GUE Fundamentals BP/W: Hopeless without Halcyon ?

[rjack321]

Heres a shocker for you then... Extreme Exposure, the LDS attached to GUE headquarters... also sells gear that is not made by Halcyon, and offers training through PADI and other dive training agencies

The amount of garbage and misinformation that people with no GUE training toss about as fact on the internet is amazing.

they even have snorkels!

 

[PfcAJ]

AJ, do you still have a Halcyon raft? Lol.

I kinda want one for my “don’t stay lost at sea” kit!

 

[lv2dive]

I agree with you 100%. I have “absolutely no issue with GUE recommending Halcyon gear, neither from a moral perspective or a legal perspective”

While we are at it, the “owner” of Halcyon, Jarrod Jablonski, also owns a dive shop, Extreme Exposure aka EE. So he is the CEO of GUE, a non-profit, as well as having ownership interest in Halcyon and EE. So what? I was interested and figured that all by myself early in my involvement with GUE/EE/Halcyon. and I would think it MORE strange if they called it out all over the place.

I’ve taken classes from four instructors and participated in classes (videography, etc) with multiple others. I’ve never heard of any instructors requiring Halcyon, and a few have not even mentioned brand. When I first took fundies and was putting my kit together, one instructor was kind of dogmatic about Halcyon, but the truth is, after I tried the evolve wings, I agreed with him about them being optimal.

Am I immoral?

I have absolutely no issue with GUE recommending Halcyon gear, neither from a moral perspective or a legal perspective. Maybe because I am well aware that the 2 are closely associated? I don’t feel misled. And I think that is what OP and others are concerned about?

FWIW, I don’t ever recall my GUE instructor recommending I get anything Halcyon. Maybe my memory sucks? It just never came up. Maybe because I never asked? That’s why I’m scratching my head here, where people are suggesting an almost sinister motive of getting students to buy Halcyon.

I must be getting a totally different experience than others here.

 

[Kharon]

That much is true.

The man who owns GUE is also the man who owns Halcyon.

Much conflict of interest there?

 

[lv2dive]

GUE is a nonprofit entity that was founded by Jarrod and others. Halcyon makes dive gear. A lot of people who take training with GUE use Halcyon gear bc it’s high quality, suitable for purpose, and issues are typically dealt with quickly (excellent service). There is NO requirement to buy Halcyon gear to take a GUE class, no conflict of interest.

Much conflict of interest there?

 

[tbone1004]

Much conflict of interest there?

why would it be conflict of interest? They happen to be run by the same guy, but aren't part of the same company like Mares/SSI. They are quite clear about being brand agnostic as long as the specific piece of equipment is compatible. Sure many of the divers and likely most of the instructors use Halcyon because it's high quality, compatible, great customer service, etc. Not all though, some big name instructors and divers with them use other other brands

 

[rjack321]

Around here a fairly large number of divers use DSS plates and wings and I have never heard of them getting any smack in Fundamentals or Tech classes.

My own classes were so long ago I don't remember any discussion about halcyon specifically. I still have my halcyon wings from 2003-2004 however and a used one that was probably made in 2000. So if nothing else they are worth what I paid for them. I have never owned a halcyon backplate so somehow I made it through GUE-F, Tech1, Cave1 and Cave2 without getting grief about those. My steel one is a generic knockoff I bought in 2003, my aluminum plate is from Dive-rite and dates from 2005ish.

 

[JohnnyC]

I kinda want one for my “don’t stay lost at sea” kit!

I've got one for this specific reason. I've never had to use it. I blow it up at least once a year just to make sure it holds air. Get on the raft, clip the gear to the leash with an inflated BCD, pop the PLB and the streamer and the dye pack, and wait for the cavalry to show up.

My plan is to make myself as big as possible for the radars and NVG's to pick up.

 

[jadairiii]

.... My steel one is a generic knockoff I bought in 2003, my aluminum plate is from Dive-rite and dates from 2005ish.

HA! I did my whole Cave 1 with a knockoff Hammerhead, alum plate! (Hammerhead made some nice plates, cheap). Plus, my harness straps were blue generic webbing.

 

[alvinsuper]

Some serious cognitive dissonance is going on in some answers in this thread...

I think the OP is the one who's staying the most level-headed by opting to take the pragmatic approach to the situation.