DIR- Generic Advice for new to DIR

[Kevin Floyd]

Hi,

I’m new to tech and DIR. I’m thinking about taking a GUE Fundies course in 2020. I want to shoot for tech route. I took the SSI dry suit class and am about to order my own dry suit. I want to take a doubles primer or at least get some time in the pool on a set of doubles before I take the fundies. Not very many doubles primers list on the GUE site in the US for 2020.
A few quotations:

thoughts on other ways to get some doubles experience.

thoughts on a good set of doubles regs? Been looking at the doubles set with long hose from Deep6. I dive an Atomic ST1 on my single tank but don’t want to switch up to the long hose on that because of the knuckle joint on the second stage and the super thick hose itself. Plus the 1st stage is pretty bulky

thanks for any info

 

[decompression]

Lots of solid options, just depends on your budget,
Scubapro MK25
Apeks XTX 50
Deep6 signature

all route nicely for doubles....

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I am presently on Dive Rite XT regulators for my doubles. Great regs for a very good price. As for getting experience with doubles, you seem to be on the right path already. GUE Fundies will show you failure management with doubles like valve drills and achieving precision. The course is not meant to be passed on one single attempt. Instead you take those skills and practice them and dive with doubles until you can demonstrate them with absolute proficiency. Then you are ready for Tech-1.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . Not very many doubles primers list on the GUE site in the US for 2020. . . .

Keep in mind that you can just contact an instructor and try to schedule a doubles primer at a mutually convenient date. What's listed on the GUE web site as scheduled are not necessarily the only times instructors are available to teach those courses. If you're not averse to driving the 10 hours from Houston to High Springs for a doubles primer, see if Kyle Harmon is available. I took a doubles primer from him, and I felt it was good value.

 

[Kevin Floyd]

Thanks for the info. Because I’m going to have to travel no matter what then I’m pretty open. I have to contact the instructor to register for fundies anyway so thought about inquiring about a possible doubles primer prior to the fundies class

 

[Ayisha]

...I have to contact the instructor to register for fundies anyway so thought about inquiring about a possible doubles primer prior to the fundies class

Good idea. As Lorenzoid mentioned, a lot of the GUE courses are demand driven. Once an instructor knows that there's an interested student for a class, they try to wrangle up other potential students and work on mutually agreeable dates, then post the class for registration.

Good luck!

 

[seeker242]

Not very many doubles primers list on the GUE site in the US for 2020.

Don't go by the list. The list, more often than not, get populated after someone arranges a class with an instructor personally. As for regs, one not mentioned yet is Halcyon. They are even less expensive than Scubapro.

 

[arthurng311]

Don't go by the list. The list, more often than not, get populated after someone arranges a class with an instructor personally. As for regs, one not mentioned yet is Halcyon. They are even less expensive than Scubapro.

Halcyon regs are effectively OEMs from Scubapro, if i recall correctly they use a mk25 and g250v

 

[elgoog]

@Kevin Floyd I would recommend getting in touch with @mer - you can likely find a class or clinic with her that is closer to where you're based as she travels for classes around the US.
I just did C1 with her and she's great! Get in touch with her soon as she can get booked out far in advance.

 

[Kevin Floyd]

@Kevin Floyd I would recommend getting in touch with @mer - you can likely find a class or clinic with her that is closer to where you're based as she travels for classes around the US.
I just did C1 with her and she's great! Get in touch with her soon as she can get booked out far in advance.

Thanks for that. I will hit her up