Dive Gear anb DIR, a question

[ratcliffe]

I've just been reading a thread in the Personal Ads for dive gear which is Non-DIR. Now I don't pretend to understand much apart from the general concept of DIR, and I have no plans to go this way at the moment, but I am curious about this:

Why is some kit non-DIR ? What makes some kit good and some kit bad ? Is it just the amount of drag that it creates, or are there other factors.
I could be cynical and think that its just a way of making divers buy more expensive kit to replace stuff that isn't in need of replacement, but I'd like the sensible, realistic answers as to why DIR divers change over.

Apologies if its been discussed in detail before, but I couldn't see any threads directly talking about this.

[Sipadan]

Another question from someone who is DIR-curious, is there any tangible evidence (DAN, HSE reports etc) that the kit considered non-DIR is dangerous?

[Al_Star]

OK first off most dive kit isn't dangerous or it wouldn't get sold. What's different about DIR is that it represents a complete system. This ranges from teamwork, emergency reactions, protocols for gases and kit.

All of this fits together to form a system. If I change bits of the system then it can break down. I.e. DIR divers don't wear stages on the right as it gets in the way of long hose deployment, scootering etc. If you put all stages on the left then they need to be aluminium to avoid tipping the diver over. Ali stages are also better so you aren't massively overweight at the start of the dive. They sit better in the water and you can even send them up a line once empty.

Now if I just change the Ali cylinders to steel, lots of parts of the system break. Individually there is nothing wrong with a steel stage. It's a cylinder, it's not un-safe, however just doesn't work within the DIR system.

Now whether the system is good or not is a hot topic so lets not debate that.

[Little Pete]

Have a look at the gear guide on the GUE site:

http://www.gue.com/equipment/index.shtml

Gives all the reasoning behind the gear selections.

[Sipadan]

The reasoning is very clear, but is there any evidence?

[tonytheteal]

Originally Posted by Sipadan

The reasoning is very clear, but is there any evidence?

Not sure you'll find empirical evidence that non-dir equipment is dangerous - I mean if the evidence was was that strong there wouldn't be any other equipment!

But as always it's horses for courses. Am I going to endanger myself or anyone else by using a bungied wing/split fins/stab jacket/whatever on a 10m bimble along a reef - no! However if the brown stuff hits the aircon it's a comfort for me to know that my buddies kit config is the same as mine so, for example, i know exactly where his spg (or whatever) is.

Hope this helps

J

[divingniknaks]

Hi,

Looking at the costs side of things, as the others have chipped in well already on the other stuff.

Console = £80 - £100 v SPG and hose = £50

BCD = £350 - £450 v Wing and plate = £340
Your BCD will probably only suit a single, so what do spend to go to twins ? £300 +, with a DIR setup you buy another wing only £200-£230.

As you diving progresses under GUE you will add to your kit, not be required to swap it for something else.

Overall, I'd argue it's cheaper to go DIR than non-DIR.

Just a view from a kit whore

I'll reiterate the views above, non-DIR kit must be safe by law, CE regulagations etc, there are a lot of dives done on non-DIR kit everyday all over the world, most people come back alive.

What kills people is most often than not, lack of skills, panic, diving beyond certs, it is very rarely a kit failure. Check out the BSAC incident reports, DAN reports if you don't believe me.

People concentrate on DIR kit, it is a small small part of it.

HTH


.

[Noel Johnson]

Yes but because it's cheaper doesn't mean its the "one true path"...

BTW Tonge is firmly in cheek.

[Rob Dobson]

Well I guess you’re referring to my kit - so first off it’s all decent stuff that I choose for good reasons. I was diving with lots of different people in lots of different circumstances and I wanted as much resilience as possible as that gave me comfort. The downside was that my rig became too complex and it ended up that I wanted a more simplified approach.

DIR appeals because of its holistic nature and its simplicity. The more I looked into it the more I found that I agreed with the logic, the methods and the protocols (I do still have some question marks and there is some kit I have no intention of changing for the sake of DIR compliance – i.e drysuit). So it’s still very early days for me personally but the stuff I have decided to sell is stuff that I am comfortable to sell on the basis I don’t that I need it anymore and I am at least as comfortable with the DIR equivalent.

[Jimmy Blake]

Originally Posted by Noel Johnson

Yes but because it's cheaper doesn't mean its the "one true path"...

BTW Tonge is firmly in cheek.

Do strokes have tonges, is it like a thong? DIR people have tongues...

;-)

Regards



James