Why is tech suddenly the in thing for new divers?

[DA Aquamaster]

Possibly the the LDS figures if the diver spend more $$ up front they will most likely keep with the sport.

I heard a interesting quote from an instructor yesterday to a failry recetn OW diver buying what amounted to an entire gear package - "you got a great deal, and you will dive more as it will make you commit to diving." It struck me as kinda backwards - it makes a lot more sense to be committed to diving before plopping down $1000 plus dollars on equipment.

 

[RJP]

I heard a interesting quote from an instructor yesterday to a failry recetn OW diver buying what amounted to an entire gear package - "you got a great deal, and you will dive more as it will make you commit to diving." It struck me as kinda backwards - it makes a lot more sense to be committed to diving before plopping down $1000 plus dollars on equipment.

"Committed" is sort of the wrong word, but he's swerved into the "chicken vs egg" conundrum:

If you own your own gear, you really will dive more often.
If you dive more often, you really should own your own gear.

PS: Here's my favorite analogy to highlight the difference between being "involved" in something and being "committed" ...

"Ham and Cheese Omelette: The Chicken and the Cow are involved, but the Pig is truly committed."

 

[TSandM]

I have to say I sort of agree with the dive shop owner in that case. My husband and I bought all our gear at the end of our OW class, and what that did was make it EXTREMELY easy to go diving. Nothing had to be rented or returned, and I didn't have to do the "k-ching" of $100 or so PER DIVE for rental equipment. I mean, at local rental rates, it took 12 dives before I had paid for my dry suit!

 

[widget]

I dont really have a problem with it, but there needs to be some integrity and advice from the shops side and not just seen as $$ signs and a financial transaction.

Shops will argue, nobody held a gun to the customers head and forced him to buy, he could have refused or bought down, we just sold him what he asked for, but I do think its incumbent on the shop to advise the customer correctly, in our business we see divers rolling up everyday in ill fitting masks and wetsuits, fins too big or too small, small woman struggeling with heavy 15 litre cylinders and so on.

Its up to the shop to kit a diver CORRECTLY out for the type of diving they INTEND doing, not just selling what they have on the shelf to an unknowing and trusting client for the financial advantage.

Diveing has a massive drop out rate, and this is one of the reasons, divers who are poorly kitted dont enjoy their dive and will soon realise they have been "had" - to re-equip is expensive and they arnt really comfortable, so they just stop.

 

[John_B]

Mtbr, what's the real issue eating at you?

Would you be happier if they were being sold a $700 Black Diamond BC or a $600 Knighthawk? Or the $1900 Galileo SOL? Or $200 Twin Jets or Slingshots? Is it the fact that people are actually starting with backplates and you only just got yours? Or that they have more discretionary scuba dollars to spend on blue H gear (when a complete DSS rig is only about $450)?

Do you think new divers have to "pay their dues" with jacket BCs and split fins and Air2's and expensive computers and poor buoyancy and silting flutter kicks and back-on-the-boat-with-500-psi gas management before being shown a better way? You did know that there are recreational DIR divers? That a backplate and long hose doesn't magically transform a rec diver into a tech diver?

What shop is this? I think they probably deserve kudos for getting newer divers started on the right path! Even it if makes you bitter.

 

[PScUba]

I understand the argument against doubles for newer divers (I am just beginning to assemble my first set), but...

I wish my LDS pushed more the "tech/DIR" from the beginning. In no ways do I think they were trying to mislead me when I bought my first gear setup, but I ended buying a BC, split fins, wetsuit, etc... right after OW. I did this, because it enabled me to dive more than I would have without owning my own gear. Though, as I soon realized, wetsuits can get cold. Shortly thereafter I bought a used drysuit and sold my 7mm. Splits were fine, but as I advanced my skills paddles tend to work better for me now. My diving interests are leaning towards more wrecks and so-called "tech" diving. I have began looking into a bp/w setup and hope to dive it at the beginning of this upcoming dive season.

So even though I do not regret buying the initial gear that I did, I would not have minded if my shop pushed more of a tech/DIR philosophy from the beginning...

Just my $.02

 

[Mtbr]

I would be very surprised if a GUE-affiliated shop was certifying divers in doubles.

Tsandm:
You're correct. The shop does NOT certify OW student in doubles. The newbies I'm referring to are those that have completed OW or Advance and are looking to purchase their equipment.

 

[Mtbr]

Mtbr, what's the real issue eating at you?

Would you be happier if they were being sold a $700 Black Diamond BC or a $600 Knighthawk? Or the $1900 Galileo SOL? Or $200 Twin Jets or Slingshots? Is it the fact that people are actually starting with backplates and you only just got yours? Or that they have more discretionary scuba dollars to spend on blue H gear (when a complete DSS rig is only about $450)?

Do you think new divers have to "pay their dues" with jacket BCs and split fins and Air2's and expensive computers and poor buoyancy and silting flutter kicks and back-on-the-boat-with-500-psi gas management before being shown a better way? You did know that there are recreational DIR divers? That a backplate and long hose doesn't magically transform a rec diver into a tech diver?

