As this is in 'Advanced' (not GUE) I feel OK with responding. It has been well established over the years that I'm "DIR Friendly". I like almost everything that you guys and gals do, just short of that damn buddy thing that you all have wrapped around your axles. 15# of bioprene IS relevant, IMHO.
Please, post GUE's formal definition of a "Balanced Rig". I've heard many descriptions of the same thing over the years.
Neutral at 500? Able to easily drop weight and swim up your rig if you splash with a full tank and can't get breathing gas? Able to ditch your rig and do a controlled ascent?
This post is not in the least bit baiting, but very curious...
EDIT:
I don't blind-side anyone, this is what I currently have in mind:
(X-Ray Mag)
"HP: How did the Hogarthian equipment configuration come about?
BM: John Zumrick invented the term "Hogarthian". It really started as a joke. I have always been stuck with that middle name, and then Gavin started using the term. We started minimalising—stripping out anything that we did not need. Every time I saw something good—as long as it meshed with the system—I would adopt it. I was one of the first to use the Goodman handle, putting the backup lights under the arms—lots of little things, most of them invented by other people.
HP: What do people fail to understand about diving “Hogarthian” and how does it differ from what people would consider to be a DIR (Doing It Right) equipment configuration?
BM: It is mainly being streamlined—if you don’t need it, don’t take it. I was glad that they changed the name to DIR because there are some differences that I still don’t agree with, like having the wing inflate on the right post. I always have mine on the left, so that if the post rolls off, I'd know, because the inflate stops working. Speed is a big part of the equation for me. I have to limit my dives. I can’t stay in the water for 10 to 15 hours in a wetsuit. Also, sometimes “Chicken Little” comes calling and says, “The sky is falling down,” and you just got to get out of the cave quickly.