OMS why all the flames?

[Boogie711]

I can understand 'new divers' being roto-tillers. I was probably one myself. I think Mike Ferrara is right and that proper buoyancy control should be taught better, but thats' not my point.

By roto-tillers, I mean crap divers. Divers who have maybe 50 or 200 dives, but still bounce off the bottom, have crappy gear configurations with danglies all over the place, couldn't navigate their way out of a paper bag, and believe in having everything from an Air2 to a Spare Air or the "flexomatic newestpieceofcrap" dive option strapped to their BC.

THOSE are the ones who think they have experience to go solo diving, and don't. Those are the ones who will treat a pony bottle as an extended gas source, not the emergency reserve.

Your concerns about "H-valves" goes back to training. Sure, just as someone could have crappy connections on an H-valve, someone can have a crappy POS regulator on a half-filled Pony Bottle and consider that "safe." I sure don't.

I can't make excuses for poor training - I can only dive safely and refuse to dive with those poor excuses for a diver who might dive with an H-valve with no idea how it works.

 

[MikeS]

O-ring,

That's too funny, even before my first cup of coffee! I've moved your post to the "coke alert column."

oharag once bubbled...
I guess I have to separate the chaff from the BS.

oharag

I’m sorry that someone got the wheat before you got here and all you’re left with is the chaff and the BS to sort through.

But seriously, the lack of consensus on the best equipment configuration can be very frustrating to a new diver. DIR claims to have the “right” gear configuration yet most traditional instructors consider DIR to be a fanatical fringe movement. Most local dive shops claim to sell the “best” gear and disparage the brands they don’t sell. So how do you separate the preverbal wheat from the chaff (A.K.A. BS)?

If indeed you do “want to learn,” a frontal assault on DIR is not a good way to go about it. That’s only likely to ignite another DIR versus anti-DIR debate where logic and reasoning is replaced by emotion and rock throwing. Instead, I suggest you separate the individual gear configuration issues from their DIRness and examine them. You may find as I and others have the much of the equipment configuration embraced by DIR makes sense and incorporate them into your gear configuration.

Take for example the long hose with a bungeed backup. I found it to be the best possible way to share air; if there’s a better way I’m willing to listen. The long hose allows both divers to individually control their buoyancy while swimming either single file or side by side. This is a good thing when it’s desirable to surface at a specific point such as on the anchor line.

While cyber discussion has its place there is no substitute for trying it. Try it in the water! You’ll see that there is no way the hose can choke you and it allows you to swim horizontally as well as easily perform a safety stop without hanging onto the line. Try this simple test with both a long hose and traditional octopus. While sharing air swim a hundred yards horizontally and then surface with a reference line including a safety stop. That should be all it takes to convince you.

Mike

 

[oharag]

I apologize to all.

I will read up on DIR, as well as other philosophies in order to determine what I feel to be the best equipment/configuration I want to dive. It is hard to determine what is up or down for a newbie in this sport.

oharag

 

[Diver0001]

oharag once bubbled...
I apologize to all.

I will read up on DIR, as well as other philosophies in order to determine what I feel to be the best equipment/configuration I want to dive. It is hard to determine what is up or down for a newbie in this sport.

oharag

No need to apologize. Just be sure to listen to the ones who take you seriously and ignore the ones who use a newbie's obvious lack of expererience and/or knowledge as a soapbox for trying to look like the big man. The post(s) slagging you off were the real waste of bandwidth.

R..
P.S. "Up" is where the bubbles go.

R..

 

[nyresq]

why is every thread on this board that goes more than 2 pages doomed to become a DIR vs. non-DIR contest???

it was going good for a while then whammo!!! DIR rules vs. DIR sucks!!!... never fails...:upset:

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Karl_in_Calif once bubbled...
I have thought about high capacity wings, and the only real need I can come up with for them is by instructors or underwater salvage teams who carry large tool bags.

Other than that, I cannot see why anyone would ever need a wing with more than about 50 lbs of lift. Yet there are 100 lb wings on the market.

DOnt be so close minded... In fresh water, diving with heavy steel double cylinders, two deco bottles, a heavy canister light, I ABSOLUTELY NEED more than 50# of lift. I am perfectly comfortable with a 70# wing...

When I am Instructing, I use a 45# BC, but I probably only need a 30# bc. BTW, when carrying large tool bags, or something heavy, they are usually lowered down to a commercial diver. So, both of your points for using large lift BC's are not valid. However, you could not come up with ONE true use for a high capacity wing...





OK, now back to the OMS thing. I have owned a 100# double bladder bungeed wing. I didnt like the thing at all. It trapped air on me, it was very big, and I didnt need all that lift and redundancy, because I always dive dry with doubles. SO, got rid of it. I also owned an OMS SS BP and harness. I didnt like the harness, because of the quick release, and the fact that the dring was not adjustable on that side. Also, I owned two 46 cu ft deco bottles. Sold them because they are steel, and too heavy for deco bottles. I have two sets of OMS 112's doubles. I am getting rid of them because the paint doesnt seem to like to stay on the cylinders. Every year, I lose more of it. On the inside, they are nice an purdy, but outside, they have alot of Rustoleum sprayed on them.

So, at one time, I was a big OMS fan, obviously. I finally woke up and saw that there is better gear available.

What I have replaced my OMS stuff with is this: Dive Rite SS BP and hogarthian harness, DR classic wing, and Oxycheq 70# wing, aluminum 40 deco bottles, and soon to have PST E8-130's doubles.

I do have to say that the BP was nice.... LOL...

Everything else, I would NEVER buy again...

 

[sasdasdaf]

That was my point. OMS do make some decent items but most of their stuff is ridiculous crap.

 

[ElectricZombie]

I'm not a big fan of OMS for several reasons:

1. Poorly designed gear that does not work properly. They have a lot of products that are just plain junk.

2. They frequently change their minds regarding gear. Everyone else's gear ideas suck until OMS copies it.

3. "Anything goes/Do whatever you want" gear attitude. They release all these nonsense products just to boost sales, and could care less if they are actually needed or function properly. Anything goes with OMS. (Remember the "extenders" for the left, right and isolator knobs of a manifold? What were they thinking?)

4. OMS trashes it's competition. Their products don't stand up on their own so, they have to attempt to confuse consumers.

5. Copycat gear. Some of their new offerings look extremely familiar...

The OMS BPs and doubles bands are ok. The rest of their products, IMHO, are worthless. Still, I will not support them because they are a dishonest and unethical company.

If you like OMS, then by all means, buy their products. I'm just not a big supporter of them.

 

[VTernovski]

Actually, I usually have very good turnaround time with OMS orders. When I order it through Cal at VillageDivers (NY), the order comes in next day.. it's usually the Halcyon products that I have to wait for weeks.

Bob3 once bubbled...
My only complaint with OMS is that I sometimes worry of dying from old age before the order comes in. :tease:
Other'n that, remember when everybody was wearing shirts with the little alligators on the pocket? You weren't squat if ya didn't have an alligator...

 

[Norm]

IMO: OMS makes top quality equipment. I have big set of non-bungeed wings and love 'em. Their new reg is supposed to be top shelf.
Norm