New UTD rig, thoughts?

[rjack321]

I would like to test one out someday!

Actually I wouldn't mind either, but I am probably less dogmatic than most.

I doubt I would spend money on one or encourage anyone to actually buy one since as Blackwood points out, its basically scalable to sidemount wings not conventional doubles wings.

 

[liuk3]

I don't think that any agency or instructor except UTD claims the DIR moniker anymore since the term is archaic and diluted these days in its meaning. So technically Andrew can call whatever he wants DIR/UTD as he does in the video for his new BC. I'm sure that UTD will be able to adequately incorporate the new wing into their training protocols. However, I think that you'd probably get some funny looks if you walked into a GUE Fundamentals class with one of these wings. LOL.

On the other hand, I do have to give props to UTD for trying to develop new types of gear in an industry which is slow to change. I may not be an adopter of their practices, but I can keep an open enough mind to objectively see what they have to offer and see if it makes sense for my diving. If I can make a mis-sized crappy rental jacket BC work for me, I'm sure I'm versatile enough to make this work for me if I had no other choice of BC to use. I just can't really comment on the build quality of their gear as I do not have any first hand experience with it, nor do I know anyone with any long term experience with any UTD equipment. Reliability is pretty important to me in terms of gear I purchase, and with no history it's tough for me to assess quality. I'd actually be interested in hearing if anyone (not affiliated with UTD) has bought and used any of their equipment at all.

Edit: Another more specific question is does anyone know who makes these BCs for UTD and what is their history with manufacturing BCs?

 

[BB1]

Is it just me or does this look like its a couple of pockets and some shoulder padding away from being a jacket BCD with a plate in it??

Are we going full circle here??

 

[LiteHedded]

Is it just me or does this look like its a couple of pockets and some shoulder padding away from being a jacket BCD with a plate in it??

Are we going full circle here??

what you mean 'we', white man??

"we" ain't going anywhere lol

 

[BB1]

"We" as in evolution of dive gear.

I ain't going anywhere either!

 

[Slamfire]

I have no DIR training whatsoever, but I like to think of my inflator as a third source of breathing air in case I need it. Sometimes I'll just breath of the inflator for a few mins if I am bored and nobody is watching me too closely . AG showed that you could orally inflate this, but I still have to wonder, how comfortable is it going to be twisting your head and craning your neck for 5 or 10 mins of breathing...

Maybe this question is really not that relevant with all the team diving and team members all with long hoses available. Still I just thought I would ask it.

 

[cfenton]

Aw, common guys you know you want to try one.

 

[Slamfire]

Gotta confess. I do.

 

[stakanak]

I do I do!

 

[Ragnar]

I don't think that any agency or instructor except UTD claims the DIR moniker anymore since the term is archaic and diluted these days in its meaning.

Maybe not, but many people here do and associate it almost exclusively with Halcyon. Some people would buy a turd if it had a blue H on it.