Gear required for Dirf

[Grajan]

I think it's a moot point who has the gear fixation.....

But.... I have spent a long time (and a lot of money) getting a rig setup that I really like and the idea of using a different rig to train in is not really appealing.

This is no big deal. By current standards I am probably already over-trained for the type of diving I plan to do.

I will talk to the Discover Scuba guys and discuss this but I'm not going to lose sleep over it - plenty of other things to learn (planning to start my yachtmaster certs this summer).

 

[cornfed]

You'll have to excuse me but I took the liberty of combining two of your messages...

Grajan once bubbled...
Seems a little pedantic to me - Back inflate is back inflate.

Anyway - one less thing to worry about. There are plenty of other ways to improve skills.

Grajan latter bubbled...

I tried the 5' but did not like the routing. I keep my SMB in the Balance pocket where the canister light would go and this secures my long hose in exactly the same way.

The SQ Balance is effectively a BP/wing. The BP is plastic but otherwise the only 'significant' difference are the position of the 'D' rings and plastic buckles. It has almost no padding.

Given that I can see no DirF activities that would be compromised by this rig, the extraordinarily narrow course requirements seem to smack of either religious zeal or commercial intent. This puts me off the whole thing so I guess I will need to go elsewhere for my training.

I guess the problem is that DIRf is geared to people who want to do overhead diving whereas I just want to do warm water reef diving REALLY well and am looking for a little flexibility.

There is probably money to be made running a slightly less 'gear fixated' course for people like me.[/B]

In all honesty I think you're really missing the point. The DIR-F class is not simply designed to teach you how to be a better differ. It's designed to expose you to the DIR style and prepare you for further GUE classes. It has nothing to do with "religious zeal". And frankly, the argument for commercial motivation behind the gear requirements has been shot down many times. In fact it was dealt with again just recently.

Before a bought my BP&Wings I dove with a SQ Balance. There are significant differences. There is a far greater range of adjustment with the BP which results in a better fit. Also the weight distribution of the BP is much better than is possible with the Balance or similar B.

In the end you're right, there are other "less 'gear fixated'" courses and your time would be better spent seeking them out then making (what I feel) are unfounded criticisms of this course.

Cornfed

 

[sasdasdaf]

Why don't you give your potential instructor a call and ask him/her? That would settle it once and for all.

 

[WJL]

Grajan once bubbled...
I have spent a long time (and a lot of money) getting a rig setup that I really like and the idea of using a different rig to train in is not really appealing.
....

This is a real problem when you have a lot of time and money involved in anything - change is not appealing. Maybe just try out the bp/wings before ebaying your current rig? It could be you'll like the bp/wing setup better.

If you go through the class you'll get a (very) detailed explanation for why GUE thinks the bp/wings rig is optimal, even for openwater reef diving.

 

[Grajan]

Your assumption that I am some 'dive pup' who just needs to try a BP wing and I will ebay my rig is hilarious .

I have been diving since the seventies - did it (semi) professionally for a couple of years. Did stuff in the early days that would make your hair curl - with very basic gear - NO BC.

Based on this 'little' experience I chose my new gear very carefully for the type of diving I plan to do. In that process I took a good look at the BP wing and decided that it was unnecessarily 'butch' for carribean reefs.

For me (I stress 'for me' I'm not interested in starting yet another debate on this one) - The SQ Balance provides the same functionality (back inflate - v low profile - little padding) as the BP wing with a number of advantages in terms of comfort and simplicity of donning etc. I have adopted the DIR hose config because it makes sense - for me.

So - I am happy that I have the right rig for the diving I plan to do. I don't plan to ebay it and I don't plan to train in a different rig. so I will just have to pass on DirF.

As cornfed makes clear - they sure don't need me.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...
And the instructors should hold a PH.D. in diving knowledge....their passion for the sport is unparalleled.

I would preface my remarks with this one statement: "Quality training is ALWAYS worth the effort!" All of us can always learn something from others.

I would have to disagree with the statement that their passion for the sport is "un-paralelled" because, by strict definition that means that no one else in the diving world reaches their level of passion for the sport. After over thirty years of diving, and about half of that spent teaching, I would have to respectfully disagree. There are other agencies whose instructors "hold Ph.D.'s in diving" and who are extremely passionate about the sport.

As for the gear "issue", as an Instructor Trainer I would have to simply point out that, for any given course, the training agency has the right to specify exactly what equipment will be used in each course, and to require that students hold to that restriction. This holds true for IANTD, TDI, ANDI, GUE, or any other training agency for that matter.

Different agencies are more general in their equipment requirements for some courses than are others, while in yet another set of courses they may be even more restrictive.

As for choosing one's personal equipment, one of our writers (Caveseeker7) quotes the great explorer Sheck Exley: "What works, works!" My own personal dive guru, Frans Vandermolen (International Advisory Board Member for IANTD), said: "You need to carefully evaluate your reason for choosing a particular configuration. Having made your decision, you need to test it rigorously. If it does what you want reliably and well, then it is right for you."

 

[cornfed]

Grajan once bubbled...

I have been diving since the seventies - did it (semi) professionally for a couple of years.

Semi-professional? Is that like a DM where they pay you like **** but give you good discounts on gear?

 

[Grajan]

More like all the diving I could handle and food.

It was a great deal for me because I had a lot of fun and they trained me really well.

I definitely saw (see) diving as a lifestyle thing - never a career.

It did lead me (circuitously) into underwater robotics, where I have managed to make a good living ever since.

 

[BigJetDriver]

cornfed once bubbled...


Semi-professional? Is that like a DM where they pay you like **** but give you good discounts on gear?

Obviously, "Cornfed" has been around the patch for a while and knows how it works in the field!

Likewise "Grajan"s comment:

They did not even sell gear!
More like all the diving I could handle and food.

It was a great deal for me because I had a lot of fun and they trained me really well.

I definitely saw (see) diving as a lifestyle thing - never a career.


Remember, kids! "If you want to make a small fortune in the diving industry, start with a larger one!"=-)

 

[cornfed]

Grajan once bubbled...
As cornfed makes clear - they sure don't need me.

I don't recall saying that.