Reactions to Tech Gear

[jwelburn]

When you're shore diving everybody gets really curious and talkative as soon as you finish zipping up your drysuit and try to start gearing up to splash. Oh no, I looove standing around in my drysuit with doubles on my back just shooting the breeze, waiting to see how long before I start sweating like crazy and soak my undergarment... Sheesh! I swear they spend the whole setup time waiting for that moment to pounce. "Aha! The crazy guy just weighed himself down, he's finally weak enough to take down on my own!"

Now it really does pain me having to just give short answers as I try to run away (and try to be as polite as possible), because I really do like talking to people about the sport, and I try to be a good ambassador for it, but it just makes me want to scream!

 

[macado]

I feel like it's a lot better now especially with local New England charters and Caribbean destinations. I work on a dive boat so I'm no stranger to seeing doubles, rebreathers, sidemount and all sorts of gear. I know many people who have never taken a single technical class and dive doubles recreationally.

When I'm not teaching OW classes, I myself primarily dive doubles and nobody bats an eye or thinks anything different on every other charter boat in the area. I might get a little gentle prodding if we're only doing a 40ft dive.

I remember back in 2003-2004 (wow...so I guess 12 years already?) if I showed up in Mexico with my Backplate/Wing they might as well have thought they'd just seen an alien.. Mostly other customers on the boat had no idea why this guy from Boston was strapping a METAL plate to his back. I'm glad that's not the case anymore.

Certainly I feel that backplates/wings, drysuits are no longer considered just "technical gear."

 

[TN-Steve]

When you're shore diving everybody gets really curious and talkative as soon as you finish zipping up your drysuit and try to start gearing up to splash. Oh no, I looove standing around in my drysuit with doubles on my back just shooting the breeze, waiting to see how long before I start sweating like crazy and soak my undergarment... Sheesh! I swear they spend the whole setup time waiting for that moment to pounce. "Aha! The crazy guy just weighed himself down, he's finally weak enough to take down on my own!"

Now it really does pain me having to just give short answers as I try to run away (and try to be as polite as possible), because I really do like talking to people about the sport, and I try to be a good ambassador for it, but it just makes me want to scream!

That's one downside to diving dry. You really can't grab a water bottle and pour it down your neck to cool off.

RBS

 

[Phil_C]

Oh God :depressed: This is only some think i could only dream of.

You could go for the twin diver version as well - saves doing two pickups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtmdas3BSl4

P

 

[Mustard Dave]

You could go for the twin diver version as well - saves doing two pickups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtmdas3BSl4

P

I was on that boat last year - they never had us two-up on the lift, although if you saw most of our lot, you would understand why!

If anyone is ever in Orkney, I can thoroughly recommend diving from the Invincible. I notice Fiona's on the video serving up her excellent Scottish breakfast (she has to wake Ian up really early to go out and shoot the haggis) - the apres dive soup is fantastic too. The video misses the best part of the boat out - there's a pub below deck!

 

[DarinJ]

My son and I are definitely not 'tech' divers, but we both dive a Hog BPW with 7' long hose. On vacation in Playa del Carmen last November, the DM looked at us in our 'cave gear' and wanted to check that we knew what we were doing with it. He was only a little surprised when my son grabbed the hose, dropped his head & correctly offered his primary reg for sharing. Kudos to the DM for checking that we knew how to use the gear we were diving!

 

[Phil_C]

I was on that boat last year - they never had us two-up on the lift, although if you saw most of our lot, you would understand why!

If anyone is ever in Orkney, I can thoroughly recommend diving from the Invincible. I notice Fiona's on the video serving up her excellent Scottish breakfast (she has to wake Ian up really early to go out and shoot the haggis) - the apres dive soup is fantastic too. The video misses the best part of the boat out - there's a pub below deck!

Damn, the secrets out ! - ok they might have warm water, nice beaches etc. but we couldn't let the cousins across the pond having all the good bits

But we have the onboard pub! mind you might explain why they didn't have you two up on the lift.

P