Considering our own regs

[Neilwood]

This response post sums it up to my question perfectly.

Sorry to others in the community that I apparently asked a dumb question, but we are not super experienced divers, we just want to enjoy the sport the more we go, and want to learn about the best way to travel with our own gear.

The only dumb question is one that didn't get asked.

 

[Bob DBF]

My dad dives double steels, in a wetsuit, with no BCD, and no SPG. That's old school, too. That doesn't make it a good idea.

What doesn't make old school a good idea is diving gear that you are not trained / experienced in using properly. The same can be said about doing technical dives without the proper background, or diving at all.

Some newbie somewhere is too likely to feel like "old school" is synonymous with "best" - which it is decidedly not.

There are a lot of varying opinions, including yours, on the board that would dispel that opinion. The parts of old school like good watermanship skills, good buoyancy skills, and good emergency skills, are always a good idea. The fact that they were absolutely necessary when dealing with the primitive gear used then is easily overlooked by someone using today's gear and training.

As am I. There has been some talk of people having only one second stage and no alternate. Maybe a silly question, but who does that who was certified in the last 3 decades? Understandable in the days when everyone buddy breathed for OOA and maybe regs had only one second stage.

Divers that enjoy diving old school. There are also younger divers that get a kick out of it now, which I am glad to see.

With the first regs, both double and single hose, there was not a port to put another second stage on, even if one could afford it. That all came later.

age and primary, no way would I ever consider this. It was proven many years ago that buddy breathing was dangerous without a lot of practise (with a number of lives lost due to it) hence why it was removed from most (if not all) OW training. Far easier to hand of a reg to them and make a relatively calm ascent while you are both breathing as and when you want.

Although there were a small number of deaths from buddy breathing gone wrong, the big reasons for the change to a safe second was the relatively inexpensive cost of a second second stage, and the hysteria surrounding AIDS and its possible transmission during buddy breathing, in hindsight it may sound foolish, but it sold a lot of seconds. The narrative for using a safe second has changed over the years. At the time buddy breathing was taught, the few fatalities associated with buddy breathing came up as an example to learn properly and practice. I never heard of a BB fatality happening in my circle, but that's just one data point.

I mostly carry a second second stage because no one is taught buddy breathing any more as a matter of course, but have been known to dive with one second when solo, or when old school with a like minded diver.


Bob

 

[george_austin]

Well, that’s something I did not know - AIDS hysteria was a contributing factor in safe second sales and training.
A lot of the safe seconds I see nowadays are those cheap and horribly detuned plastic fantastic 100 dollar jobs from a couple major manufacturers.
Imagine having to breathe of that thing at 200 fsw in blackout vis . . .
I’d feel much more comfortable with a slightly detuned Conshelf or 109 or something and you can get those including the 1st stage for at the most 100.00 - rebuild kit for 20.00 and Bob’s yer Uncle

 

[stuartv]

There are a lot of varying opinions, including yours, on the board that would dispel that opinion. The parts of old school like good watermanship skills, good buoyancy skills, and good emergency skills, are always a good idea. The fact that they were absolutely necessary when dealing with the primitive gear used then is easily overlooked by someone using today's gear and training.

I didn't say that all "old school" concepts are bad. I said that "old school" is not SYNONYMOUS with "best". You can only speak for yourself, so tell me, do you think that "old school" is SYNONYMOUS with "best"?

If you do, we'll just have to agree to disagree and that is fine.

 

[Bob DBF]

I didn't say that all "old school" concepts are bad. I said that "old school" is not SYNONYMOUS with "best". You can only speak for yourself, so tell me, do you think that "old school" is SYNONYMOUS with "best"?

If you do, we'll just have to agree to disagree and that is fine.

I do not think "old school" is SYNONYMOUS with "best", however it is not an antonym either. Your warning to basic divers that old school is decidedly not best is reactionary to those on the other side and gives no new information to those who might be trying to form an opinion.

I'm good if you are, just another day on the interwebs.


Bob

 

[stuartv]

I do not think "old school" is SYNONYMOUS with "best", however it is not an antonym either. Your warning to basic divers that old school is decidedly not best is reactionary to those on the other side and gives no new information to those who might be trying to form an opinion.

I'm good if you are, just another day on the interwebs.


Bob

I did not say that old school is decidedly not best. I said it is decidedly not a synonym for best. We actually seem to be in agreement.

 

[60plus]

Hijacking this post a bit but my question is very similar topic - purchase regs. I am just at the stage I would like to buy regulator set and console and BCD. I have always been happy with hire regs sets despite one having a slightly short reg hose and the variability in effort to inhale. My own regs would be used for pool practice and some dives in the UK but probably not carried on holiday. I have unsuccessfully bid on some and watched others on Ebay. By the time postage is added and transport cost to and from a service shop I think I may as well buy new of a well known make that is used at hire / training shops and not too expensive. Bearing in mind I do not intend to use them for a lot of diving or spend much time deeper than 20m is there anything I might find unsatisfactory about the cheaper regs, do any of these ever suffer from what I think is called wet reg, or could there be freezing problems in water down to 10 or 12 degree C. Any advice / comments welcome.

 

[Centrals]

Hijacking this post a bit but my question is very similar topic - purchase regs. I am just at the stage I would like to buy regulator set and console and BCD. I have always been happy with hire regs sets despite one having a slightly short reg hose and the variability in effort to inhale. My own regs would be used for pool practice and some dives in the UK but probably not carried on holiday. I have unsuccessfully bid on some and watched others on Ebay. By the time postage is added and transport cost to and from a service shop I think I may as well buy new of a well known make that is used at hire / training shops and not too expensive. Bearing in mind I do not intend to use them for a lot of diving or spend much time deeper than 20m is there anything I might find unsatisfactory about the cheaper regs, do any of these ever suffer from what I think is called wet reg, or could there be freezing problems in water down to 10 or 12 degree C. Any advice / comments welcome.

Buy a set of cheapo made in Blackburn. eg, US4 + ATX40
However, 10C is marginally considered to be cold water so DS4 might be better.
In UK you only buy Apeks.

 

[tbone1004]

^what he said

 

[60plus]

I eventually bought Aqualung core regs and an Aqualung Axiom BCD. Got a very good package price. Dealer was happy to sell me either Aqualung or Apeks. I have used Aqualung regs (hire) twice before and liked them. I have not dived in the BCD yet but like its fit and feel. I had a slight preference for the Cressi gravity drop weight system but I find Axiom easier to find dump pulls on and easier to use the pockets.