I am relatively new to diving and I'm considering taking the leap and buying my own BC, Regs, Wetsuit, etc. My first dive experience was in Cozumel and I just happened to end up on a boat with a group of divers all diving bp/w. They were all great divers and freely shared advice to me as a NOOB without ever mentioning DIR. After the trip I started to research the identical gear (Halcyon) they all wore and for the first time came upon information about DIR. So I recently read "Doing It Right" and am intrigued with the gear configuration, etc. Does anyone know of any DIR dive shops in the Chicagoland area where I might be able to check out some gear and strike up a discussion with shop about DIR issues? I'm not necessarily looking for a Halcyon specific shop, just any shops that cater to DIR regardless of brand affiliation. Thanks in advance.
Not sure about the shops in and around the Chicagoland area... I've done business a couple times over at Goose's Scuba in Dyer, Ind. and it's a nice shop but I wouldn't necessarily call it "DIR".
That said, let me share my story of lament... I've been active or rather re-activated in scuba for just about 6 years now, taking the "traditional" PADI OW --> AOW --> Tech route and wanted to make sure to pass along what I've learned to date.
If all you want to do is warm water vacation stuff, PADI is fine. If you want to do things better, in all conditions, and manage risk / safety even better than PADI, go directly to DIR... take PADI OW but then get yourself into Fundies and stay the course for DIR/GUE... why you ask?
1) Equipment... I've now changed out equipment 3 or 4 times over... first what I purchased for PADI OW for warm water diving... then a bit nicer and heavier duty for colder water quarry diving around the midwest... then a bit more for this... and finally to more of a DIR configuration... I should have just done the BP/W with proper fins and things from the beginning... avoid the fancy schmancy computers and go with wrist mounted basics of timer and compass with a basic computer... go with a drysuit pretty much straight away... I am now starting to
2) DIR/GUE teaches teamwork, communication, planning and preparedness way beyond what PADI does... makes you a much better diver in a shorter amount of time in my opinion... I've met a few PADI or SSI dive masters and instructors that had terrible trim, planning skills, and experience...
3) Mixed gas / technical diving... it's all in there as the Ragu commercial says... since DIR / GUE is a standardized approach to things in a logically progressive manner... it's in there... there's no separate deco, adv nitrox, trimix, adv trimix classes... it's all part and parcel of the DIR / GUE training and methodology... something that isn't widely advertised or touted as a benefit but in my mind it's a HUGE thing...
So, in short, if I had to do it all over again... I'd pass go, collect my $200 and go right into DIR fundies with a BP/W setup and jet fins with spring straps