What shop is this? I think they probably deserve kudos for getting newer divers started on the right path! Even it if makes you bitter.

The better question is what's eating at you? You wouldn't happen to be affiliated with H, would you?

To me it's over overkill to dive doubles in DIR fashion when there aren't any caves or wrecks in this area. I also think it would be wise for newer divers to learn and discover the types of diving they wish to pursuit rather than steered towards a particular style or approach that early on.

Yes, I'm aware of recreational DIR divers. I agree with some of the DIR techniques/logics but not everything.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I can see both sides....over a mound of gear I have purchased and out grew or no longer used after my focus changed.

If tech is the goal then it makes sense to do it tech compatible gear and certainly to buy tech related gear when you begin buying gear, but the choice needs to be the student's not a shop pushing tech related gear - or conversely a recreational shop selling a future tech diver rec gear.

I started diving in a used Scubapro Bouyancy Control Pack - basically the mid 70's version of a current BP/wing and I owned my frst full set of gear before I ever showed up for a formal OW class because I was committed long before then. Ironocally I did not really get off the proper equipment track for the diving I wanted to do until I started listening to well intended rec instructors as there were no tech instructors then.

I also see no issue in having a diver start off in doubles fairly early. My first set were double steel 45's followed shortly by double steel 72's in an era where many divers hose double 80's -all with single outlet manifolds. The only real concern was recognition by the diver that you had enough gas with any thing larger than 80 cu ft to get yourself in serious deco trouble. Many divers preferred the way they trimmed and preferred the convenience of not having to change tanks between dives in addition to the longer/deeper options they offerred. Over the years I have had the opportunity to observe dive plans go wrong and to observe single tank/reg buddies and aquaintences end up short on gas or even go OOA due to failures, freeflows or poor planning and attention to the SPG, and yet I have never been in the same situation as doubles have always left me fat on gas. Nothing wrong with that - even for a new diver.

Today I still dive doubles anytime I am not forced to fly to a destination and that means I walk on the dive boat with one set of assembled doubles and use them for both dives. It is a pretty efficient way to handle a two tank boat dive as there is no tank change and the "reserve" gas from the first dive is also along on the second dive so all the gas brought along that day is potentially useable.

If the diver has the physical ability to handle doubles and is nt doing surf entries or other types of diving where the additional weight may pose safety risks, I have no issues with even a new diver using doubles.

I can see a potential niche for shops who will cater to a diver who has the expressed intent to go into technical diving. But it should include the higher levels of academics, knowledge adn physical ability that are ultimately required to tech dive and it should include it very early on in the process where a student who changes their mind can opt for an OW cert instead and move in that direction.

The result would be the diving equivalent of a Part 141 flight training program, where the whole syllabus from student pilot to intrument, commercial and instructor ratings is laid out in advance with the skills building on one another in a coordinated manner. It would also require instructors to do due diligence in sceening out candidates who lack the focus, responsibility or maturity to engage in technical diving safely.

 

[Hank658]

I understand the argument against doubles for newer divers (I am just beginning to assemble my first set), but...

I wish my LDS pushed more the "tech/DIR" from the beginning. In no ways do I think they were trying to mislead me when I bought my first gear setup, but I ended buying a BC, split fins, wetsuit, etc... right after OW. I did this, because it enabled me to dive more than I would have without owning my own gear. Though, as I soon realized, wetsuits can get cold. Shortly thereafter I bought a used drysuit and sold my 7mm. Splits were fine, but as I advanced my skills paddles tend to work better for me now. My diving interests are leaning towards more wrecks and so-called "tech" diving. I have began looking into a bp/w setup and hope to dive it at the beginning of this upcoming dive season.

So even though I do not regret buying the initial gear that I did, I would not have minded if my shop pushed more of a tech/DIR philosophy from the beginning...

Just my $.02

PScUba,

In no way am I taking a shot at you with these comments, I am looking at them the same way I see students come through the shop I work with. (end of commercial)

It reminds me in another way of the chicken and the egg- do you get the gear first and then find out how it works for you and what might not be right for you and upgrade or get the experience and then get to know what is right for you. A drysuit after a 7mm? Sounds reasonable. I know folks who will dive a 3mm only. If it's too cold for a 3 then it's the d/s. No middle ground. How do they know this? From diving the 7mm and not being comfortable.
In some areas, (the Northeast for example, and I'm sure the PNW, right Lynne???) elements of tech are more suited to the local conditions. Reels, redundant lighting systems, bp/w with a choice of wings, ponys or doubles for wrecks are all very common around here and certainly not only with the 'techies'.
The use of these items comes through experience. See someone do a 60' LI Sound dive with just a 'typical' 80, jacket BC and a 4AA light and I can almost assure you that person will be back in the shop looking for items that are appropriate for the conditions.

Like anything else, tech oriented gear has it's place and should be used accordingly and appropriately. If a shop sees that you have interests in diving in 'more challenging' conditions then more in-depth gear conversation might be in order. From my experience, most folks want to, or think they want to, dive in warm water and see pretty fish. If that is the goal then most of this extra stuff is not needed and would the shop be more guilty of overselling to the vacation diver?