GUE training and deep diving
- Thread starter David Novo
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I’ll only answer the bp/w question. Definitely the Xdeep NX. See Andy Davis’s review here:
http://scubatechphilippines.com/scuba_blog/review-xdeep-nx-project-wing/amp/
Good luck!
And you can never take GUE fundies too early. I wish I took it right after ow
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I did my Fundies at the begining of the century and it just validated what I had learnt on my own through reading and practising. Got a few pointers here and there to be fair. This instructor is not active anymore.
Few years after I did a C1 class which was the best money I have ever spent on diving instruction. The instructor is still active and a "high ranking" one.
My third class was done years after with a third instructor who also is a "high ranking instructor". That was the worst class I took. The guy was fustrated with the three of us from day one and he didn't try to do any remedial or to explain to us what he really wanted us to do. We knew from day one what we were not going to pass but I didn't care about passing (I am not in a GUE group anyway), I just wanted to learn some skills and I learnt nada. We told him to forget the syllabus of the course and to reteach us what we didn't do properly but he just said he was there to teach a certain course and that he could only deliver that!
It was really fustrating.
That guy pretending (or in fact really believing) to be an "educator" is only an "evaluator" who also think he is a man of science because he does "scientific diving"
The thing is that nothing is cunning and he does believe he is "educating". He is also an agreable guy but he really has no clue about teaching; he just know to deliver a content...
I have seen quite often this pseudo connection between diving and academia.
Some IT think they have a Phd and we see more and more "diving academy".
"If you fail in the academic world, try diving"
I use the old-fashioned xdeep hydros. It's GUE-compatible and really good value for money. And I actually prefer the xdeep backplate over the halcyon one as it has holes at multiple levels. This allows me to mount the twinset lower and increase clearance between the isolator knob and the back of my head.
lv2dive
Formerly known as KatePNAtl
I laughed out loud when I read this. When I took fundies, I had zero intentions of taking any more advanced GUE classes. When I have mentioned that, on here and in real life, people are very often surprised- I took fundies for the sole purpose of becoming a better recreational diver. To that end, I wish the DIR subforums were not a subset of the Technical Diving forum. There are a surprising number of people who take fundies just to become better rec divers.
@David Novo
...After you dive some more and get more comfortable, you can re-visit whether you want to do Fundies or not or you may even decide you want to do tech/deco. Trust me, there's a strong chance it will change. Ask me how I know
...
Xdeep NX is not accepted by some GUE instructors without modifications. The V-shaped crotch strap is not compliant. Wouldn't choose the NX for GUE courses. Otherwise a great BPW
I'm only into gear, so that's what I'll answer
Good wings in the eu: Xdeep, Finnsub, and OMS actually has nice new wings as well (without retractors) for all types of tanks, these brands are all readily and easily available in Europe. If you are on a budget, tecline could be an option as well. This is a polish company with pretty good quality wings and regulators, but nothing too fancy. afaik these are all dir compliant as long as you don't buy them with as special harness.
Bladderwise I dive the xdeep for doubles and finnsub for singles.
I prefer the Finnsub qualitywise since it has a really thick 2000 cordura nylon outer shell, which is the thickest and sturdiest i've seen in a wing so far, but you can't really go wrong with any of these brands bladderwise.
I'd honestly buy a basic harness(brand doesn't matter), because alot of these brands have 'comfort harnesses with many quick releases and extra d-rings you don't really need. So buy a standard webbing + plate harness and you're good to go.
Yeah, well when you refer to xDeep NX, it actually is the whole BPW system. The wing for doubles is called NX Project. The wing itself is great and works with any standard backplate and harness too. The NX backplate is unconventionally shaped and the harness is routed differently from traditional DIR harness. The waistbelt rides higher and finally there is a V shaped crotch strap.
We have also had critical comments from GUE instructors regarding the Project wing having too much lift in the lower portion and making it hard to trim. (this is contrary to Andy Davis and many others who find it exceptional for trim).
Thus the NX system really cannot be recommended for GUE. The Project wing with a classical backplate and harness should be fine, but for a classic bpw there are many other options available.
I have dived both the NX Zen single tank system and the Project with doubles, and I like both of them.
At least Halcyon Evolve 40, Agir Niord 40 and Tecline Donut 22 have been specifically recommended to me by GUE instructors. For a backplate and harness the brand can't really matter as long as they are classical design and set up as instructed.
Anyway, the xDeep NX and GUE is a can of worms I would not recommend to anyone.
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