DIR- Generic Learning Doubles (in Wetsuit?)

[knuhol]

The only technical difference is how to attach the BCD to the tank. But this is a not-issue if you have a backpack + wing...

I started diving D12 when I had 38 dives (because I wanted to have more gas supply for 30 meters wreck dives) and had much more questions, such:
- What hoses go to the right and the left post and why?
- Does hose routing matter? What are options here and which of them are better and why?
- Where do I put my weight pockets (lol)?
- How do I put the package on me?
- How do I transport the set to a filling station?

Yeah, all of these questions look super stupid when you know the stuff and it comes automatic for you, but it is not like that for new divers. Plus you don't know what you don't know, so best to ask somebody who has the experience than just putting them on your back and going diving. If you don't have twinset divers around you, primer is probably a good idea.

True, but skills are 100% harder in a trilaminate drysuit.

I don't have a personal experience with diving wet suit, but I expect I would perform much worse in it simply because I was never diving it. It all comes to what equipment you are used to I would say. Here around Baltic sea is completely normal doing even PADI OW classes in a dry suit, nobody teaches wet suit diving because water is below 10 degrees in 10 meters even during summer. If you dive dry suit from your day one and have zero experience with diving wet suit, it will most probably be the opposite. I think my trim in a wet suit for example would be a way worse compared to a dry suit, the same about ascends and so on.

 

[ginti]

I don't have a personal experience with diving wet suit, but I expect I would perform much worse in it simply because I was never diving it.

I expect you to perform in a wet suit at least as well as in a dry suit. There are just less things to manage, that's it, and this simplicity makes everything easier. Indeed, I have never seen (or heard of) a person performing worse in a wet suit than in a dry suit. That said, never say never, maybe you will find it more difficult...

 

[knuhol]

I expect you to perform in a wet suit at least as well as in a dry suit

I don't have any experience with that, but I would expect these problems on my very first wet suit dive (with doubles):
- Slightly head heavy at the beginning of the dive when tanks are full without an option to compensate for it by suit; worse trim
- More gas in wing compared to distribution between dry suit and wing; more wing dumping on ascends, less smooth arrival to stops
- Problems to keep my knees up in a proper trim without some gas in my feet

I am sure all of this is possible to resolve, but it will take some time to adapt.

Out of curiosity: where do you store backup mask, wet notes, SMB, spools and so on when diving wet suit?

 

[crofrog]

Out of curiosity: where do you store backup mask, wet notes, SMB, spools and so on when diving wet suit?

In pockets glued to the wet suit.

 

[flymolo]

I expect you to perform in a wet suit at least as well as in a dry suit. There are just less things to manage, that's it, and this simplicity makes everything easier. Indeed, I have never seen (or heard of) a person performing worse in a wet suit than in a dry suit. That said, never say never, maybe you will find it more difficult...

Although you may find it difficult to stop instinctively trying to add gas to your wetsuit

 

[Adobo]

I don't have any experience with that, but I would expect these problems on my very first wet suit dive (with doubles):
- Slightly head heavy at the beginning of the dive when tanks are full without an option to compensate for it by suit; worse trim
- More gas in wing compared to distribution between dry suit and wing; more wing dumping on ascends, less smooth arrival to stops
- Problems to keep my knees up in a proper trim without some gas in my feet

I am sure all of this is possible to resolve, but it will take some time to adapt.

Out of curiosity: where do you store backup mask, wet notes, SMB, spools and so on when diving wet suit?

There is probably some truth to some of what you are saying but I think its not going to be as big a deal as you think.

Anytime you change configuration, it takes a dive or two to figure out if things need get adjusted so you can get proper weighting and trim. You will be diving tanks / exposure protection combo that is new to you so there is no way to say for sure how much weight you will need and where you will need to place it. Only getting in the water will tell you that.

That said, once you get dialed in, it is far simpler managing buoyancy in wetsuit than in a drysuit as you only have one bubble to manage instead of two.

Side note: I have't read the thread but presumably you are using tanks that are appropriate. You don't want to be diving tanks that you cannot swim up should you have a wing failure.

 

[Tracy]

Although you may find it difficult to stop instinctively trying to add gas to your wetsuit

This isn't near as hard as the constant raising of your left arm every time you ascend.

 

[ginti]

I don't have any experience with that, but I would expect these problems on my very first wet suit dive (with doubles):
- Slightly head heavy at the beginning of the dive when tanks are full without an option to compensate for it by suit; worse trim
- More gas in wing compared to distribution between dry suit and wing; more wing dumping on ascends, less smooth arrival to stops
- Problems to keep my knees up in a proper trim without some gas in my feet

I am sure all of this is possible to resolve, but it will take some time to adapt.

All of that is absolutely true. But, on the experience of every person I have ever met (including those who learned dry suit first), these things are not a big deal at all.

Out of curiosity: where do you store backup mask, wet notes, SMB, spools and so on when diving wet suit?

Option 1: glue one or two pockets to the suit
Option 2: buy some tech-shorts (never tried, but I would consider this option before the others)
Option 3: you don't bring them with you or you clip them to a D-ring (bad in my opinion)

 

[Angelo Farina]

I started diving D12 when I had 38 dives (because I wanted to have more gas supply for 30 meters wreck dives) and had much more questions, such:
- What hoses go to the right and the left post and why?
- Does hose routing matter? What are options here and which of them are better and why?
- Where do I put my weight pockets (lol)?
- How do I put the package on me?
- How do I transport the set to a filling station?

Yeah, all of these questions look super stupid when you know the stuff and it comes automatic for you, but it is not like that for new divers. Plus you don't know what you don't know, so best to ask somebody who has the experience than just putting them on your back and going diving. If you don't have twinset divers around you, primer is probably a good idea.



I don't have a personal experience with diving wet suit, but I expect I would perform much worse in it simply because I was never diving it. It all comes to what equipment you are used to I would say. Here around Baltic sea is completely normal doing even PADI OW classes in a dry suit, nobody teaches wet suit diving because water is below 10 degrees in 10 meters even during summer. If you dive dry suit from your day one and have zero experience with diving wet suit, it will most probably be the opposite. I think my trim in a wet suit for example would be a way worse compared to a dry suit, the same about ascends and so on.

D12 is a BIG twin tank. I never used one, that's too heavy for me.
I was referring to switching from a standard single tank (which here in the mediterranean is a 15 liters steel with double posts) to a compact twin tank with the same or smaller capacity, such as a 7+7 liters.Two separate first stages and hose routing remain exactly the same as with the 15-liters single.
The package is more compact, more streamlined and the center of gravity is closer to your body.
If you did use already a back pack with the single, the switch to a twin set is really simple.
The situation is much different if you start with the typical Padi rec setup: jacket, a single AL80 with single post, so a single first stage.
And if you switch to a much bigger twin tank, as you did.
In this case it is a big step, and you need to be properly trained and accustomed to the new setup.

 

[ginti]

Two separate first stages and hose routing remain exactly the same as with the 15-liters single.

The routing doesn't necessarily remais the same. Nowadays, most people dive singles with only one first stage. With doubles you have (almost always?) Two first stages. But how much time and effort does one need to get used to it? I'd say 30seconds, but it's just me.

And if you switch to a much bigger twin tank, as you did.
In this case it is a big step, and you need to be properly trained and accustomed to the new setup.

I still see this "big step" far smaller than the switch from wet to dry. Again, just personal...