DIR gear okay for beginners?

[TSandM]

At this point, there is no GUE OW class, although it's reportedly close to release. Fundies, the lowest level GUE course at present, does require that you be certified OW by another agency. It is a very worthwhile course, but you will get the most out of it if you have about 50 dives or so before taking it.

 

[micknewton]

Instead of replying to each of you individually I'll just say one "thanks everyone" right here. I really appreciate all of your input.

You all gave me a lot to consider. I don't know if I will go with a DIR gear configuration or not. I'll wait and see how I feel after I get my certification dives behind me. Then, if I can, I'll try a DIR setup. That will give me something to compare.

 

[odiecho]

We'll be getting certified using the BCs and regulators supplied by Pacific Scuba in Puerto Vallarta. I just spent a lot of money buying wetsuits, hoods, booties, gloves, fins, masks, snorkels, and gear bags for both of us. I probably won't be buying BCs and regulators until later this year.

QUOTE]

Mick,

I too, am looking to buy my own gear and have decided on the BP/W setup. I like the efficiency of it and have not yet found a traditional jacket BC that I like. I am not tied into any particular name brand as long as they have a good reputation for a sound, well-engineered/well-designed product. And since I too, don't believe that any form of tech diving is in my future I could care less which organization I take a training class from as long as what they teach is "accredited and certified" in the big flick. Personally, I'm planning on taking the parts of the Hog philosophy that make sense to me (and I have an engineering background), tailor it to my skill set and anticipated dive profiles and have a great time diving. If there are folks out there that won't dive with me because of the rig I use or the brand name I'm wearing then I'm much better off without them. (They probably don't like the car I drive either.)
Figure out what will work best for you and your wife, get comfortable with it and you'll have a great time. I'm fortunate that my LDS is well-versed in the Hog rigs since they are a very experienced bunch of cave divers. I know that any information I receive from them will have sound logic and reasoning behind it, not just a hard sell for profit.

 

[radinator]

'dress for success' suggests a small foldup snorkel to be carried in a (thigh) pocket if needed.

I actually have a roll-up one I carry for Laguna Beach (where divers are required by law to have a snorkel). It's in the pocket, though, not on the mask.

 

[lamont]

At this point, there is no GUE OW class, although it's reportedly close to release. Fundies, the lowest level GUE course at present, does require that you be certified OW by another agency. It is a very worthwhile course, but you will get the most out of it if you have about 50 dives or so before taking it.

I did it with 25 dives and it worked out reasonably okay. I don't think I would have learned anything in dives 25-50 that I wouldn't have had to unlearn in fundies...

 

[TSandM]

Well, I'll restate: You will get the most out of it if you have your basic buoyancy skills under fairly solid control. If you can swim a pattern between 25 and 15 fsw without major difficulty and hover at that depth for at least short periods, you can go on to tackle the rest of the skills.