BP/Wing equipment list: about to purchase

[tombiowami]

I had a similar experience with Halcyon gear in a local shop. I went to Extreme Exposure, they are a local shop to Florida, but do a booming internet business, and have answers to your questions.

They also will satisfy your concern about a pig in a poke. All of their gear you can buy, use for 30 days, and return if you do not like it for full refund. Yes, you can use it all you want, they do back this up. No questions asked.

I was very happy buying the whole rig from them as those little things that can add up (like tank bands or the MC Pak) come with it. It is also preconfigured. I dive with those guys that have commented earlier and they can't dive for...

ha ha just kidding, great guys, and any of us will help you get it going, much easier in person by someone who has been there. I was kind of flying blind for a while. We just took the DIR Fund class so can give you some fitting tips, which make a lot of difference.

By the way, not promoting EE over the LDS in general, I would and did get the stuff without trying it also, but one dive and I knew I would not be sending it back.

Are you just interested in the Halcyon bp/wings or the whole dir kit and kaboodle?

We may have the beginnings of a dir tech wannabee club going.
electriczombie who lives down here in NC is looking at the dir stuff also. I have been diving about a year and have 65 dives or so. I think Eric and Ken are about the same.



Tommy

 

[O-ring]

We have been meeting at Mango Mike's in Alexandria the last couple months...not sure how that works for you, but its on Duke street right near 395. The meetings are usually pretty small (8-12 divers) and there is always a "class" type thing so we all don't just get in there and have idle chit chat (that comes afterwards).

 

[O-ring]

I dive with those guys that have commented earlier and they can't dive for...

You can't fall into this trap...this Tombiowami guy is a real first-class stroke and will have you running bungee through your backplate instead of webbing, dragging your octo on a 12' hose, and solo diving with a rebreather. And this ElectricZombie character...well, let's just say he almost drowned until I showed him that he was trying to breathe off the exhaust tee instead of the mouthpiece.

All kidding aside, we actually do have the makings of a group and could do meetings during dive trips or at Rawlings or something once a month if we want. Too far to meet you NC boys all the time, but we could form two splinter groups and work it that way (bad example, but like VB Tech and Nova Tech did).

 

[DaveO]

Hi, Tommy-
Thanks for the tip about Extreme Exposure: the 30-day guarantee does take some of the edge off that decision.

The bp/wing idea appeals to me for a couple reasons: the BCs I've rented always seem to ride up around my ears, for instance, and since I'm very tall and very thin (I'm not skinny, I'm aerodynamic) I get the sense that I'm in-between typical BC sizes, so a crotch strap and adjustable webbing makes sense. I also like the idea of having control over the gear- I remember feeling like a walking hardware store on my first dives. Even with gear secured, stuff was dangling everywhere, and whose idea was all these pockets?

The DIR philosophy also resonates with me: preparing for a dive is a continuous process of learning and maintaining physical fitness, not just ticking items off the checklist on the night before the dive. From what I've heard and read I'd like to evolve toward full-bore DIR, or at least choose the ideas that make sense for me.

Dave O