8000 dives and deep technical experience for example.

I could find two of those that wouldn't agree on most things. Which leads me to your 2nd point.

Then getting out there and diving to learn and practice what makes sense for you.

Yep. At some point you gotta dive

Rather than copy and paste the definition or post numerous links I will say this...Ha ha - if you say you don't agree with DIR to those who follow it, the canned answer is "well you must not know what it is". Becase that is of course the ONLY reason why someone would not subscribe

--Matt

I wasn't trying to set you up, if thats why you thought I asked the question. But I do see a lot of misconception about DIR (even by DIR advocates...gotta love the irony ), so I was curious.

I understand why you have animosity to DIR advocates...but I was curious if you were actually against DIR the system. The two are not the same.

 

[Thalassamania]

Whatever your view is of his questions, my point is that there are ample resources out there on the web for DIR, DIR rig, DIR philosophy, etc., etc., etc. but there are passing small resources from other outlooks (and there are other outlooks). Perhaps we might take some time and a spirit of cooperation (as opposed to the usual modus operandi) and put together a few words that could later be left as a "sticky" or other form of document addressing the pluses and minuses of all the approaches from a basically neutral perspective.

 

[matt_unique]

I could find two of those that wouldn't agree on most things. Which leads me to your 2nd point.


Yep. At some point you gotta dive

I wasn't trying to set you up, if thats why you thought I asked the question. But I do see a lot of misconception about DIR (even by DIR advocates...gotta love the irony ), so I was curious.

I understand why you have animosity to DIR advocates...but I was curious if you were actually against DIR the system. The two are not the same.

I agree the two are definitely not the same. Ironically, it's usually the 50 lifetime dive DIR divers who represent the worst of the stereotype.

There are portions of the DIR system (gear) and methodology that I think are great. DIR does a good job at packaging some tried and true methods and gear setups. Sort of like Red Hat with Linux. The same outcome can be reached through other means as most of us know and it's this concept that limits my interest in DIR as a whole.

--Matt

 

[JeffG]

I agree the two are definitely not the same. Ironically, it's usually the 50 lifetime dive DIR divers who represent the worst of the stereotype.

There are portions of the DIR system (gear) and methodology that I think are great. DIR does a good job at packaging some tried and true methods and gear setups. Sort of like Red Hat with Linux. The same outcome can be reached through other means as most of us know and it's this concept that limits my interest in DIR as a whole.

--Matt

Fair enough.

I still think it is a great place for the new tech diver to start and if their experience leads them to morph their version of DIR, then so be it.

If the OP started with Dan Mackay's "Dressed for Success" book he really wouldn't be lead astray and end up buying a whole whack of odd gear. IMO

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Steve certainly never said anything but DIR, I said that I have read the literature that other people have provided me on it and decided that I liked some aspects but not others and chose not to label myself.

Hey Jeff my brother, this is nothing. Too bad you can't read certain other forums.

It does however make reading this particular thread that much more fun with this guy. He had all the answers there too. Seems as though telling someone they're just dead wrong isn't the way to go anymore.

We are such outcasts.

Anything but DIR, even if I don't know why.

lol.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Ty Thalass, thats exactly what I mean.

I don't mind people telling me I am dead wrong with a question or a comment, but just tell me why at the same time. The why is what I get to learn from.

My read it that he'd would like enough information so that he's comfortable drawing his own conclusions about courses, instuctors and gear. His attitude is a refreshing change from all the "that's what my instructor said," or "the Gods of DIR decreed" or "y'all die if yah do dat!" that we usually read here. Please help the poor sod out.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea guys I dont have my mind made up about any of this stuff yet, not fishing for confirmation just looking for info. When I posted something like the colored regs, I liked the feedback I got, while negative feedback, it has positively effected my decisions.

Nor am I beginning my beginning tech classes next week, I am looking at taking them about 5 months from now.
In the mean time I would like to get doubles and bp/w so that I can become fully comfortable with such a setup. From then when I have the comfort with the gear I can begin to go take the classes. So to say I have no buisness taking this next step is quite the hasty comment when you know nothing about my diving quality or style.

If you knew me than you would be free to come to whatever decisions you wanted about my quality of diving. But to assume that because I am PADI affiliated, or because I am a tech diving noob, (you were all tech diving noobs at some point) that I shouldnt be researching this stuff is bizarre.

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Ok, so on a lighter note I went and looked at some gear today,

The bp/w I looked at and found comfortable I am not so sure about and would like to get some opinions from someone who may have used it or seen it used in the past.

It is an an apex setup called the WTX-8 , single inflation bladder that was zippable out, whether or not thats the norm I do not know yet.

The harness system was comfortable but was not a single piece of webbing, from waht I understand there are ups and downs to this, although they said that this particular steel backplate could in fact be single threaded. But the only breaking points in the entire harness were the waist, and the the crotch strap, the rest was solid webbing.

The wing was of the most concern to me because the diveshop was pushing me towards an 80lb lift wing which seemed insanely large for me, also by apex.

My intention is now for LP steel 108's with the isolator manifold the ones I am looking at stay slightly negative even empty, I dive basically always in a CF200x with 200 or 400g insulate depending on temp, and dive both in salt and fresh often switching between.

So what are peoples suggestions on on aluminum or steel, and aprox size of a reasonable wing? Wing wise I will be lifting the doubles, as well as for my first classes an Aluminum 80 and Aluminum 40. Any more help and suggestions would be great.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

....and while I do like minimal crap on me I am certainly not going the DIR route.

Yea guys I dont have my mind made up about any of this stuff yet, not fishing for confirmation just looking for info.

Maybe you can understand why it is some of us are having a hard time keeping up with what you're really saying.



On the lighter notes, an 80lb wing is stupid and sold by shops that don't understand the difference between weight of the tanks and gas vs, the buoyancy of such.

Let's start the education of this here:

What's the ballpark buoyancy of your chosen dble 108 set-up full of gas, plus 1 full ALU80 and 1 full ALU40.

Whether you want to continue to take advice on tech diving equipment from those fellows would be your choice.