Minimalist versus "Train as you Fight" . . . Which way do you go?

[Jax]

For those of you that carry less gear on the easier dives -- do you or have you ever found yourself reaching for something and it not be there?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

For those of you that carry less gear on the easier dives -- do you or have you ever found yourself reaching for something and it not be there?

Only my drysuit inflater valve.
(when I'm diving in warm water while wearing a 3mm wetsuit)

 

[diveprof]

Jax, thanks for asking such a great question. I think that the responses say a lot about the diver and how the diver views and relates to the environment as well as degree of rigidity vs. flexibility in thinking.
It is hard to argue with the Army's viewpoint when speaking of equipment training and doctrine (well maybe, some do). It works, even if overkill at times. The Army appoach is a "one size fits all" approach. Diving is not a combat. Recreational diving is a sport whose incidence of injuries is low compaired to many sports. Therefore, I believe that there is room for variation.
However, I do appreciate that the more technically challenging the dive, the more standardization is important.
All said - I don't drink the Koolaid (only 1 right way thinking). I believe that there is room for variation. For my diving, there are basics that remain stable such as how I set up my reg, though I do switch out regs; I dive BP/w though the wing size may change; and there are certain things I carry on every dive - lights (number and type varies), compass, two computers, same dive tool, same fins, different suits. Things tend to be in the same place as well. However, I think I fall more to the minimalist side of the spectrum unless diving with new divers or students. My recreational warm water set-up is very minimal. It is an Oxy 18lb wing, SS travel plate, deluxe harness, medium weight pockets that holds up to 5 pounds as I always wear at least my 4/3 wetsuit, DR pull dump inflator hose with Air 2. Still I use the same dive knife in the same spot, same fins, carry lights the same way and use the same mask.

 

[wilson23]

i dont even wear my swim trunks if i dont have to.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

i dont even wear my swim trunks if i dont have to.

I don't like anything dangling, besides the chafing from the crotch strap would not be pleasant

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

I seem to take a different approach. Once every three months or so, I go to the local quarry for skills practice. On those dives, I empty the kit bag and clip everything on.

On fun dives, I just take what is needed for the dive (e.g. recreational dives are with only one computer, and also are without stages/ ponies or can lights). Items that always come along are the obvious plus a SMB, knife and torch.

 

[Insta-Gator]

no swim suit?

 

[diveprof]

For those of you that carry less gear on the easier dives -- do you or have you ever found yourself reaching for something and it not be there?

Not really, I dive my basic two set-ups frequently enough that it is not an issue. Things are still in about the same place even if the number/type of them change. I will say that the freedom of my minimalist set-up is absolutely worth the trade off of wearing the same thing every dive every dive. However, for the diver that dives only 30 or so dives a year, the repetition of diving the same set-up each dive may make more sense.

 

[SDAnderson]

The Army has a saying, "Train as you will fight." It means that you always have the gear with you, you train in that gear, and do all tasks from simple to complicated in that gear. It becomes second-nature to have it, work in it, and use it in all environments.

The Army may train you to fight your gear but don't think that means all soldiers are trained in the same gear or to fight the same way. To the extent that the Army does not make a lot of changes to a soldiers gear or training, it's because they have found it's more effective/less costly to swap individuals instead.

1. Don't take it if you don't need it.
2. If it's critical, take two.
3. Understand that the system performs as an integrated whole.
4. Don't vary the system unless you know what you're doing and why.
5. Experimenting is the only way forward but it's also one of the best ways to pew the scrooch.
6. Before you use a new system in the real world, train with it until you are better than comfortable with it.

 

[Brendon]

Reading some recent threads, there seem to some interesting view about "how complicated one's rig should be", or not.

The Army has a saying, "Train as you will fight." It means that you always have the gear with you, you train in that gear, and do all tasks from simple to complicated in that gear. It becomes second-nature to have it, work in it, and use it in all environments.

There are others who change gear for every environment. They set up different for Caribbean, Atlantic SoFl, lake diving, cave diving, ice diving (idjits), and pool diving. They have more or less lights, different light, more or less or different cutting tools, with and without SMB, with and without spare mask, more or less or different spools -- and all stored in different places depending on the dive.

So -

Do you reconfigure your kit for dives?

Customize for every dive? or

Do you have a couple of different kits that you stick to?

To answer your question, yes I do train as I will fight. I was in the army, I have heard this before though differently. Train as you are going to fight and train in those conditions you will be fighting in. GI's are not Universal Soldiers and do not carry everything for every environment. So when the environment changes, we trade out gear and retrain and train again and again and again... The "basics" of my gear does not change whether I'm in 20' or 200' of water, night or day, cave or cavern, current no current. My truck carries my stock pile. I may change fins, add 1 light, change wet or drysuit, add or subtract weight, may add pony, etc... I have trained with all of my gear in just about any configuration that makes sense. So I am trained to dive in all conditions I dive currently,if that changes I will train again, and again, and again. I do however have 2 rigs setup differently 1 for work and 1 for pleasure. I always carry only what I need, my needs always include a back-up plan.

Great Thread Jax!