I guess my first question to the OP is why is it important to you that DIR adhere to your standards? You are free to choose, and dive with, whatever equipment suits your goals and preference. I notice you have DIR Practitioner appellation under your user name. My question to you would be "why?"
Seems to me what this is really all about is you want to claim membership in the club, but without the bother of paying the club dues or observing the club rules. My advice would be go find a club that's more to your liking, and leave those DIR folks to do their own thing in their own way. Nobody's forcing you to do it their way.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I have to answer this even though it was a few posts back. A couple of others have covered it too but:
The DIR appellation under my name is site driven. I never asked nor wanted such a description. I would rather it say Warm water Diver. It used to say Single diver and my wife didn't like that either. Can't recall what it said before the site change over. Anyway I've never claimed to be DIR, nor do I wish to be. Nor did I suggest that the DIR should change their ways for me.
If I were to do fundies for instance I would dust off my old gear, make it compliant and attend. I would hope at the end of the course I could get the instructor if needed to view my rig to make and fine adjustments they might see as beneficial.
However I do understand that if you writing a standard (as I've written a few) you want to keep the deviation options to a minimum otherwise you get into too many permutations
I do belong to a "Club" as you call it. In fact its a physical BSAC club. but in the spirit of things we have PADI (me) BSAC, IANDT etc people wear wings, BCD's even a couple of re-breathers. No-one gives a hoot, it's not the equipment it's the diver. Perhaps it's an Expat mentality where everyone has been to that place for the first time too that makes people welcoming and non-judgmental and willing to mentor new commers. Its what diving is (or should be) all about in my opinion.
I understood all the technical diving arguments. That's fine. I don't consider myself a technical diver. I hold and Accelerated Deco cert and occasionally do extended deco dives but never go below 40m. Not interested, but I respect others that find that kind of diving to their tastes.
I still like to question. Yes I see peoples perceptions of plastic buckles. But if they were really damage intolerant surely 90% of the BCD's in use world wide wouldn't have them? Also a Plastic buckle isn't likely to fail underwater. If there is going ot be a failure i'll be on the surface kitting up etc. I'm positive most people here have fixed more serious issues with duct tape and cable ties.
I am disappointed that some use the argument about the comfort harnesses having too much buoyant material. While that may be true if you're cold water diving in a thick wetsuit or a drysuit. they forget that others dive in warm with little exposure protection and with steel tanks so like extra buoyancy - too often people just use experience at a justification for everyone.
I still maintain that you need to re-evaluate things. and ask. sometimes people and groups make decisions based upon preduces
I see that some people lust after carbon fiber wrapped Ali tanks (for Re-breathers) I can write you a detailed dissertation why that is wrong on so many levels. For instance sea water + Ali + Carbon = a battery. Thus electrolytic corrosion, or impact of saltwater of resins Or delamination of carbon fibre composites cause by moisture ingress but heck it's the new fangled thing and clearly one to be embraced. Funny how a tech dive would embrace that cluster but eschew the use of plastic components.
So the question of the OP wasn't why WONT DIR allow me to use my harness, but the reasons for them not being acceptable to many people
