Attitudes Toward DIR Divers

[jellycatsdad]

So a friend I dive with will be diving primary donate soon. And I want to take GUE Fundamentals down the road, though I feel I got better training via NAUI than PADI. We’ll see what happens, I was also planning on going long hose primary donate as well when it’s time for new regs.

 

[Umuntu]

We’ll see what happens, I was also planning on going long hose primary donate as well when it’s time for new regs.

Why wait for new regs ?

All you need is a new hose or two …

 

[Badger7]

All you need is a new hose or two …

Well, and a bolt snap and a length of bungie, but yeah I totally agree. If your buddy is going to try diving that configuration, might be fun to pick up an 24" and 84" rubber reg hose and you can practice with him/her doing some primary donate OOG drills.

 

[happy-diver]

Is this a different Andy Davis from the guy who teaches Sidemount based in the Philippines and runs scubatechphilippines.com ?

Yeah Devon Diver, operating in a particular style, seems to have utilised his invaluable experience here to

Sounds like Devon Diver

now as the mild mannered Andy Davis, sharing his expertise through teaching those receptive to learning
both one on one, and also through what must be one of the most informative diving sites on the inertnet

 

[jellycatsdad]

Why wait for new regs ?

All you need is a new hose or two …

My octo is one of those “compact” Mares MVs. Not the same Proton Metal as my primary.

 

[The Chairman]

Never donate a reg you don't want to use.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Never donate a reg you don't want to use.

You're right, a crappy secondary reg that breathes terrible and is full of god knows what will only increase problems and stress for an OOA diver.

 

[jellycatsdad]

Yea, that’s why I want them to be matching. That’s why I said when I get new regs - or at least something I can mix with my current primary.

 

[steinbil]

My octo is one of those “compact” Mares MVs. Not the same Proton Metal as my primary.

Never donate a reg you don't want to use.

You're right, a crappy secondary reg that breathes terrible and is full of god knows what will only increase problems and stress for an OOA diver.

Yea, that’s why I want them to be matching. That’s why I said when I get new regs - or at least something I can mix with my current primary.

You wouldn't donate the crappy secondary reg, that's the whole point of primary donate. The drawback of having a "crappy" secondary is that it's the reg YOU will be breathing on when you donate the better primary that you were just breathing on. So switching to a long hose setup now is actually making better for all of your buddies in the water, but depending on the condition of your "crappy" secondary, you might be making it worse for yourself. However, when you dive with a primary donate setup, you have an even bigger incentive to make sure both of your regs are in good working condition and breathe well.

PS. I don't know the regs you have, but you don't need a top of the line reg to have something that breathes well. The bottom of the Apeks line XTX40 breathes plenty fine if it's tuned and maintained well. Can't speak for anything Mares.

 

[jellycatsdad]

You wouldn't donate the crappy secondary reg, that's the whole point of primary donate. The drawback of having a "crappy" secondary is that it's the reg YOU will be breathing on when you donate the better primary that you were just breathing on. So switching to a long hose setup now is actually making better for all of your buddies in the water, but depending on the condition of your "crappy" secondary, you might be making it worse for yourself. However, when you dive with a primary donate setup, you have an even bigger incentive to make sure both of your regs are in good working condition and breathe well.

PS. I don't know the regs you have, but you don't need a top of the line reg to have something that breathes well. The bottom of the Apeks line XTX40 breathes plenty fine if it's tuned and maintained well. Can't speak for anything Mares.

My current regs are the Mares MR42T first + Proton Metal second stage and MV Octo as my secondary. I would have to get an Abyss or find another Proton Metal to make it a primary-donate set. I did breathe off my MV Octo and while it does work, it just doesn’t inspire confidence.

That’s why I want to wait until I need to get new regs - most likely Scubapro’s MK17/19 Evo and two G260s. Yes, I know, there’s a compelling argument for Deep6’s Signature series(and they support right to repair/DIY - a huge plus in my book) but I can’t get over the aesthetics.