gcarter
Contributor
I have > 100 dives, used rental gear for only the first 4. All the rest have been with my SeaQuest Balance back inflate BCD (which I have been pleased with), and all have been wetsuit dives. 13 of that total have been warm water dives, with the rest being in either a 7mm 1 piece or a 7mm 2 piece.
I have treated myself to a HOG BP/W, SS plate & 32lb wing. I am looking forward to taking some weight off and shifting weight from my belt to my back.
I have also opportunistically bought a used White's Catalyst 360, too good a deal to pass up although it was not something I had planned on buying. I like the idea of diving dry, but I am not sure how I will like it in practice, particularly carrying the extra weight and having a second bubble to manage.
Once I enter the water this spring, I have what I see as three options:
1) BP/W & dry
2) BP/W and wet
3) Balance and dry
My intention is to take instruction for the dry suit so I can get some practical help with problem resolution, managing the bubble, and trimming out. So I am thinking it is best to do this with the BP/W so I only have to make the adjustment once, rather than doing #3 and then #1 as my progression. But I am not sure that I want to deal with all of the changes implied by #1 at the same time - I don't think I would get the most out of the dry suit course.
So I leaning towards #2, and doing some dives in the BP/W first to get used to it. Even though this means I would pass on a possible earlier starting dive season (although my regular buddy would still be diving wet). I could take the dry suit course later spring or during the summer and be ready to take advantage of a longer fall season.
Thoughts?
I have treated myself to a HOG BP/W, SS plate & 32lb wing. I am looking forward to taking some weight off and shifting weight from my belt to my back.
I have also opportunistically bought a used White's Catalyst 360, too good a deal to pass up although it was not something I had planned on buying. I like the idea of diving dry, but I am not sure how I will like it in practice, particularly carrying the extra weight and having a second bubble to manage.
Once I enter the water this spring, I have what I see as three options:
1) BP/W & dry
2) BP/W and wet
3) Balance and dry
My intention is to take instruction for the dry suit so I can get some practical help with problem resolution, managing the bubble, and trimming out. So I am thinking it is best to do this with the BP/W so I only have to make the adjustment once, rather than doing #3 and then #1 as my progression. But I am not sure that I want to deal with all of the changes implied by #1 at the same time - I don't think I would get the most out of the dry suit course.
So I leaning towards #2, and doing some dives in the BP/W first to get used to it. Even though this means I would pass on a possible earlier starting dive season (although my regular buddy would still be diving wet). I could take the dry suit course later spring or during the summer and be ready to take advantage of a longer fall season.
Thoughts?