How do you start?

[Carribeandiver]

Ok, I read the article defining DIR. I am not interested in cave diving, deep diving or any tech diving but I am very interested in streamlining my rig so I can move easier, breath easier and increase my bottom time.
Plus, although I like my jacket style BC, I can understand that it is bulky and has features I do not need and probably do not want. Things like pockets and the wrap around air bladder.
But, how do I figure out what type of BP/W to get? Please do not tell me to go to Halcyon or Dive Rite and look at the pretty pictures on the sites because that doesnt tell me much. My LDS never heard of DIR and has no idea what it is. They sell ScubaPro and Oceanic and no BP/W setups so asking them would be to no avail.
Ideally, I would like to touch, look up close and try on some BP/Ws so I have an idea of what I like and what type of BP I need (in terms of weight and metal type).
Also, I can just imagine the look on the guy's face at the LDS when I say I want a 7' hose for my primary second stage and a regular hose for my Octo second stage. And what about the inflator hose for the Wing? I do not suppose the BP/W setup comes with an inflator hose does it? Nah, I didnt think so.
Wow, this would be major. I now use an Air2 and integrated weights. I would have to get an Octo and dig out my weight belt OR hopefully the BP would mean I would not need weights. Or at least not much if any.
So how does one get started? How do I convert to a BP/W and get into DIR?
And lastly, where is this DIR course taught? Only GUE? And where is GUE?
Thanks for your help.

 

[dsteding]

The good news is there is lots of information here.

Regarding BP/W setups, you should first answer the question of what type of diving you are doing. Single tank? What is your exposure protection? Are you diving in the ocean or freshwater?

If the above is answered single tank and either a wetsuit or a drysuit in salt water, a wing with around 30 pounds of lift and a stainless plate will work fine. Lots of great manufacturers besides Halcyon and Dive Rite, DSS, Oxycheq, Golem Gear, Agir-Brokk, all make good setups. I'd suggest doing some reading on backplates and wings on this board to get a feel for things.

Regarding training, I'd hunt around for local DIR divers and hook up with them. Might be difficult given your location but I bet they are out there. I've found that a genuine expression of interest and a desire to learn goes a long way in motivating divers to mentor you.

GUE is located in Florida, and is the major agency teaching the DIR philosophy. Once again, lots to read here about that. GUE's website is a good place to start as well. Instructors do travel, so it may be possible to take a class locally eventhough an instructor is not local.

Regarding the hose, if you mean the corrugated hose, all wings come with them. If you mean the inflation hose from your first stage, most do. At least my Halcyon and DSS wings came with one.

Hope this helps.

 

[cmalinowski]

Ok, I read the article defining DIR. I am not interested in cave diving, deep diving or any tech diving but I am very interested in streamlining my rig so I can move easier, breath easier and increase my bottom time.
Plus, although I like my jacket style BC, I can understand that it is bulky and has features I do not need and probably do not want. Things like pockets and the wrap around air bladder.
But, how do I figure out what type of BP/W to get? Please do not tell me to go to Halcyon or Dive Rite and look at the pretty pictures on the sites because that doesnt tell me much. My LDS never heard of DIR and has no idea what it is. They sell ScubaPro and Oceanic and no BP/W setups so asking them would be to no avail.
Ideally, I would like to touch, look up close and try on some BP/Ws so I have an idea of what I like and what type of BP I need (in terms of weight and metal type).
Also, I can just imagine the look on the guy's face at the LDS when I say I want a 7' hose for my primary second stage and a regular hose for my Octo second stage. And what about the inflator hose for the Wing? I do not suppose the BP/W setup comes with an inflator hose does it? Nah, I didnt think so.
Wow, this would be major. I now use an Air2 and integrated weights. I would have to get an Octo and dig out my weight belt OR hopefully the BP would mean I would not need weights. Or at least not much if any.
So how does one get started? How do I convert to a BP/W and get into DIR?
And lastly, where is this DIR course taught? Only GUE? And where is GUE?
Thanks for your help.

Relax. Deep breaths. Don't sweat the details... yet This doesn't come quickly. Trust me.

When you first read about it and say to yourself "wow, this stuff is amazing. I want to do it" you also want to jump right in and get everything. Best bet is to read around, but more importantly try and find DIR divers in your area. Also, talk to a DIR instructor. They won't necessarily sell you. They will give you great information and help you out more than you think. People are happy to go into their LDS and ask questions but are afraid to ask a GUE instructor for information. These people are great.

PM me if you want more info on people. I like Bob Sherwood and Ed Hayes, but that's because I have taken classes with them so I am biased. Any of us folks are more than happy to discuss and pontificate on all things DIR... really.

Keep up the search. Don't get frustrated because you can't get all of the info all at once. And don't rush into getting the gear. All will come in time.

Later,
Chris

 

[TSandM]

You might try posting in the Deep South DIR forum to see if there is anybody near you following this philosophy (and who might have gear you could play with).

There are more BP/W threads in the Buoyancy Compensator forum than you could possibly read, talking about the perceived pros and cons of all the different brands and types of equipment, and the options for weighting and for pockets/storage.

If you tell us what type of diving you do, and what exposure protection you use, and what weight you currently dive with, we can give you a ballpark estimate of what you'll need with a BP/W (but every rig has to be dived and sorted out for the individual diver).

The entry level classes for DIR are GUE's Fundamentals and 5thD-X's Essentials. 5thD-X has only three instructors; GUE has about twenty or so in the US. Instructors do travel, if you can put together enough students for a class, but it might be cheaper for you to travel to where a class is held, given where you are. You might contact DIR Atlanta, and depending on your ability to travel, there is a shop in Florida advertising regular GUE classes here on Scubaboard.

