Is gear standardization necessary?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hello everyone: It seems like different Tec agencies have different attitudes towards gear standardization. Some agencies dictate how many d-rings should you have and where you should clip what. It seems like they have already made decisions for you and things have been decided down to such minute levels that personal preference has been totally eliminated in favor of standardized configuration for the whole team. Other agencies allow more room for customization acknowledging that each individual may be different in terms of how they may want to configure. I just wanted to know from high end tec guys where do you stand on this issue? Is extreme gear/ configuration standardization necessary for safe team oriented tec diving?

Thanks -

 

[CptTightPants21]

Hello everyone: It seems like different Tec agencies have different attitudes towards gear standardization. Some agencies dictate how many d-rings should you have and where you should clip what. It seems like they have already made decisions for you and things have been decided down to such minute levels that personal preference has been totally eliminated in favor of standardized configuration for the whole team. Other agencies allow more room for customization acknowledging that each individual may be different in terms of how they may want to configure. I just wanted to know from high end tec guys where do you stand on this issue? Is extreme gear/ configuration standardization necessary for safe team oriented tec diving?


Thanks -

Short answer, No

Long answer: You need a very basic base line of configuration that most agencies use, apart from that dive how you want to dive.

Slightly longer answer, you are essentially creating a debate about GUE and other tech agencies, so google the pro's and con's of GUE and see what others say.

 

[tbone1004]

for team diving, a high level of standardization is not required but very helpful. The number of d-rings is because you don't need any more, though some will put one on the right hand side instead of a second buckle.

If you're diving in a true team situation, the standardization makes sense, you are relying on your buddy for a lot of things and it is much easier if everyone has the same gear in the same spot. there is some room for personalization, but all of the big items are all standardized. This gear configuration has been perfected over many years so there is a good reason for everything that they do. Some of the things go a bit too far in my opinion, but if you want to dive with that type of system, those are the rules.

It seems to me that most tech divers I know and dive with, "Do What Works", and dive in a "same ocean" principle where you are solo diving with the same dive plan as someone else. It is a loose "team" where you are there to help make things easier if something goes wrong, but you are never relying on any team member. in that case there is no need for standardization but most teem seem to have "close enough" type gear. Not much you can do in a tech configuration can stray so far from the solid base configuration that in an emergency it's the difference between life and death because you have something in the wrong location, or have added something.

Notice though, that most configurations are only slight variations on a theme, very little are a radical change from the Hogarthian rig.
In backmount, here are my differences.
I butt mount my canister, so I have a right side d-ring. For cave diving I drop my deco bottles, but they start off on the right hand side, need the ring for that. In the ocean when I'm carrying them, I don't dive with a 7' hose, I have a 40" hose coming up under my right arm, so it doesn't harm deployment.
My computer is on my left forearm with a wrist slate. I do this so I can look at my computer while I am writing things on the slate.
My compass is on a slate because I hate wrist compasses
My SPG is either run down with my inflator hose along the corrugated hose for streamlining, or clips up to my left shoulder, but prefer down the corrugated hose. Personal preference, it's a line trap, I don't care.
I use swivels on both my primary and secondary, it's an extra failure point, but it's a huge comfort advantage for me so it's worth it
I use rechargeable batteries in my backup lights
I sometimes dive independent doubles

None of these will kill me, most will get me yelled at by the team diving crowd, but it is what works for me and my dive team is OK with it, but if you notice, it isn't much of a deviation from the standard equipment configuration. In sidemount it is every man for himself, so I'll help cut you out of something, and I'll offer to share air for convenience sake instead of feathering the valves, but the rigs require personalization, and we are still trying to come up with a somewhat standardized configuration.

 

[TSandM]

I'm not a high end tech diver, but have over 100 cave dives, does that count?

Standardization isn't necessary. I have dived on mixed teams with sidemount divers, for example. But standardization is USEFUL. Not only does it make it very easy for me to glance at my buddy and spot anything that isn't as it ought to be, it makes it extremely easy to travel and source gear at your destination. It's extremely easy for my buddy to help me sort out any issues, since he knows where everything should be and how they should be arranged.

Not necessary, but very useful.

 

[tomfcrist]

I find standardization very useful on more complex dives, but still not really necessary.
The only things I think really need to be standardized in a dive team for most dives is gas mixes, hose location/routing and deco/stage marking. If you want to have 39 D rings on your harness, how will that affect me as your teammate? I don't see how it matters one bit.

 

[PfcAJ]

Extremely important, especially if you're going to be somewhere remote or where you and a team of people have a lot invested in a series of dives.

I can show up literally anywhere in the world and seamlessly integrate with other people who choose to dive the same way and with the same gear. it also simplifies procedures. Everyone has their stuff in the same spot configured the same way. No surprises.

