The above conviction is why, in my opinion, so many rec divers don't like DIR.
DIR diving is the result of a very systematic approach to eliminating as many points of pontential failure as possible during a dive. These points of failure can be in gear, where most of discussion seems to revolve (a mistake I believe), physical and mental fitness, dive planning, gas mixing, etc. This approach was developled by the Woodville Karst Plain Project in responses to the extreme exposures they were dealing with in exploring the underwter caves of Wakulla Springs, Fl. Diving 18,000 ft linear penetrations at 300+ ft while incurring a 6 to 9 hour deco obligation is not a good time to question the fitness of you, your gear, your buddy or your buddy's gear.
In response to these conditions, DIR diving evolved around the following ideas (this only a partial list):
1) Very careful dive planning - to the point that, strictly speaking, computers are considered not DIR although most DIR divers own and dive with computers while within NDL limits. Accidentally exceeding those limits is simply the height "stokeness" as is the resulting unplanned deco (better hope you have enough gas
).
2) Mental and physical fitness - being a fat, out of shape, smoking, barely able to swim, pre-dive beer swilling diver (all of which I used to be) is not DIR.
3) Extreme buddy awareness - DIR divers know where their buddy is and how they're doing at all times. Unplanned or accidental buddy seperation is not acceptable. Technically, solo-diving is very non-DIR.
4) A "balanced" standardized hograthian gear configuration - Balanced, as I understand the term, means a diver can swim from their planned MOD to the surface or to the first deco stop with full tanks and no gas in their bc after ditching what ever ditchable weight they might have. If you can't do the above then you shouldn't be doing that dive (see point #2). Generally speaking, DIR doesn't consider a dry suit a secondary bcd. Also given the above, redundant wings, bladders, inflators, etc. are viewed as nothing more than additional failure and entanglement points, as well extra equipment and task loading at depth.
The above are some of the underpinning of DIR diving. When I got back into diving after several years out of it I stumbled on to DIR diving because I was looking into getting a backplate. After further study of the system and philosophy and diving with divers who dive DIR, I am convinvced that it is simply the SAFEST way to dive not the only way to dive but the safest. And that's good enough for me.
So what do other divers have against DIR? I think a lot of the dislike stems for two main sources. First, is the explict conclusion that if I'm "Doing It Right" then, if you dive differently, you're "Doing It Wrong" and by extention your training is wrong, your gear is wrong, and your mindset is wrong. What that means in DIR slang is you are a "stroke" (aka a fundentmentally unsafe diver who is a danger both him/her self and their buddy). Couple that with DIR rule #1: "Don't dive with storkes" and you can see an us vs. them situation developing. How true the above statement is about any given diver is determined to a much greater extent by training, mindset, and preparation than by gear, in my opinion. Most people don't like to be told that they're wrong. It turns people off and pisses them off, especailly after they've spent, in some cases, many thousand of dollars.
The second reason is simply, as stated in one of the above post, George's demeanor. Don't get me wrong, George, JJ and co. are some of the best and most experienced divers in the world, they're just not very forgiving, to say the least (some would not doubt say unneccessarily(sp?) mean), of fools, ignorance, and stupidity and are quick to let you know when they think your post is just that. Just try posting a "stupid" question on the dir-quest list and see how quickly and brutally you get beat down (worse yet is to post a response to a question and get the anwser wrong). This problem is made worse by the fact that are no real good introductory text to DIR diving. You just got to jump in and take your lumps with the rest of us newbies. Yes, the list is intimadating. Yes, the responses can be cruel and mean spirted. No, they don't care if they've hurt you're feelings. And no they don't if you join their ranks. If you want a touchie feely diver support list you're looking in the wrong place. However, I am coming to believe that if the discourse on the quest list rattles you probably shouldn't be doing the types of dives these guys do. Clearly, dir-quest needs a stroke list in very bad way.
All of the above is tragic beacause, I believe, DIR is the safest way to dive and clearly has the potential to save lives.
As Don said read all you can, expose yourself to it as much as possible, learn as much as you can, dive with DIR divers but remember you have to come to DIR, it/they will not come to you. They don't recruit.
I challenge you to find safer way to dive. I don't think you can.
Lord, I was born ramblin' man,
Sam
P.S. As far as the marketing of DIR bear in mind, that Halcyon and Extreme Exposure were founded on DIR principles because the WKPP couldn't find equipment to meet their specifications so they started their own companies with the help of Bronwies. For most companies, yeah, DIR a marketing ploy or an effort to jump on a bandwagon but in the case of Halcyon and EE if it weren't for DIR diving and the WKPP they wouldn't exist. Simple as that.
P.P.S. I am a relative DIR newbie. While all of the above is correct to best of my knowledge, it could also be all wrong. Peace.
