To backplate or not to backplate

[tombiowami]

I am also a fairly new diver and have read with interest the DIR ideas and gear configuration in general. (we have to do something when not in the water, eh?)

One thing I like about the DIR configs is that there is a diver related reason or fact behind any of their choices. You can agree/disgree, but those arguments are diving related.

On the other hand, what drives the mass BC market is marketing and money. Many, if not most of the "innovations" are for selling more BCs, not creating longer lasting or better ones. Halcyon is a DIR-oriented company but they still sell non DIR stuff as they have to make $ also. One of the real problems any manufactuer of products that are very good is that people do not need to buy them over and over. So they need to come up with new stuff. Some times this is good stuff, some times not so good.

Tommy

 

[detroit diver]

"One thing I like about the DIR configs is that there is a diver related reason or fact behind any of their choices. You can agree/disgree, but those arguments are diving related."

I think you hit the nail on the head here. Most other manufacturers have a different agenda altogether. Obviously, their marketing works very well, but I don't think it benefits the diver in the long run.

In the short time that I have been following the DIR configs, I have seen a huge amount of new interest in this equipment configuration. At some point in time, there will be a threshold reached, and the big manufacturers will take notice. Then you will see pink wings and lavendar harness straps common place! (That does go together, doesnt it?).

 

[large_diver]

One thing to note about the long hose configuration...a snorkel is a pain the the a$$ if you are using a long hose.

I switched to a 7 foot hose about 10 dives ago (I still wear a jacket BC). At the time I switched I ditched the snorkel. This weekend I brought along my snorkel on 2 shore dives because I knew they would involve long surface swims. On almost every dive I practice switching to my necklaced back-up and deploying the long hose primary for air sharing and then re-routing the pimary hose. I have to admit I was having trouble re-routing the long hose primary...the snorkle kept getting in the way despite multiple attempts.

I suppose one piece of advice for long surface swims is to swim on your back....high winds and larger than average waves made this sub-optimal.

 

[tombiowami]

One other item from above I saw....

I think in days gone by the different setup would be harder to "rescue" but nowadays it seems every manufacturer has a different weight setup or octo setup, etc. In doing my rescue dive training I found it pretty hard to figure out the weight setup, and that was in training, in an actual situation it would that much harder.

As far as the long hose and OOAs, that is what first caught my eye on the DIR stuff at all, that really makes sense, having a longer hose, and donating, forcibly or not, the one in your mouth. Then reaching down and grabbing your backup. How many OOA divers are going to look you over and figure out which brand of Octo2 you have, or which nifty Octo holder you have, or if you have one...

As far as Halcyon was concerned and my dealings with them, the salesman was very clear that the acb weight system was not DIR, but they offer it because lots of people want it. His recommendation, and the DIR way, was........

ta-da

the humble weight belt. Now where does the simplicity of rescue take hold? (I know there is some debate as to whether or not it should be over or under the BC webbing. And they don't go for that much in ditchable weight anyway.

I ordered the ACB to try and will send it back if I do not like it. How many LDS will let you do that? Even if I send the whole unit back, I am only out the shipping charges. I could not get any LDS shop to loan me equipment for a month like that.


A couple weeks ago I was diving with my wife and her BC starting leaking a lot, it took a bit but noticed the dump valve actually extended down to where the octo was and had become wedged in. The whole dump cord itself was probably 8 inches long and hard to see as it was a similar color to the BC.

Tommy

 

[detroit diver]

I ditched the snorkel long ago, but do realize that it has some uses for long surface swims.

I saw a couple of different ways people solved this-

1. a fold up snorkel that would fit in a leg pocket or other pocket.

2. 2 bungees on the lower part of the left shoulder harness. The snorkel would be stowed similar to the way I stow my backup light on the right harness.

3. Not DIR-strapped to your leg or arm.

I think I like the second option best, although I've never tried it.

 

[large_diver]

Good suggestions. One other idea that just came to mind would be to bungee it to the dive flag ;-)

 

[Lost Yooper]

The hardest thing I've found about giving up a snorkel, is having revert back to using one while working on the dive master cert.

Snorkels suck.

Mike

 

[Liquid]

First of all, congratulations Mnlake, for your purchase. You bought a damn good piece of equipment, and I hope it will serve you greatly for years to come. For a man of your size it really might be a very good solution.

Tombi,
Let's talk a bit about manufacturers and what is the concept behind their products, in this case BC/BP.
The most important features, today in BC, I belive, are two:

-Look good. A thing that looks good, if it really is good, will sell good, probobly better than something of the same level that dosen't look as good.

-Abity to serve to lousiest most un-coordinated person (remeber my message about the PADI concept?) in a safe way.

Making money is the essence of every commercial company, be it Mares, Scuba Pro, Halcyon or even DIR/GUE. All of these have the purpose of making money. Saying about manufacturers, that they aim at making money, as if it is a bad thing is a somewhat distorted point of view. Chasing money, and rounding edges for it, though, is a different issue (that's why I regard PADI the way I, and I belive a lot of others here do).

A lot of gimmiks and dude ads that are completly useless are added today to equipment, that's true. Take the HUB for example. Seems like a stupid concept to experienced divers, but for new divers it may make life a bit easier (and I am refering mostly to the new lousy divers). Does it worth the money it costs?
That's for everyone to decide for himself.