Why DIR doesn't work for me?
Because it's not required for most of the diving I do.
Most diving is OW boat diving, mostly in the 15 to 35 m range, shore diving in the 10m range.
I don't want to have to lug a set of doubles onto the boat, or across the rocks. I don't need the redundancy for most diving as I don't believe there is a gear failure mode which would leave me with not enough air to do a safe ascent from 35 m. (no required deco, and I can accept the risk of blowing off a safety stop in the event of a serious problem). I can freedive to 10 to 15m, and have done single breath ascents from 20+m, so I am comfortable I would not drown even if OOA at 30m.
I prefer my BC with a drysuit inflator to having a hose flapping around - and its' trim is pretty good with my super steel 100 tank.
I wear a 7mm wetsuit, and dive with steel tank as it decreases to total weight I need to carry, and puts that weight where I want it for trim.
I mostly multilevel dive, and stay at various depths dependant upon what there is to see. I'd find a depth based plan too restrictive, so I use a computer.
I will solo dive, as the most dangerous things I ever see underwater are other divers. (but I MUCH prefer to dive with one of my regular buddies)
I like my quattro's and tape the straps.
I actually don't even see the need for an Octo if diving with one of my normal buddies. I can breath of a freeflowing reg, and I can happily buddy breath to the surface, including stops - and have done so. But Octo's are a requirement of the boats I dive on.
I have used independant doubles, and believe they are safe enough if you manage the gas use, and have less failure points than a manifold. (however I will be setting up with an ISO manifold for my own doubles, as I think this is an easier solution to manage in general.)
I'll dive to 50m on air, as long as I have redundant air supplies and an equally competant buddy. The complexity of getting mix is not worth the benefit it brings (I am also not trained on Mix, however a number of the guys I know who will also do this dive on air are certified gas blenders with access to a filling station). Yes I experience narcosis, and yes I will call a dive if I feel it is effecting me to the extent that it's unsafe. But I'll still go back and do the same dive the next day if I feel comfortable.
Now ignoring all the above
I am moving to Cavern sinkhole training and diving, and will configure in a hogarthian fashion for this - and will use the same rig for deeper OW dives. I'll still keep my computer (buddies as backup), Quattros, and may even continue to dive wet with double steel tanks (but dual wings).
I'll be using my rec rig for rec dives though.
Mike
