Tek Gear Checklist

[boulderjohn]

As for training, Should I continue down the normal path of Rescue, Master Diver, Dive Master then get into the tech training, or get into tech classes first?

Get you Rescue Diver for sure.

After that, decide what you want to do. The only reason to do dive master is to get involved as a professional. If you have no interest in that, then there is no point in getting that certification. If you want to go into tech, it can be the next step after Rescue.

As for Master Scuba Diver, it is nice to have if you have taken 5 worthwhile specialty classes, and I actually ran into a situation this year in which one of my students was required to have it for a project he wanted to do. Other than that, it isn't necessary. I am an instructor who teaches a large number of specialties, a cave diver, and a technical instructor, but I don't have (or qualify for) Master Scuba Diver certification.

 

[TigerDiver8]

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate all this info. I am going to sign up for rescue after I purchase my new reg (hopefully in a couple weeks).

 

[eelnoraa]

In California water, I am suprised no one mention drysuit yet. It is almost crucial for tech diving. Before buying expansive canister light or OLED computer, drysuit will make the most different in your rec diving in west coast water

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Two people mentioned drysuits. But if he's moving to Hawaii soon, he may not want to bother yet... I did my last 200'+ dive in dive shorts and a lava core shirt, and even with 50+ minutes of drifting deco, I wasn't overly cold.

Boulder is right on the money about the importance of gaining additional training/experience, and if money is forcing you to choose between buying high end gear now and getting training (or just going out and doing more advanced diving with a mentor) now, his approach has merit. OTOH, I prefer the approach of buying once and not needing to spend twice to upgrade/learn new gear later. Yes, in a year or two or three (how slowly do you think people progress??) there may be a better computer or can light on the market; down the road I may really want to take a course with an instructor who has a hardon for BT/tables only.

But I won't need to upgrade my Petrel or LM 50W HID in either situation, and in the mean time I'll have been getting to dive with great gear. Buy once, cry once, then dive it until it falls apart.

 

[pensacolaracer]

If you are moving to Hawaii in 2014, you ought to join my meetup group. I think it's listed in my sig line. If not, it's www.meetup.com/stroke

I usually try to do at least one deep tech dive a week on my boat.

The infamous Dr. Lecter even comes out from time to time with me.

Our deep dives are usually anywhere from 150 to 225. But be warned, Trimix is expensive out here and I blend my own. It's still better than being wasted at 190 feet on air. Lecter may disagree, but I've got a photo of him pretty wonky that I can post if he raises too much hell about it.

Don't worry about the dry suit yet if coming out here. You won't need it... Maybe in jan and feb, but you came spend your money on more useful items for diving out here.

Can I assume you are in the Navy?


Sent from 115 FSW.

 

[DevonDiver]

I am going to disagree with Dr. Lecter on a couple of points, and maybe more.

So am I

Computer: I suggest anything that is wrist mounted and can be put into gauge mode--cheapie-weapie is fine. Almost all early tech classes, including mine, will have you working without a computer, using either a bottom timer or a computer in gauge mode. After that, a lot depends upon the instructor and the agency you go with. Some agencies will NEVER want you using a computer for your diving, so spending money on an expensive trimix computer will be a big waste of money. Others will be happy to have you use a computer once you have gotten past the initial training and will recommend one for you. You won't be diving trimix for a long time. By the time you are ready to do so (and if you are doing it with an agency that allows computers), you will find new and wonderful versions that are not now on the market--and they will be cheaper.

Agreed. You can tech dive for decades without needing a dedicated technical computer (or two). Most training courses insist on gauge mode and tables - there is training value in that. Beyond training, it is a personal decision - but one that may be influenced by the team you choose to dive with. It's better to do the training and discover the preferences of your local tech community/team before making any decision.

Likewise, it's not necessarily prudent to 'pre-invest' in computer technology. If you buy with the future in mind, then you will probably find that far better (or more cheap) options have become available by the time you actually need that equipment.

Canister Light: canister lights are expensive, and I don't think you should get one now unless you can use one now. Their prices are dropping rapidly. I got a new and very powerful light this winter that is all I need in caves. It retails for about $1,200. A couple of years ago, a light of that power and battery burn time would have cost well over $2,000. If you want a basic can light for now, get one you can afford now and wait for the big one until you need it.

In many cases, canister lights are nothing more than fashion accessories for technical divers. There is simply no need. General, open water, technical diving inherited many concepts from cave diving practices. The canister light seems to be one of them... and it shouldn't be.

I see open-water technical divers turn up with uber-grand, top-of-the-range, $3000+ canister lights to do dives in crystal clear 40m+ viz. Why???

An open-water tech diver doesn't need 8-12 hours burn time. Quite often, they don't even need a light at all... this will depend greatly on where you dive and the conditions you encounter. A canister light isn't the only solution though..

LED technology is increasing at a very rapid pace. A simple, good quality, LED hand torch in a soft goodman is more than adequate for most open-water diving.

Take what you need.... intelligent equipment configuration.

---------- Post added August 2nd, 2013 at 01:14 PM ----------

As for training, Should I continue down the normal path of Rescue,...

Rescue is a prerequisite for anything beyond initial entry-level tech training, so it's definitely worth having from a course-access perspective.

It's also definitely worth having from a general safe diving perspective...

Master Diver, Dive Master then get into the tech training, or get into tech classes first?

That depends entirely on your personal goals.

Neither MasterScubaDiver nor Divemaster are essential steps towards technical diving. You'll develop more technical diving skill by doing technical diving.

