Equipment for DIR-F - what do I need and what can I beg/borrow/rent?

[jonnythan]

Every (both) GUE instructor I have talked to wants you to buy their gear, starting with a backplate, harness, and STA. Every person I have watched go this route has done so. I was not aware that any stores carry rental gear for DIRF for the backplate, wing, harness, or STA.

Most divers already have their own regulators, so the issue becomes buying a long hose as well. Normally you will be talked into a 5 ft hose, and no one will mention that down the road you will need a 7 ft hose as well or instead.

Should you want to proceed beyond DIRF,
...
Technical gear, to nontechnical divers. My view.

Progressing beyond DIRF is going into technical diving. Period.

The poster asked about what gear he needs for DIRF, and you responded with gear you later clarified as needed to go "beyond" DIRF. Then you slammed it all as a marketing ploy to sell technical dive gear to... well, to divers taking technical training

Very diplomatic, but your attempts at concealing your original mistake fall quite short. Going on to say that a GUE instructor told you that DIRF requires double 104s and a drysuit was blatant.

 

[boomx5]

Every (both) GUE instructor I have talked to wants you to buy their gear, starting with a backplate, harness, and STA. Every person I have watched go this route has done so. I was not aware that any stores carry rental gear for DIRF for the backplate, wing, harness, or STA.

I would call in to question whether you talked to a real GUE instructor or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you a liar and I'm not being confrontational. It's just that I have been through several GUE classes and I know several GUE instructors and the info you are talking about is inaccurate at best.

 

[detroit diver]

You couldn't be MORE wrong.

1. You can dive anyone's BP or wing, as long as it fits the requirements of GUE. I dive a FredT aluminum BP on my doubles rig, and a Halcyon SS BP on my singles rig.

2.You can dive a 5 foot or 7 foot hose. Depends on your size. We're talking Fundamentals here. You won't be "talked into" anything. I like the 7 foot hose because it lays better on my frame. A smaller person might prefer the 5 footer. We're not cave diving here.

3. Drysuit w/ pee valve? That's a new one. Good idea, but not required. If you want to pee in your suit, I don't think the instructor could care less (unless he was standing next to you when you took off your drysuit!). I can't imagine ANY DIR instructor telling you this about any class.

4. There is no "tank of choice". Do you make this stuff up, or just spit out parts of what you read on the internet? Your tank depends on the type of dive that you are doing, and the exposure wear that you will have on.

You're entitled to your own view, but unfortunately it is so far off that it is meaningless. You obviously have NEVER taken the Fundamentals class. Instead of giving worthless information to someone that requires some assistance, why don't you just not respond? Or just say "I hate GUE and DIR"? It would be more honest.

Every (both) GUE instructor I have talked to wants you to buy their gear, starting with a backplate, harness, and STA. Every person I have watched go this route has done so. I was not aware that any stores carry rental gear for DIRF for the backplate, wing, harness, or STA.

Most divers already have their own regulators, so the issue becomes buying a long hose as well. Normally you will be talked into a 5 ft hose, and no one will mention that down the road you will need a 7 ft hose as well or instead.

Should you want to proceed beyond DIRF, you will need a drysuit, with a pee valve. A drysuit without a pee valve is not DIR, unless you are female, correct me if I am wrong.

The tank of choice is the single 104, correct me if I am wrong.

Pretty soon, you will have totally re-geared, if you go down this route. Renting, in the meantime, is maybe possible in some places, but not very conducive, if you want to continue down this route.

That is the long version. I apologize for the shorthand, the first time around.

Do I see it as primarily driven by gear sales? Since the technical overhead market is not large enough, apparently, to sustain 3 major gear manufacturers, yes, it does seem to me that bringing these protocols to recreational diving is, indeed, an major marketing attempt to sell gear. Technical gear, to nontechnical divers. My view. As Chickdiver would say, Am I not entitled to my own view?

 

[Boogie711]

I would call in to question whether you talked to a real GUE instructor or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you a liar and I'm not being confrontational. It's just that I have been through several GUE classes and I know several GUE instructors and the info you are talking about is inaccurate at best.

You're a lot nicer than he deserves.

Indigo Blue - I'll say it again - I don't know why you do it or what goes on in your head, but you are serving up steaming loads of crap. Tank of choice is a single 104????? NEED a P-valve???? Just WHERE exactly are you getting this from? Name sources, because I'm POSITIVE you won't be able to do it.

I don't know what sort of trauma you've had in your life towards GUE but you've been hugely misled. And what's worse, is now you're misleading others.

I'm just shaking my head over here.

 

[IndigoBlue]

You obviously have NEVER taken the Fundamentals class. Instead of giving worthless information to someone that requires some assistance, why don't you just not respond? Or just say "I hate GUE and DIR"? It would be more honest.

Actually I do not hate GUE nor Halcyon.

I believe they are an appropriate training agency and gear choice, if the student-to-be has access to 1) a local instructor, and 2) a local dive group that follows this protocol, and 3) is willing and can afford to re-gear.

 

[IndigoBlue]

I would call in to question whether you talked to a real GUE instructor or not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you a liar and I'm not being confrontational. It's just that I have been through several GUE classes and I know several GUE instructors and the info you are talking about is inaccurate at best.

That is just what they have told me.

 

[boomx5]

That is just what they have told me.

Which Instructors Have You Talked Too?

 

[IndigoBlue]

Progressing beyond DIRF is going into technical diving. Period.

The poster asked about what gear he needs for DIRF, and you responded with gear you later clarified as needed to go "beyond" DIRF. Then you slammed it all as a marketing ploy to sell technical dive gear to... well, to divers taking technical training

Very diplomatic, but your attempts at concealing your original mistake fall quite short. Going on to say that a GUE instructor told you that DIRF requires double 104s and a drysuit was blatant.

You inferred the double 104s on your own. I was indicating single 104s.

 

[detroit diver]

Actually I do not hate GUE nor Halcyon.

I believe they are an appropriate training agency and gear choice, if the student-to-be has access to 1) a local instructor, and 2) a local dive group that follows this protocol, and 3) is willing and can afford to re-gear.

The instructors travel all over the world to teach these classes. There is no need for a "local" instructor. Just enough students to make it worthwhile to hold a class.

Local buddies would be nice, but the skills you learn from this experience will benefit you whether your buddies are DIR or not.

Yes, you will have to have the equipment necessary to take the class. Just like the requirements for any class.

 

[detroit diver]

You inferred the double 104s on your own. I was indicating single 104s.

And that would be wrong also.