Furthermore, repairs or replacements are super easy because it's all the same. The only custom-for-me things are the drysuit and my harness, and in a pinch I can adjust someone else's harness if need be. Heck, I can even borrow a suit from someone similarly sized if I have to without issues as we all put our suit accessories in the same place. Easy.

For the type of diving i do, I think the standardization of gear, gases, procedure, and protocols is what makes it successful. Everyone from the bottom to the top is on the same page and there's a lot of strength in that.

 

[NAM001]

Captain Sinbad.

This topic has been covered over and over again. I my self have been on both sides of the argument. I don't agree that standardizing is an ABSOLUTE neccissity.
I view the configuration as a means of achieving the necessary issues required for ANY diving. Ideas such as ,,, take only what you need, maximize your chances of survival on a dive, minimize the risk of failure, ect are the important issues to be standard to any dive. If I were in my pool,,,, do I need 2+ flashlights? If I did would it hamper the dive? Standards for the pool is not the proper standards of a deep dive. The reverse though not an issue of improper stqndards, would probably be considered more excessive. I view the DIR approach as a method of preparing for the worse situation and being able to get to the surface with ho health consequence. This normally can not be as easily accomplished in the solo diving environment. You just cant carry enough stuff. So the team concept becomes a vital component. One should make no mistake in thought because with every dive there are odds being played. You have a failure and your buddy's/teams resources come to your aide. As I have voiced many times in discussions of OW diving to 130 ft their training to use CESA as a LAST resort for dives to 60 ft probably is not a sutable plan b at 130 ft. Associated with that and that dives beyond the OW level often involve deep, over head, poor vis environments ect. It becomes more and more important that your buddy be able to assist you. You knowing each others gear in usage and location becomes much easier when gear is common between divers. Not that everyone should use hog regs but the hose configurations should be the same. Face it,, if you can fix your problem in the dark you can probably fix your buddies. Time is critical and familiarization minimizes that time to initiate corrective action. Hence you have long hose primary and you don't use AIR2 devices. Many have over the years developed, tested, and proved the effectiveness of the standard configurations in a variety of dive types. whether it be a shallow lake or a deep cave dive. Unlike many configurations that are not able to transition from one dive type to another. the Hogarthian rig and DIR configs / processes are good just about anywhere, whether they are overkill for that dive or not. The physical configuration is not as important as the safety reasons behind it. Probably no better example is that of trim and buoyancy and its control as it is associated with use of BPW's vs. other types of jackets ect. Not only is the BPW the key to trim it is also the foundation of the configurations that are built around it. For instance someone or perhaps you asked about D rings. If you have 10 drings on your rig you will probably try to use them all. That's ok till you have a problem and all that stuff hinders your recovery efforts,,,, or worse yet is the cause of your problem.

 

[eelnoraa]

..... It seems like they have already made decisions for you and things have been decided down to such minute levels that personal preference has been totally eliminated in favor of standardized configuration for the whole team. Other agencies allow more room for customization acknowledging that each individual may be different in terms of how they may want to configure. I just wanted to know from high end tec guys where do you stand on this issue? Is extreme gear/ configuration standardization necessary for safe team oriented tec diving?

Thanks -

I think before you go further into misunderstanding, you should talk to someone who is really a GUE/UTD divers or instructors instead of trusting internet. There are standardization, more so than other agencies, that is true. But it is no where near the way you described it. You will actually find they are surprisingly flexility. Things need to be standardized are usually team recources and handling procedure of events. Once these are fulfilled, smaller details are quite fliexible IMO.

Back to the original question. Is it a must? I don't think so. But if it does give benefit at almost zero cost, I don't see why not

 

[Ouvea]

In the end it's up to you to decide which configuration you prefer. I don't have any cross training from multiple agencies in the realm of technical diving. I've chosen GUE and I follow the guidelines set forth by the agency. Mind you, I don't follow it blindly because it's written in the book. I see value in the configuration, and at least to me, it makes perfect sense to configure our gear in this manner (I kept my transmitter and adjustable straps for a year, after clearing Fundamentals, so I really didn't like the Kool-aid, when I first tried it). The standardization of equipment configuration and procedures removes ambiguity. We know where a certain piece of equipment is going to be located on our team member. When we encounter a specific scenario, we know the expected reaction of each team member.

By standardization, we mean the basic equipment configuration and its setup. Standardization does not mean the entire team is using identical brand and model of each specific component. This is not feasible as you have to account for physiological differences and budgetary constraints.

 

[karstdvr]

Can people dive without standardization, yes, has been done for years and will continue to do so. The upside to standardization is emergency procedures don't need modification because everyone has the same configurations etc. Hence, if you plan to dive with out standardization then you and your buddy need to be familiar with each other's rig, and more than a casual conversation,but some real in water drills.