Just got addicted to tech
- Thread starter Katie K
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I for one find it odd that anyone has continued passed an intro to tech course without forming a solid opinion on gear selections let alone not owning your own kit. At this point you should be committed and have the knowledge to make an educated decision. This was one of the main reasons I asked her about her experience she had listed in her profile before she updated it. Doesn't add up based on my experiences. I'm not PADI however
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Of course we went over gear, bit it was in the Caribbean , But I live in the Pacific (cold water) and just wanted some suggestions on gear. my tech instructor told me he has no done any cold water tech diving and there for should seek the advice of outher that have for gear... and diving because of the difference..
Katie, I know it's a long trip from Port Alberni, but if you ever come down to the Seattle area, I'd be happy to show you the assortment of gear we have, and let you paddle around in several sorts of tanks (we have LP72s, LP85s, and HP100s) to see what suits you best.
If you are a tec instructor and only go over/ensure your students are setup within the minimum standard, then in my opinion you are doing your students a disservice.
Now that makes sense...a little of this info in your original post would have made that a lot more clear
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Personally, for cold water I prefer an AL backplate & steel tanks.
Agreed. Glad I'm not a TecRec Instructor.
PADI have decided to follow a 'hogarthian' model. They give you the standards for how the equipment should be set up. It doesn't leave much room for discussion. Which is little pointless. You're allowed to teach in side-mount configuration, but a deviation from what PADI lays down for a back-mount rig can get you reported technically???
vinegarbiscuit
Contributor
Katie, see if you can take TSandM up on her offer. I bet you'd really like shooting the breeze about diving and equipment selection, and seeing how cold-water divers are all tricked out. For example:
- If you were using double Al80S in the Caribbean, you can discuss the pros and cons of sticking with them vs switching to steel tanks and eliminating the need for V-weights or a weight belt. You can get all sorts of advice about a size that works well for your height and build (eg steel 120s aren't the most optimum choice for a slightly-built and petitie female diver!).
- Different tank selection and thicker, cold-water exposure protection will necessitate fresh weight-checks and perhaps a new wing. You'll see wings from Halcyon, Dive Rite, Oxycheq, Deep Sea Supply, Apex, HOG, and others. Some divers prefer a U-shape; others a 'donut' shape. Lift capacity will be determined by tank size (plus deco bottles?), other accoutrements (can lights, manifold etc) and exposure suit thickness.
- You can stickybeak at the various regulators favored by cold-water divers. A pair of environmentally-sealed diaphragm will best suit your needs, and divers have all sorts of preferences re: manufacturer. Some considerations are serviceability, price and hose-routing but there are certainly others.
- You may wish to invest in a dive light with more oomph, given the difference between Caribbean waters and the Pacific Northwest. Can lights are very popular, and you can listen to divers exchange the pros and cons of HID vs LED vs 10 W vs 21 W. You can also see first-hand people's favored methods for carrying and stowing lights on their harnesses.
- Not sure if you favor a drysuit, but if so, you may want to play with other types of fins to get your trim sorted out. Your current fin footpockets may be too small for drysuit boots, so if you can try before you buy, do it.
If you can't make it down to Puget Sound, I'm sure the techies in your nabe are willing and able to show you the ropes. Good luck!
- If you were using double Al80S in the Caribbean, you can discuss the pros and cons of sticking with them vs switching to steel tanks and eliminating the need for V-weights or a weight belt. You can get all sorts of advice about a size that works well for your height and build (eg steel 120s aren't the most optimum choice for a slightly-built and petitie female diver!).
- Different tank selection and thicker, cold-water exposure protection will necessitate fresh weight-checks and perhaps a new wing. You'll see wings from Halcyon, Dive Rite, Oxycheq, Deep Sea Supply, Apex, HOG, and others. Some divers prefer a U-shape; others a 'donut' shape. Lift capacity will be determined by tank size (plus deco bottles?), other accoutrements (can lights, manifold etc) and exposure suit thickness.
- You can stickybeak at the various regulators favored by cold-water divers. A pair of environmentally-sealed diaphragm will best suit your needs, and divers have all sorts of preferences re: manufacturer. Some considerations are serviceability, price and hose-routing but there are certainly others.
- You may wish to invest in a dive light with more oomph, given the difference between Caribbean waters and the Pacific Northwest. Can lights are very popular, and you can listen to divers exchange the pros and cons of HID vs LED vs 10 W vs 21 W. You can also see first-hand people's favored methods for carrying and stowing lights on their harnesses.
- Not sure if you favor a drysuit, but if so, you may want to play with other types of fins to get your trim sorted out. Your current fin footpockets may be too small for drysuit boots, so if you can try before you buy, do it.
If you can't make it down to Puget Sound, I'm sure the techies in your nabe are willing and able to show you the ropes. Good luck!
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