Master Scuba Diver is nothing more than a 'recognition'. Do that if the card appeals to you. It doesn't do much in practical skill terms.

Divemaster will improve your dive leadership, problem solving and situational awareness. Those are good foundations to take onto a technical diving course. In my experience, however, many divemaster courses don't succeed in producing excellent quality diving skills (these aren't a goal for the course). What you need prior to technical training is excellent quality diving skills...

Technical training will (should!) provide those excellent diving skills, along with situational awareness, problem solving etc etc. In virtually every case, I'd rank a new technical diver as having far better diving skills than a new divemaster...

 

[PfcAJ]

The light is for communication more so than looking at stuff in OW. If the water is clear and the sun is high, you need an HID in order to be seen. Some LEDs are close, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Light socks/ soft goodmans don't stack up to a metal handled light in the long run. Scooter buoyancy adjustments, stage switches, SMB deployment, bottle rotations, valve manipulation, etc are all done with the light in the opposite hand or clipped off, which is all complicated by a soft handle. Plus, you WILL eventually drop your light, and having that darn thing attached to a cord sure does come in handy when the bottom is hundreds of feet away or made of feathery mush.

Tech diving is expensive. So is the gear, and the training. If you can't swallow that pill, this isn't the activity for you. Naturally, you don't need a $3000 dollar light (which light is $3k, btw?), but you're going to have to drop some change on it. Think in the $1000 neighborhood.

 

[DevonDiver]

The light is for communication more so than looking at stuff in OW. If the water is clear and the sun is high, you need an HID in order to be seen. Some LEDs are close, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Other than GUE, is there any agency that specifies light communication as essential for open-water technical diving?

If the water is so bright and clear that anything other than a $2000 HID light fails to be seen... why insist on light communication? Hand communication and situational awareness are more than sufficient. In fact, developing them (to the exclusion of light communication) could easily be considered a very positive outcome.

Scooter buoyancy adjustments, stage switches, SMB deployment, bottle rotations, valve manipulation, etc are all done with the light in the opposite hand or clipped off,...

Why so? Because the power cord on a canister light interferes with those skills. Lose the canister light (and power cord) and they are all easily achievable without swapping the torch from hand-to-hand.

Plus, you WILL eventually drop your light, and having that darn thing attached to a cord sure does come in handy when the bottom is hundreds of feet away or made of feathery mush.

I mostly use LED lights on a home-made soft goodman. Those lights have a bolt-snap. When mounted in the goodman, the bolt-snap clips to the bungee mount of my computer/compass etc. Alternatively, I can make a simple 'bungee bracelet' that the bolt-snap attaches to. Instant security that costs dimes, not thousands of dollars...

Tech diving is expensive. So is the gear, and the training. If you can't swallow that pill, this isn't the activity for you. Naturally, you don't need a $3000 dollar light (which light is $3k, btw?), but you're going to have to drop some change on it. Think in the $1000 neighborhood.

Yes, technical diving is expensive. That doesn't preclude intelligent financial decisions however. For many (most) open-water technical divers, $1000 could be far better spent than on canister lights...

As I said, be wary of 'fashion statements'... the quality and effectiveness of a configuration isn't defined by a dollar tag...

 

[PfcAJ]

Other than GUE, is there any agency that specifies light communication as essential for open-water technical diving?

I think UTD does, and I think NAUI does too (I did my initial cave training with NAUI). I wouldn't train with an organization that thinks otherwise.

the water is so bright and clear that anything other than a $2000 HID light fails to be seen... why insist on light communication? Hand communication and situational awareness are more than sufficient. In fact, developing them (to the exclusion of light communication) could easily be considered a very positive outcome.

I dive to see stuff, not stare at my buddy's hands all day. A quick flash of the light is an easy attention grabber, allows divers to keep track of each other while not having to constantly look back every few seconds. Passive communication and all that. Its neat, try it. Not to mention, if you actually have a problem, waiting for your buddy to notice is the wrong answer. Use the light to holler at them. its your voice underwater. Proactive vs reactive and all that

so? Because the power cord on a canister light interferes with those skills. Lose the canister light (and power cord) and they are all easily achievable without swapping the torch from hand-to-hand.

Once again, negative. A gas switch with a light in your hand is possible (I've done it), but it makes for a disco show. Reaching back to dumb your wing blinds the guy behind you. Sending an SMB up with a light on your hand is asking for the line to snag and is also a disco show. Its not the cord thats the problem, its the shiny thing thats attached to the cord.


I mostly use LED lights on a home-made soft goodman. Those lights have a bolt-snap. When mounted in the goodman, the bolt-snap clips to the bungee mount of my computer/compass etc. Alternatively, I can make a simple 'bungee bracelet' that the bolt-snap attaches to. Instant security that costs dimes, not thousands of dollars...[/QUOTE]

, technical diving is expensive. That doesn't preclude intelligent financial decisions however. For many (most) open-water technical divers, $1000 could be far better spent than on canister lights...

As I said, be wary of 'fashion statements'... the quality and effectiveness of a configuration isn't defined by a dollar tag...

Its not about fashion, its about a solution that provides the most benefit. I value communicating with my buddies. A can light scales from deep to wreck to cave, and all those skills are mastered with the light. No 're-learning' needed.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

It be warned, Trimix is expensive out here and I blend my own. It's still better than being wasted at 190 feet on air. Lecter may disagree, but I've got a photo of him pretty wonky that I can post if he raises too much hell about it.

lol Post away--I was just checking out the stern holds after being the only one to go into the forward compartments. It does look like I'm about to execute a particularly infamous maneuver, though.