*Floater*
Contributor
This question is for people who have taken DIRF and/or other GUE courses, but don't always DIR. I'm just curious where you've decided to deviate from DIR practices or would prefer to and why?
As for myself, I consider DIR to be more or less an ideal way to dive (based on what I know), but too restrictive sometimes, so that's when I deviate. i.e. sometimes I use air because on really shallow dives I just don't think it matters, or even on deeper dives I sometimes use it for financial reasons or because standard gases aren't available. Sometimes I dive solo or with "strokes" when DIR buddies aren't available. Sometime I use independent doubles when manifolded doubles aren't available, and so forth. Not that I would recommend or defend any of those practices.
I also prefer 2 loops and a double-ender on the light head rather than one loop at the back and one permanently attached boltsnap on the handle because using the former method I have more possibilities and can attach the light closer to the d-ring (using the same double-ender end on both the loop and d-ring), or I can take it off so it's not dangling there on the light head when it's not needed.
And when I was cave diving in Mexico I used a 7mm wetsuit, which I think was a better choice than my drysuit. Maybe if I had a custom cut trilam I'd feel different, but even then it just don't see the point of using a drysuit instead of wetsuit unless you need it for warmth or backup buoyancy. (When I took DIRF drysuits were recommended over 7mm wetsuits).
I also like my wrist slate because it's faster to access than the wetnotes and doesn't need holding like the notes do, though I realize the left forearm can get a little crowded when using one of those.
As for myself, I consider DIR to be more or less an ideal way to dive (based on what I know), but too restrictive sometimes, so that's when I deviate. i.e. sometimes I use air because on really shallow dives I just don't think it matters, or even on deeper dives I sometimes use it for financial reasons or because standard gases aren't available. Sometimes I dive solo or with "strokes" when DIR buddies aren't available. Sometime I use independent doubles when manifolded doubles aren't available, and so forth. Not that I would recommend or defend any of those practices.
I also prefer 2 loops and a double-ender on the light head rather than one loop at the back and one permanently attached boltsnap on the handle because using the former method I have more possibilities and can attach the light closer to the d-ring (using the same double-ender end on both the loop and d-ring), or I can take it off so it's not dangling there on the light head when it's not needed.
And when I was cave diving in Mexico I used a 7mm wetsuit, which I think was a better choice than my drysuit. Maybe if I had a custom cut trilam I'd feel different, but even then it just don't see the point of using a drysuit instead of wetsuit unless you need it for warmth or backup buoyancy. (When I took DIRF drysuits were recommended over 7mm wetsuits).
I also like my wrist slate because it's faster to access than the wetnotes and doesn't need holding like the notes do, though I realize the left forearm can get a little crowded when using one of those.
