[AnthonyD]

Hi All,

One of my guiding principals of diving is to avoid task loading. So if I'm playing with new kit I'm not teaching or being taught. If I'm teaching or being taught there is no new kit (unless the teaching bit is new equipment in itself).

My biggest issue with GUE courses (as I understand them) is that fundamentally you have to do the course with wings & backplate ... I've tried several wings, hated the experience and ended up fighting with them all, and vowing never to get rid of my trusty old Buddy BCD on my single 12l [I do approx 70-80 dives a year UK & overseas, max 30m ish, no deco, very non-technical].

I have enquired about GUE courses previously 'cos I'm positive there will aspects of the training and diving techniques that I can use. I am not interested in receiving any certification whatsoever, but this apparent fixation on equipment is a total turn off as far as I am concerned. Trying to figure out how to drive a new piece of equipment whilst trying to implement new techniques does not sound that great, particularly when all my previous experiences with wings have left a lasting negative impression.

I can see the impact of standard equipment on some of the objectives of GUE (e.g. safety proceedures), but I would hope that I could pick up the non-equipment issues ... and I'm eager to learn alternatives and find those things that I can incorporate into my regular process.

Thoughts?