Welcome to the dark side!

 

[Ben_ca]

Read the book

From the GUE website:
Doing It Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving
By Jarrod Jablonski

Fundamentals of DIRPrice: $24 for USPS delivery in the continental US; $32.00 USD for USPS delivery outside of the US.
Format: Paperback
176 Pages
Over 150 photographs
GUE; ISBN: 0-9713267-0-3

Order Now

The Fundamentals of Better Diving was written for anyone who wants to get the most out of their diving. From augmenting dive safety to increasing the enjoyment of your family's Caribbean diving trip or planning deep cave exploration, DIR diving is the new foundation for all diving practices. This book outlines not only the essential skills and techniques constituting sound diving practice but also the central elements of a holistic approach to diving.


Here's some more reading... look under learning center

http://www.5thd-x.com/index2.html

 

[divemaster_jim]

While I'm not completely DIR (working on some things) I would think Tobin is a good guy to pm about any questions you might have about BP/W set-ups.

 

[wunat]

One of the best source for information on DIR is certainly this board and that was where my route all started. Try to get in contact with a DIR certified diver in your area or in area near you and there are lots on this board. You may want to order the book as mentioned in the previous posts and read it. You will start to build up more knowledge within you with regards to the DIR approach whether it is the skills, attitudes, and equipment setup. If you are lucky, you would probably be able to try out some of the gears before actually having to invest into them for now.

Last but not least, plan to take the GUE-Fundamental course. Members on this board will certainly be more than happy to help you out with hooking up with an instructor in your region. The course is certainly one of the best investment in dive education I have made over the year.

Welcome and have fun!!!

 

[Carribeandiver]

You might try posting in the Deep South DIR forum to see if there is anybody near you following this philosophy (and who might have gear you could play with).
Thank you, I didnt know such a forum existed.
There are more BP/W threads in the Buoyancy Compensator forum than you could possibly read, talking about the perceived pros and cons of all the different brands and types of equipment, and the options for weighting and for pockets/storage.
Terrific because as of now I am pretty lost looking at the Halcyon, Dive Rite, Oxycheq and Golem Gear sites; although, Golem Gear has a complete DSS setup that sort of explains all that is needed for the BP/W with straps, D-Rings, etc.
If you tell us what type of diving you do, and what exposure protection you use, and what weight you currently dive with, we can give you a ballpark estimate of what you'll need with a BP/W (but every rig has to be dived and sorted out for the individual diver).
I normally wear a 1/2 mm or 1mm full wetsuit and only do recreational diving. I currently use 12 lbs lead. But, on occasion I wear a 3mm for winter diving and use the same 12 lbs, only then it is a tad light.
The entry level classes for DIR are GUE's Fundamentals and 5thD-X's Essentials. 5thD-X has only three instructors; GUE has about twenty or so in the US. Instructors do travel, if you can put together enough students for a class, but it might be cheaper for you to travel to where a class is held, given where you are. You might contact DIR Atlanta, and depending on your ability to travel, there is a shop in Florida advertising regular GUE classes here on Scubaboard.
I noticed on the GUE site that their are some instructors in Florida and the course is about 2-3 days. The problem is the site says that to take the course the student must have all the necessary gear. I just want to be a better, safer diver. I like the philosophy of being a better buddy and using gear that is less drag. Actually, those are the primary reason I would take the course and get the gear.
Welcome to the dark side!

Thank you, I guess.

 

[TSandM]

It's easy to question why you must have the prescribed equipment to take a GUE course. One would think that, since the essence of the course is skills, it would be perfectly reasonable to take the class in your existing gear, and decide, once you have had the exposure, whether you like the philosophy well enough to invest in new equipment.

But that is missing a big part of the message.

It's said again and again that DIR is a "holistic" system, meaning that it is likely that no part survives scrutiny in isolation from the rest, and there is enormous truth to this. For example, when you look at the equipment prescriptions, there are a number of underlying ideas for the requirements. First off, there is the idea that standardized equipment improves safety, because your buddies completely understand the configuration that you have, and can utilize any part of it if required in an emergency. Having had the experience of diving with a novice diver who was having serious problems and finding underwater that I could not at all understand the peculiar construction of his inflator, I tend to beleve in this. But deeper lies the idea that one begins as one means to go on. In other words, you may today be a diver whose highest aspiration is to do a more elegant and graceful and enjoyable job of diving 50 foot reefs, but tomorrow, who knows? You may, as I did, find the photographs of the Mexican caves and become obsessed with the idea of diving them. You may be seduced by the siren song of wreck diving, and realize you need a little more education to do the dives you want to do, where you want to do them. The DIR educational sequence ensures that, the day you conceive such aspirations, you are both equipped and prepared for the next step.

These views of the future may not seem compelling to you now. When I took Fundies, the instructor asked each of us why we were there, and I told him at that time that I had no technical ambitions, but simply aspired to be the best recreational diver I could be. A little more than a year later, I have a pact with my dive buddy to do the Cave 1 course in Mexico next spring. One simply doesn't know where one's diving will go, if the world really has no limits.

Borrow, rent or buy the gear, but take the class. When it's over, you will really know whether this is a path for you or not. You will lose very little, even if you have to resell some gear. At the very least, you will have the information you need to polish your diving skills to a much higher level. And it's always possible that the message will connect with you, and you will come out with a new level of joy and a new star to reach for in terms of what diving can be.

 

[Carribeandiver]

oh yea, one last thing. The Deep South DIR forum is closed to humble normal people like me. You DIR people are so stuck up you disallow interested non-DIR people from reading your posts? (just joking)