Tec or Rec..can you move from Rec to Tec slowly

[Jay Cohen]

I’m looking to start diving wrecks this Spring summer in the Great lakes, including a trip to North Carolina in June.

I like some of the features of the Tech rigs, but since I have relatively new recreational style equipment, I'd just like to add some pieces, upgrade further down the road.

Is it all or nothing…. Tech or Rec, but not both?

I have a DUI suit, Seaquest Balance BCD, Scubapro MK17/S600 regs, with a Cobra 2.

I’d like to add a HP 120 with a new cold water reg and an H Valve. Good handheld primary light with solid back up.

I would not purchase a BP/Wing at this time, nor a canister light.

I think most of my dives this year will be in the 90-120 range,

BTW, I am taking an Intro To Tech NAUI course to understand some of the basic Tech diving/gear configurations, but at this point, with my somewhat new dive experience(40 + dives), biting the bullet for a decked our Tech rig is just a bit much to handle.

Comments or feedback appreciated.

 

[BabyDuck]

of course it's not all or nothing. like just about anything, it's a continuum. and, as far as i can tell from what you want to do, you're still planning rec dives, right? no deco? so go & enjoy yourself.

not sure that the intro to tech is going to be helpful at this point, though. will your instructor rent you stuff? or, i guess, what exactly are you looking to get from that class?

 

[SailNaked]

Its not all or nothing, it more like a drug, they start you off small and before you can stop you are addicted.

 

[Scott L]

BP/Wing is almost mandatory for any tec level training and diving. You have joined a very large club of former rec divers who had to repurchase gear to move forward in diving....Try DeepSea Suppy for great equipment at great prices...


https://www.deepseasupply.com/

 

[elan]

if you are planning to go tech route you will eventually need to move to back plate so one option that I had and used was to sell my BCD while it's relatively new and buy a BP/W setup. You can go a long route practicing the skills even with single tank setup w/o moving completely into doubles. As for the light canisters are what is used in tech crowd here. I found that buying a regular handheld was just waste of money. Get a good backup light now and use it as the primary until you get the canister. Though I'm new canister light was one of my best spending in scuba. You reg is fine unless you dive waters below 40F (more care should be taken if you dive below 40 or you can swap the second stage). I was advised to skip the H valve altogether and just move to the doubles.

YMMV

 

[boulderjohn]

A lot depends upon the instructor and agency you choose for training. In some cases, it may not only be possible to get into tech slowly, it may be darn tough to move into it fast.

In my case, the instructor I used had a lot of personal equipment to loan out, and I was able to buy things a little at a time and use his equipment for the rest as I needed it. It was a big help. You may not be able to find a situation like that, but you may want to look around to see if it is possible.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What instructor are you doing your intro with? Some will allow a rec bc for the first dive or two but there are others who will require you to be in a BPW before you complete the class. They also usually have rigs to loan or rent. Oh and expect to have your rig gone over, things removed, added, critiqued, and adjusted. And a
"decked out" tech rig is nothing more than a plate you could get used for 50-75 bucks or maybe even a new one. 20 bucks worth of webbing, a few drings, and a used wing for 100-200.

 

[H2O 70]

Skip the H-valve thing and get your self a proper pony (slung or mounted) set up. You MK17 is sealed so it should be fine for cold water. If anything get a 2nd MK17 so if you end up in doubles, you've got matching 1sts! Don't know how good the hose routing is on those.

Good luck!

 

[TechBlue]

I’m looking to start diving wrecks this Spring summer in the Great lakes, including a trip to North Carolina in June.

I like some of the features of the Tech rigs, but since I have relatively new recreational style equipment, I'd just like to add some pieces, upgrade further down the road.

Is it all or nothing…. Tech or Rec, but not both?

I have a DUI suit, Seaquest Balance BCD, Scubapro MK17/S600 regs, with a Cobra 2.

I’d like to add a HP 120 with a new cold water reg and an H Valve. Good handheld primary light with solid back up.

I would not purchase a BP/Wing at this time, nor a canister light.

I think most of my dives this year will be in the 90-120 range,

BTW, I am taking an Intro To Tech NAUI course to understand some of the basic Tech diving/gear configurations, but at this point, with my somewhat new dive experience(40 + dives), biting the bullet for a decked our Tech rig is just a bit much to handle.

Comments or feedback appreciated.

Ease into it and buy slowly, I would suggest gettiing a BP/wing and sticking with your SP regs. Instead of a H valve consider a stage bottle setup.

 

[M_Bipartitus]

As with others here, I'm not so big on the H-valve. I would either use a normal single + AL40 stage-mounted "pony" or doubles for cold water. An Al40 pony bottle is more than enough backup air in recreational depth in the event of a free-flow and is a good deco bottle should you move to tech later. No mater what you choose, for 90-120 foot Great Lakes dives you really should have redundant access to your air no mater how you accomplish it.

As for lights, I agree with elan above that it is good to get a light that would serve as a good back-up (or two), and use it as a primary for now. Canister lights are expensive, and I would personally wait for the next generation of LED lights as they seem to be working the bugs out (focusing, for example) and LEDs are quickly becoming the preferred type for many. That said, a nice bright HID in the Great Lakes can be a good thing.

Regardless of what equipment you end up with, be sure you practice with it shallow or in a pool so that you know what to do with it. If at all possible, practice with your dive buddy so you both know how each other's gear works. For example, an H-valve is no use if you find out at 100 feet that you can't reach the valves to turn it off.