Tek Gear Checklist

[TigerDiver8]

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.

No I am not in the navy, I research Humpback Whales, and will be moving out when i graduate this coming spring to Maui.

 

[JohnN]

The OP would be much better off getting a 3x C cell backup light at this stage, rather than dropping $1000+ on a can light

An SMB and a fingerspool, some spring straps, wet notes & a bottom timer would be other cost-effective and useful items to add to his existing collection. A sew-on pocket or some tech shorts would be handy too, if he intends to continue diving wet

Converting to long-hose early would be beneficial

Let's not forget the training costs - no point having "all the gear and no idea"

Expensive items like a dry suit and can light can come later if and when required

I would hardly ever describe myself as a can light expert, but I'm the proud owner of one of Andrewy's travel lights. Uses Cree XL T6 LED, "only" a 4 hour burn time (hardly much of a limitation for recreational diving), 1000 lumens and a nice tight beam. I can verify it is well made and damn bright.

Whole deal was <$230.

 

[TSandM]

Canister lights work beautifully in caves. They work beautifully in deep water that has reduced light. They are a safety factor, in my opinion, in significantly reduced viz.

Having done a couple of trips to the Red Sea where we did technical dives, I will say that they are less useful when the water is totally lightstruck. The beam can't be seen the way it is in the dark, or in murky water, so the lights are less useful for passive communication. You can't see the spot on your hands or your scooter, the way you can in lower light, so to get your buddy's attention, you have to get the light to flash into his mask, which can be difficult if he's wearing a black skirted mask.

However, I'll still take one into clear water most of the time. It's better to have that possibility of gaining attention, than it is to require that one's buddy check every ten or fifteen seconds . . . When the "situational awareness" of my buddy results in me having little possibility of taking a photograph, or peering into a hold, then my enjoyment of the dive has been reduced.

Getting one's buddy's attention in very clear water filled with sunlight is not trivial, which is why buddy teams should stay CLOSER together in those conditions than they do in darker water, as counterintuitive as that seems.

 

[fisheater]

They're also great for communicating in shallow, low vis water, too.

I agree that they not very useful communication devices in bright, clear tropic water, but the brighter the sun, the deeper the shadows and the harder to see the critters down on the reef crevices. Can lights work great for that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[DevonDiver]

The 'if' is the problem, champ.

Absolutely - nail hit on head.

Which I consider a factor that can be addressed through training, protocol and practice. Hating to use the old DB cliché, but could 'passive light communication' have become "an equipment solution to a skills problem", for some divers?

I don't debate it's role in overhead, or even dark water, diving. But can it's use in entry-intermediate level open water tech diving be detrimental to the development of a better standard of situational awareness?

 

[LiteHedded]

What is this fantasy land tech dive where each diver in a team can see each other diver at all times?

equally fantastical is the hid light that can be seen at noon on a sunny day in clear water