Some X Dry
Contributor
Here's my experience with this...
In my open water class, gear rental was free. You got a jacket BC, regs, and AL80, set it up, and hit the pool. None of the 14-or-so students (yes, it was a big class, no need to go off topic on that...) questioned it. Well except for me.
The diving bug bit me hard. I finished my OW texts within 2 weeks of starting the 4-week class and, being a central Florida gal and wanting to be a better diver, started in on "Doing it Right: The Fundamentals of Better Diving". Whoa, apparently there's another way to skin this cat...
So, sufficiently brainwashed (I kid, I kid), show up to my next class early with a backplate and harness I picked up on Craigslist for super cheap (no wing) and ask my instructor if he could explain to me how it all goes together. He's pretty accepting and, to my surprise, lets me borrow a wing he has lying around.
Then he asks, "You wanna try a steel tank?"
"Sure!"
"Wait, that's a DIN. You need a different reg. You wanna try this one?" (hands me a $1500 Titanium Atomic reg)...
"Uh, yeah, sure!" It was like Christmas!
I hit the pool all decked out and remember descending and immediately being "thrown" into a horizontal position and thinking "Oh, THAT'S what they mean by TRIM!" And I never went back.
I was very grateful to have an accommodating instructor who didn't mind my being the oddball in the class. He had much the same attitude as most instructors who have commented. It's a BCD, it's not rocket science. (Or neuroscience ) He dove one, so he was plenty familiar. No big deal for him... but great experience for me.
Everyone, Please meet my Beautiful GF who this thread was written about. Did not expect, although not surprised, she posted. And no you can't have her she is my dive buddy... Unless of course she want's to dive with you. :cool2: