DSJ
Guest
Valid points Jarhead,
I believe the early adopters of the mask will be those of us who already wear contacts and have done so while diving.
A stronger point against it vis-a-vi photography is the distance from your eye to viewfinder. I believe it would force you into digital and composing via the lcd.
The only purge I've delt with is on my snorkle, so I'll just have to see what happens with the mask.
The $$ factor is probably the largest hurdle for the mask, for it isn't just the mask, but contacts, SI glasses, and the surface lens that make up the total system. However, I got into scuba as a way to get rid of all that pesky cash that piles up around here, so it isn't as big an issue as it might be.
My normal mode is to sit back and let others test out new equipment, regardless of type. This once I decided to jump in early to check it out. I'll still be bringing a "normal" mask on my trip so I don't have to depend upon it. That is, if it arrives before I depart. They may or may not have the first production run before my departure date.
*** Back to the main topic ***
I'm keeping an open mind about DIR.
It does have some aspects of a cult: they have a rigid uniform, want every member to act the same, and even have secret knowledge (the mental decompression algorithm UP has aluded to in past posts)
. Some posters even sugested DIR folk keep to themselves and not dive with non-DIR (though I couldn't find documentation to support this).
OTOH, from what I see (and read in the DIRF book), they have a good system. Is it the best? I won't know until I try it. Standardization can be a strength as well as a weakness (a force so powerful it can only be used for GOOD or EVIL). In reading the DIRF book I even found tolerance for diving a short hose on reefs.
Will it grow and by how much? I think that is as dependent on the people and agencies practicing it as much as the system.
I visited the GUE website and was impressed by their teaching beliefs. They mirror my own, absorbing the main body of information before class and using valuable interaction time to develop the more complex ideas and have time for questions and clarification. I was surprised how little this is done even in a masters program, so it struck a chord with me.
There are open minded and closed minded folk on both sides of the fence. As was hashed in the agency/instructor thread, the individual is what makes the difference. One loud obnoxious person on either side can give it a bad name.
In the end, the "R" stands for what a particular individual makes it. And that is how I try to judge people, one person at a time based upon how they act. The "US" and "THEM" mentality has caused enough problems to make me discard it as a viable system.
David
I believe the early adopters of the mask will be those of us who already wear contacts and have done so while diving.
A stronger point against it vis-a-vi photography is the distance from your eye to viewfinder. I believe it would force you into digital and composing via the lcd.
The only purge I've delt with is on my snorkle, so I'll just have to see what happens with the mask.
The $$ factor is probably the largest hurdle for the mask, for it isn't just the mask, but contacts, SI glasses, and the surface lens that make up the total system. However, I got into scuba as a way to get rid of all that pesky cash that piles up around here, so it isn't as big an issue as it might be.
My normal mode is to sit back and let others test out new equipment, regardless of type. This once I decided to jump in early to check it out. I'll still be bringing a "normal" mask on my trip so I don't have to depend upon it. That is, if it arrives before I depart. They may or may not have the first production run before my departure date.
*** Back to the main topic ***
I'm keeping an open mind about DIR.
It does have some aspects of a cult: they have a rigid uniform, want every member to act the same, and even have secret knowledge (the mental decompression algorithm UP has aluded to in past posts)
. Some posters even sugested DIR folk keep to themselves and not dive with non-DIR (though I couldn't find documentation to support this).OTOH, from what I see (and read in the DIRF book), they have a good system. Is it the best? I won't know until I try it. Standardization can be a strength as well as a weakness (a force so powerful it can only be used for GOOD or EVIL). In reading the DIRF book I even found tolerance for diving a short hose on reefs.
Will it grow and by how much? I think that is as dependent on the people and agencies practicing it as much as the system.
I visited the GUE website and was impressed by their teaching beliefs. They mirror my own, absorbing the main body of information before class and using valuable interaction time to develop the more complex ideas and have time for questions and clarification. I was surprised how little this is done even in a masters program, so it struck a chord with me.
There are open minded and closed minded folk on both sides of the fence. As was hashed in the agency/instructor thread, the individual is what makes the difference. One loud obnoxious person on either side can give it a bad name.
In the end, the "R" stands for what a particular individual makes it. And that is how I try to judge people, one person at a time based upon how they act. The "US" and "THEM" mentality has caused enough problems to make me discard it as a viable system.
David
