Hopping my way to full cave...

[Manatee Diver]

In some of the posts you mention your lower than average gas consumption. I've noticed in the videos, that during your breathing cycle you often (not always) have two "spurts" of exhalation for every full inhalation. Is this a conscious technique you use or just your natural breathing pattern? Just wondering if this technique, intentional or not, might help lower gas consumption.?

Honestly I never noticed it, so it isn't purposeful. I credit most of my lowish air consumption is on being very comfortable in the water. I tend not to be overly excitable.

As far as breathing always suggest to people to breath normally.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Brown Santa stopped by the house today.

After seeing well the Bigblue 10k light was while Roger was holding it in the Regina video, I picked a Bigblue for myself, 15k warm.

Pretty much the same size as the HP50 I was using before.

Brown Santa also dropped off an AL80 that will be my second stage tank. But it won't be rigged up until my DIR style line comes in. Going to rig up a Protec style DIR rigging. I used it in Mexico and it worked great very streamlined. My other will be setup with the Protec style bungee but with a sidemount style bungee top clip. I am going to dive both and see which I like better. Will post pictures after I get both rigged up.

 

[rddvet]

Brown Santa stopped by the house today.

View attachment 632200

After seeing well the Bigblue 10k light was while Roger was holding it in the Regina video, I picked a Bigblue for myself, 15k warm.

Pretty much the same size as the HP50 I was using before.

View attachment 632201

Brown Santa also dropped off an AL80 that will be my second stage tank. But it won't be rigged up until my DIR style line comes in. Going to rig up a Protec style DIR rigging. I used it in Mexico and it worked great very streamlined. My other will be setup with the Protec style bungee but with a sidemount style bungee top clip. I am going to dive both and see which I like better. Will post pictures after I get both rigged up.

share some photos of the Protec rigging. The last major rigging change I saw from those guys is Jaimes rigging that allows you to shorten and lengthen the bottom clip. Is that the one you mean?

 

[Manatee Diver]

share some photos of the Protec rigging. The last major rigging change I saw from those guys is Jaimes rigging that allows you to shorten and lengthen the bottom clip. Is that the one you mean?

Yep that is it, I liked how streamlined it pulled the bottle in without having to get the band height just perfect. And because I could clip in with the lead long it was easy to clip in.

 

[Manatee Diver]

And I just blinded myself testing the new light. This thing is seriously bright.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Spent the last few days doing a bunch of prep work for future dives. I rigged up two stage bottles with something resembling Protec style rigging one has the DIR style handle the other is more sidemount style.

I am going to dive both and see which one I like better.

I also bought and rigged up a couple of 120ft spools, so I have something for longer jumps. I don't like the normal way so I copied how the DR Cookie Spool is rigged.

Also rigged up a bungee mount for my heated vest remote. I couldn't get the velcro arm mount on it, so in the past I had a bolt snap and mounted it like a back up light. Now it will be arm mounted, and my other back up light is moved from a pouch I had it in, to where most people expect it. The pouch is now in my extraneous gear bin.

I am hoping that by March I will be diving dry, though I plan to keep my heated vest to have it on for taking the edge off a cold deco.

 

[rddvet]

Spent the last few days doing a bunch of prep work for future dives. I rigged up two stage bottles with something resembling Protec style rigging one has the DIR style handle the other is more sidemount style.

I am going to dive both and see which one I like better.

View attachment 633298

I also bought and rigged up a couple of 120ft spools, so I have something for longer jumps. I don't like the normal way so I copied how the DR Cookie Spool is rigged.

View attachment 633300
View attachment 633301

Also rigged up a bungee mount for my heated vest remote. I couldn't get the velcro arm mount on it, so in the past I had a bolt snap and mounted it like a back up light. Now it will be arm mounted, and my other back up light is moved from a pouch I had it in, to where most people expect it. The pouch is now in my extraneous gear bin.

I am hoping that by March I will be diving dry, though I plan to keep my heated vest to have it on for taking the edge off a cold deco.

View attachment 633302

On the stages, are you using the little metal piece that Jaime first used to make the bungee slide or are you just keeping the camband loose enough to allow it to slide? I can't really see from the photos.

This is the metal piece Jaime showed me he used about 2 years ago or so. Wasn't sure if they've moved away from it or not
DGX S/S D-Ring Holder

 

[rddvet]

Follow up. If you don't like the normal spool setup because sometimes it's a pain getting the end loop through the holes (a common minor annoyance), adding some marine grade shrink tubing to the end makes it alot easier

 

[Manatee Diver]

On the stages, are you using the little metal piece that Jaime first used to make the bungee slide or are you just keeping the camband loose enough to allow it to slide? I can't really see from the photos.

This is the metal piece Jaime showed me he used about 2 years ago or so. Wasn't sure if they've moved away from it or not
DGX S/S D-Ring Holder

I am using that exact D-ring holder, Jamie says he used 5/16" bungee through it but I couldn't get that to work for the life of me. So I doubled up 3/16" webbing.

 

[rddvet]

Cool. Wasn't sure if they changed it up.