DIR/GUE gear updates?

[guruboy]

GUE is more than just cave diving.

 

[KevinNM]

A little out of the context, but is GUE a little against side-mount diving ?, I don't see side-mount pictures in their website.

More less It's a tool you use when you need it. And when you need it you will already be an experienced cave diver who is confident enough and well enough connected to find someone who can train you in how to rig the gear and dive that rig to do the dives you need side mount gear for.

Quest had a multi-page article last issue on side mount exploration in Mexico and talked about difference between diving side mount in north Florida and Mexico. So it isn't ignored.

 

[Patoux01]

A little out of the context, but is GUE a little against side-mount diving ?, I don't see side-mount pictures in their website.

It's not from their website, but hey, I think it counts.

As others have stated, GUE is not actively promoting sidemount, doesn't mean they don't use it. However, I haven't yet seen pictures of GUE guys using a H Contour for their exploration, which I find rather odd, and kind of funny.

 

[Remy B.]

You are talking about mission specific tool, what is wrong in diving in open water, over back doubles

I'm trying to undertand the point of view on what you see as better over other systems


I started with single back mount like everyone else, then double back mount for the longer and deeper dives, and now I will not think in another thing than sidemount with double tanks or a little more, the easy of donning and taking it off in and out the water, mobility, carrying your gear from and too shore, easy of handling and storage flexibility.

Yes I actually have a bad back, you are more easy out of balance with a backmount vs a sidemount = axis and center of gravity, not good to have accidental wrong movement and very painful when you trip and manage to avoid the fall, I agree that it doesn't matter regarding weight as you carry almost the same killer joints weight, and safety wise I can do a way faster free flow valve shutdown, as well you can detect any small leaks as you have your regulators at easy sight, small little things but I see them as plus over the backmount setup.


For a rec shallow dive, I will go for a single no problem anytime.

 

[stuartv]

I started with single back mount like everyone else, then double back mount for the longer and deeper dives, and now I will not think in another thing than sidemount with double tanks or a little more, the easy of donning and taking it off in and out the water, mobility, carrying your gear from and too shore, easy of handling and storage flexibility.

I would rather carry my two 120s on my back using my BP/W just about anywhere, rather than carry two single 120s in my hands or even to make 2 trips carrying one at a time. When I go to do a boat dive, I attach my BP/W to my doubles while they're still in the back of the truck. Stand them up and put them on like a backpack. Walk across the parking lot, down the dock and onto the boat, go to my bench, sit down, and take them off. While carrying other stuff. Seems way easier than carrying 2 single tanks to the boat.

I've been out on boats in NC with a sidemount diver (a buddy of mine). Getting in didn't seem that much more difficult for him, but getting out was definitely more of a pain in the butt. I would definitely rather get out of the water in rough seas carrying my tanks on my back than try to hassle with taking tanks off in the water and somehow passing them to the boat crew. I've been out in seas where if it were any rougher we just would not have been allowed to dive. It was not that hard to get back on the boat with my doubles on. Imagining trying to get out with side mount tanks still attached sounds like a nightmare. On my back, out of the way, and not able to flop around at all seems way better - to me, of course. And especially if also carrying a deco bottle.

 

[Remy B.]

I did boat dives with me doubles and stage, didn't need to clip them off, to get on the boat, but never had been in rough waters for a dive, can't say it was easier, it was not as the ladders are narrow normally, but not of much to make me go back to backmount

That is one thing I'cant do well with back mount doubles to sit-down with that weight on my back, due to the pain, standing up not much of a problem.

but I see you point of view, have you tried sidemount ? the first two times you will feel that back mounts are better, but after getting around of the bugs it becomes easier, at least that was my perspective.

 

[stuartv]

but I see you point of view, have you tried sidemount ? the first two times you will feel that back mounts are better, but after getting around of the bugs it becomes easier, at least that was my perspective.

I have not. Yet. I want to. I can see the advantages in the water. And I could definitely see using them for shore dives or calmer water boat dives. But, watching my buddy, who is much more experienced than I am and well-experienced with side mount, made me feel like I would probably stick to back mount for ocean diving where there is any chance of rough seas (e.g. Outer Banks of NC).

 

[rjack321]

Because you are using a specialized cave diving tool which sacrifices the whole standardization benefit

 

[tbone1004]

i wouldn't go so far as to say it sacrifices the standardization benefit. Certain sidemount cliques are beginning to develop with fairly clear standardization between them. The Razor crowd is all fairly standardized, the Toddy crowd is all standardized, and most of Florida cave community is starting to settle down on one configuration. I wouldn't say it sacrifices standardization, just uses a different standard.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

I like the GUE JJ setup, but I'm a little biased