An Attempt at Understanding DIR

[Teamcasa]

Over the last couple of years, it's been my experience that nitpicking starts when people *claim* DIR divers say such things. I wonder if anyone who has responded to this post has EVER said that DIR is the best/only safe way to dive recreationally?

Fair enough.

 

[elan]

A flood will not cause you to be anymore negative in the water, just colder and harder to pull yourself out on to the boat.

Sorry, I cannot agree with you. I will cause the buoyancy lose as it will replace the air in the undergarments. Pretty much as you replace the air in the BCD with water you will lose buoyancy.

Not all but still significant.

 

[Anti-Hero]

Fair enough.

Brass bolt snap anyone?

Nice troll attempt ... From a moderator even.

 

[Teamcasa]

You will lose some of the buoyancy of the undergarments though. Some undergarments are better than others in this regard.

True, but you'd have to be really flooded pretty bad (and cold) before you'd notice much.

 

[Teamcasa]

Nice troll attempt ... From a moderator even.

Your right. I removed it..

 

[JeffG]

True, but you'd have to be really flooded pretty bad (and cold) before you'd notice much.

I agree. (Especially if you are using good underwear. Not so good if using cotton fleece for example.)

 

[JeffG]

Your right. I removed it..

I wouldn't of.

It is kinda troll like, but then again it does demonstrate two different approaches.

 

[Teamcasa]

I wouldn't of.

It is kinda troll like, but then again it does demonstrate two different approaches.

I know. But this is not the thread for that conversation.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Speaking as a non-DIR diver, in terms of attitudes, I find (like anything) you find huge discrepancies. There are some DIR divers who fit the OP's description well. Equally, I recently took a gas blending class and I was the only non-DIR diver in the room (including the instructor), but everyone was very friendly and happy to discuss "broader" approaches to mixing (or rather mixes), and no one criticised or judged (at least not openly).

Again, speaking as an outsider, I break DIR philosophy down into four components: equipment configuration (which everyone seems fixate on), fitness (which almost everyone seems to ignore), training (which I think most would agree tends to be more extensive and intensive than other approaches) and an ephemeral fourth category which I refer to as "attitude/approach".

I think it is the fourth category where tensions can easily arise.

(slaps head) ... that was you I shook hands with up at Scott's house the other night ... wasn't it ... D'oh ... you DID tell me you were heading this way ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Cave Bum]

The nitpicking starts when DIR divers tout that DIR diving is the best/only safe way to dive in clearly recreational dive venues.

Nor is it the best/only way to dive safely in technical diving. Folks like
Bill Main, Wes Skiles, Woody Jasper, Lamar Hires, et-al, were diving safely long before a reporter doing a story about the WKPP coined the term 'DIR' and long before JJ even knew what cave diving was. Those folks are still diving safely today with configurations other then those espoused by DIR.

There is not one and only one way to dive safely. DIR is just one of several safe, professional ways to approach technical diving.