DIR- Generic Does the ScubaPro S-Tek Pro BPW Meet Standards?

[eightytwenty]

Not really, SP addressed that in a different way, they have a special strap for the canister.

Seems like unnecessary extra steps for something that didn't have this problem before SP monkeyed it up.

 

[crofrog]

Seems like unnecessary extra steps for something that didn't have this problem before SP monkeyed it up.

To be fare the cinch has an extra strap for the light canister and spg dring

 

[Barefoot_Lawyer]

Maybe this thread would be good to post ALL of the approved or required items. Initially I thought it was just BPW, long hose, SMB and the strap for your alternate.

Im now learning possibly fins and more that I am sure Im missing. I dont mind buying fins as mine were a temporary solution to fill the need of my original fins that were lost in a move. I hope my mask is good(2 frameless atomic venoms).

The necklace strap can be just a piece of bungee. No need to buy the $15 version, in fact I find the $15 ones a lot worse than plain bungee and I have 2 different ones sitting in my “**** I bought that sucks” gear crate.

Any low volume mask is fine. Get yourself neoprene mask straps to replace silicone if you haven’t already. They are less prone to catastrophic failure without warning and make the mask removal and replacement skills much easier to perform.

Buy more (high quality) double enders than you think you’ll need.

Go to a MWUE fun dive and ask questions about your gear. It’s a great place to learn.

Be careful - you’ll start to look like the memes.

 

[passeparici]

My take … the S-Tek backplate is a thing of beauty and very well thought out. The rest of the S-Tek though … the harness, fancy D-rings, sliders, the SP logoed loops, bits and bobs … and weight pockets that need to be screwed onto the backplate instead of just putting them on a tank strap … I pass.

Yes the backplate is well made and l like the handle. The harness is what makes the pro version what it is : a convenient harness without buckles. fancy D-rings ?? I don't know why some make a fixation on logos ! The weight pockets (you can put them or not) is a clever idea, close to the body, not interacting with anything, why put them in the tank would be a better idea except that it is commonly done ? And then no real bits and bobs. For someone who wants the real rugged version the Pure is the way to go. For the others who wants a more "improved" design the Pro is nice. And as I said before as a BPW you can adapt and makes it the way you want.
The GUE spirit is very rigid. Some says it makes you a better diver, maybe, maybe not. I think a good diver is something more in the head than in the material.
What some said about the importance to keep things at the same place all the time (like shoulder D-rings) is right but for myself, constantly changing my suit, from dry suit to 3 mm, I think the easyness is very important.
I am French and the way we go here is less "rigid" than what we might find in other countries concerning scuba diving. For instance a French CMAS 3 stars can go to 60 m on air. That doesn't say that we will do it but we can (and sometime do it for a very short time). We very soon give the security and planning spirit into our formations. We don't have this rigid frontier between REC and TEC. A CMAS 2 stars can (and do it) go into deco. The REC divers don't have a brain that explod as soon as they go to deco. Concerning the material it is a bit the same. Of course we have the "real" TEC divers. But my idea is that the OP who wants to go into TEC formation, it seems more to improve than to be a "real" TEC diver, should comply to the fundies (and to rent is a good idea) but then could have his own mind after all. Some says he will come to the GUE solution at the end because it works better : maybe yes, maybe not. The more important is what fits him the most. Without openness no progress...

 

[Ouvea]

I am French and the way we go here is less "rigid" than what we might find in other countries concerning scuba diving.

There are plenty of French divers that train through GUE. My buddy has dived with lots of them. Never knew France had any cave diving.

You pay for training. What you do with that training is up to you. However, if you don't approach the training with an open mind, then you won't get the full benefit of the course. I know this from personal experience as I had preconceived notions.

Not going to lecture you with non-sense and propaganda. Just want you to give it a fair shot and be open to some new ideas, which probably will conflict with what you had learned before. I have dived with CMAS trained divers. Had a great time and we were all using BCDs, regular length hoses, and breathing 21%...

 

[passeparici]

@Ouvea We of course also have tec training with long hose, bi... with GUE or others. And yes an open mind during training is important. I agree with what you say. An open mind after training is also important, for instance I am seriously thinking of not keeping my long hose : I don't really do cave, it is heavier in your luggage when you travel and most of the time, if it is not a regular one, your buddy is a bit puzzled at your configuration (but in caverns, or wrecks it could be really usefull !).
It seems to me the answer to the mail of the OP were with open mind as they did not seem to worry to much.

 

[BoltSnap]

There are plenty of French divers that train through GUE. My buddy has dived with lots of them. Never knew France had any cave diving.

You pay for training. What you do with that training is up to you. However, if you don't approach the training with an open mind, then you won't get the full benefit of the course. I know this from personal experience as I had preconceived notions.

Not going to lecture you with non-sense and propaganda. Just want you to give it a fair shot and be open to some new ideas, which probably will conflict with what you had learned before. I have dived with CMAS trained divers. Had a great time and we were all using BCDs, regular length hoses, and breathing 21%...

I don't see a more reasonable and open minded point of view in this entire thread than what @passeparici has said in at least two of his posts in this thread when most others were very unreasonably narrow minded dogmatic dismissing all other points of view.

It is very sad, the gue disciples do gue a great disservice by their over zealous attitude here when gue and its instructors aren't even close to having this attitude. The gue instructors I met or dealt with over the years are nice people without the attitude constantly displayed by many of the disciples on SB.

 

[eightytwenty]

To be fare the cinch has an extra strap for the light canister and spg dring

I don't care for cinch either truthfully...

 

[crofrog]

I don't care for cinch either truthfully...

I kinda like. I kinda don’t like it. It’s not on my rig now. It’s nice in Mexico when I’m diving dry and wet back to back on the same trip for instance.

The issue with over tightening is easy to fix just put a triglide on the shoulder strap and it prevents over tightening. Then you can just pull it snug to that spot every time and if you need to take a h out or add one it’s easy to do

 

[JoeTPhilly]

I kinda like. I kinda don’t like it. It’s not on my rig now. It’s nice in Mexico when I’m diving dry and wet back to back on the same trip for instance.

The issue with over tightening is easy to fix just put a triglide on the shoulder strap and it prevents over tightening. Then you can just pull it snug to that spot every time and if you need to take a h out or add one it’s easy to do

I liked the cinch and the ACB pockets for an easy transition from a jacket BCD. Also are nice when renting for ease of setup. All easily removed as it seems everybody does after Fundies.