GUE gear config

[LanceRiley]

i have taken my fundamentals... be open minded about it.. initially it was very untidy? too many hoses? over time you'll manage stowing the hoses ... there are large people and very small people. I had a team mate so big and a team mate so small. We discussed it and managed to cleanly stow our hoses.

I normally dive open water. very rarely overhead. but i have learned to appreciate the long hose and i feel it's very neat and tidy.

Fundamentals for me is the mindset. understand it... the skills are just the bonuses.

 

[Ayisha]

I took my GUE Fundamentals part 1 class (theory part) last night, pool session is this weekend, and basically took away all my gear is wrong / not safe / needs to be replaced ...
My reason for signing up for GUE was mostly to get better at the different kicks, I can't do a backward or helicopter kick, and my GUE-obsessed friend insisted that it'll improve my buoyancy and trim massively. does GUE school of thought still have safety / efficiency benefits for regular recreational scuba?

This OP reads like a joke, but how did you arrange to get accepted into an imminent Fundies class without already knowing a little bit about the philosophy and standardization and without having the list of required equipment from Appendix A and a plan to buy, rent or borrow it?

You would be well advised to delay the rest of your Part 1 until you become familiar with the new gear u/w and display exceptional buoyancy and trim. "Decent" buoyancy and trim and needing to "improve drastically" often don't cut it in Fundies because unless you have a stable platform (your body), buoyancy and trim can go out the window when task loaded.
Instead of spending your time and energy getting used to the new gear, you'll be able to concentrate on the new skills and have greater situational awareness.

...does GUE school of thought still have safety / efficiency benefits for regular recreational scuba?

Absolutely. But it would be best to do some research and read your course materials and make that decision for yourself.

 

[jjmochi]

This OP reads like a joke, but how did you arrange to get accepted into an imminent Fundies class without already knowing a little bit about the philosophy and standardization and without having the list of required equipment from Appendix A and a plan to buy, rent or borrow it?

You would be well advised to delay the rest of your Part 1 until you become familiar with the new gear u/w and display exceptional buoyancy and trim. "Decent" buoyancy and trim and needing to "improve drastically" often don't cut it in Fundies because unless you have a stable platform (your body), buoyancy and trim can go out the window when task loaded.
Instead of spending your time and energy getting used to the new gear, you'll be able to concentrate on the new skills and have greater situational awareness.



Absolutely. But it would be best to do some research and read your course materials and make that decision for yourself.

My instructor is renting me the required equipment.

Funny, folks who I’ve heard say they have “exceptional” buoyancy and trim are usually the worst in the water. Even instructors who I’ve dived with with thousands of dives still have some humility and recognize they can always improve. I said “massive improvements” because my instructor told us he was a navy diver, SSI instructor, had thousands of dives etc before doing GUE Fundies and even he made tons of improvements in bouyancy and trim (which is what sold me on the course).

So no I don’t think I have “massive improvements” that need to be made, and unless you have dived with me I don’t think the tone of your post is warranted.

 

[jjmochi]

I can't speak to GUE, but their philosophy on gear is everybody dives identical rig configurations.

Your assumption is correct they are overhead environment focused and that is why they are wanting you to use a long hose.

Being that you have no intentions of overhead diving I think you'll likely gain some skills, but I'm not sure you'll be really getting you money's worth. The class and buying all new gear could buy you a lot of dive trips.

I do think you'll find a back inflate style wing with a harness will help with trim and is more comfortable and streamlined. However, I'm a no go on a long hose for recreational diving and a yes on octo/inflators after understanding how to use them.

The industry standard for "streamlining" in a tech configuration is a bit funny to me. There's nothing streamlined about a bunch of long ass hoses and second stages. You're not doing single file gas sharing exits from a wreck or cave so the long hose doesn't make sense.

Yes this is my initial reaction as well. I understand their logic, but it doesn’t seem applicable to my own personal use case given I have no interest in overhead diving. Still I am keeping an open mind and will give it a try. Good to know on the back plate and wing.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I've only taken fundies, but I'd like to remind you that this is a recreational skills class. Helicopter turns and backfinning are incredibly useful. Zeroing in on proper weighting, finning, controlled ascents/descents, task loading will just make you a better diver and diving more enjoyable (except when diving off a boat with a shared guide and people run out of air faster than you). This will impact greatly any photography/videography you may do.

The best advice I received when I took fundies was "You don't have to drink the Kool Aid (like you've seen here), just go for the skills".

Earning a rec/tec pass isn't a factor for you. Just improve your skills. That's what I'd do in your shoes.*

* I never thought I'd get into technical diving, until I did. I never thought I'd get into rebreathers, until I did.

 

[rongoodman]

But after listening to the theory yesterday it seems a lot of why GUE does things the way they do is to set up you for later tech / cave / wreck diving, which I have no interest in.

The original point of the Fundies class was to ensure that students entering GUE cave and other classes had the requisite skills to be successful, so of course that's a primary focus of the class and required equipment.

 

[Gone for diving]

Qualifier I am not DIR, but do follow mostly equipment wise...

Yes the long hose can me annoying at first, but if you ever have been on the receiving end you will be very thankful,
It's so much more comfortable for everyone, than a short hose, and it doesn't cause as big of a silt out...

I occasionally have to help on a long fast drift dive, extend air for a new to the site diver, so they have plenty of air at the end,
(Surfacing is not practical)
It's quite comfortable donating with long 7ft hose,

It coming around your neck, is used with sidemount, or a pony slung as a stage,
so it might be worth getting use to it...

 

[lexvil]

Never question dogma in the cult learn what you can and don’t over think things, dive more.

 

[DanBMW]

There is nothing wrong with additional training, but from your initial comments, I would have recommended a cavern class. For me, it was very beneficial in buoyancy control, trim and task overloading. Lately I'm doing a lot of aquarium diving and in that enclosed environment, I see a lot of good, bad and out of control divers. Trim and better buoyancy control become very evident in that environment. Most Instructors should be able to teach you a solid reverse kick.. It's just technique and practice.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . . [D]oes GUE school of thought still have safety / efficiency benefits for regular recreational scuba?

I believe GUE would say yes, it does. You don't have to agree. You could choose to silently disagree, continue through the class using your borrowed equipment, improve the skills that you took the class for the purpose of improving, and then continue after the class diving in your jacket BC, etc. Not everyone who takes Fundies finishes the class agreeing with all of the GUE philosophies. I suspect GUE recognizes that and that it's fine with them. But one of the goals of the class is to introduce you to the philosophies. If you take the class with an open mind and give the idea that the GUE gear configuration MIGHT have benefits for regular recreational scuba a chance, that's all anyone can ask for. After class, you can do as you wish and nobody should think the lesser of you for that. It's all good. Think of it as broadening your education.