New to Doubles

[jmohns]

I agree Matt, and thanks for being the butt of that bit of humor. ;D
I origanally wanted to double my 130s, for no other reason than I already had them. But after talking to my dive instructor and a few others in my group I decided to look smaller and then grow if desired. I went with the LP 98s due to the fact that if I desired more gas later on, the bands and the manifold were already the right size. I do not want to go to aluminum as I really dislike the boyancy issues with them, I never liked them when I started out. I also like you matt really like diving my 130s, and really didnt want to give that up, IMHO that is the best of all worlds enough air to do deeper work, bit enough neg boyancy to shed some weight off of the belt. I am a little concerned over being too negative at this point, I will need to get the 98s into the pool and see what it does, but I would need the drysuit to make a true account of the boyancy. Looks like I might need to find another lake with no ice on it. The only one I know of is Wazee, and It has ice starting to form on the shores. Looking like spring for this.

[sum-yung guy]

Your 98's should have great boyancy characteristics...I dive LP 112's and strap on LP 121's from time to time....I have dove the 98's before with no weight at all, they are fine for the first dive, but at the end of the second or after one long dive, they can get a little light. Any of my other doubles I don't wear any weight with (that is of course if you don't count the disco baby doubles), it is all about time in the water like my boy todd said, and trying a variety of different gear to find your piece of kit that you are most comfortable with. We all started at square one with doubles, and it is just a matter of time and you will be doing iso drills like a champ....

Don't mind all the bashing from the playa haters, they always be hatin' on me and my disco OMS red wing of death....

Good luck, hope to see you in the water!

[jmohns]

Well I hope I do not offend anyone here, but as I am doing my homework on the DIY setup I have come to one impresion, these guys can be very arrogant. I believe in making a stand on what you believe in and all, but jeez, I found audio tapes on line from a dir seminar and the guy pretty much bashes anyone who doesn't do it exactly his way. I understand and have seen some scary things diving with others as I am sure we all have, but I have seen and done things to facilitate my own needs as I am sure most people do. I do not understand the thought of this way is the best, who am I to tell someone that my way is perfect and they should do it this way just because. Hell I prob missed the point that this guy was trying to drive home, but I just don't get it. OK I WILL GET OFF MY SOAP BOX NOW.

[matt t.]

The guy you saw was probably George Irvine. While most divers DIR or not like to jump on the "trash Trey"  bandwagon, he has been there and done that before retiring a few years ago. He is the old face of DIR. The new attitudes are more civilized. Whether you subscribe to the ideas or not, they do work in all conditions. Is diving to DIR standards the only way to dive? Of course not. The DIR approach to diving is team oriented. Keep things as simple as possible, only take what you need for the job, dive standard gasses, practice standard procedures, and standard gear configurations that are the same for all team members to avoid any confusion. If nothing else you should buy or borrow the DIR Fundamentals book to get a feel for things. It was written by Jarrod Jablonski, the founder of GUE and owner of Halcyon. If nothing else it is an interesting read on a winter afternoon. Our group is not strictly DIR, but we do incorporate a lot of the ideas and planning taught by GUE. No, you don't have to own Halcyon gear, or a DUI suit, or SP regs, or a scooter, or even cave dive. So far it has worked out well for us. YMMV.

[Bigdiver]

I think I will quickly chime in...

Myself, as well as, number of the other guys on this board have taken the DIR fundamentals course for which you are taught basic DIR principles.
I took the course a number of years ago now (when GI3 was still in the spotlight) and I can tell you one thing, the instructors were not arrogant, nor what I would consider narrow minded. They were open to thoughts and ideas, but still stuck to the principles of DIR diving.  Much of what you see or hear about DIR is just not reality. Many of these people that run there mouths do more diving behind key board than in the water.
Bottom line, do your research and figure out what works for you.

Matt

[Vtach]

Like Matt said, it is probably GI3.  "DIR" probably wouldn't be the popular topic it is today without GI3's influence.  It is obviously controversial due to the colorful comments that he made along with the GI3 imitators, BUT, the training, philosophy and equipment he helped to implement has a record second to none.  Just take a look at the safety record and accomplishments of GUE divers with the WKPP and you cannot argue that the system has merit.  But GI3 is really not involved anymore and the "DIR" of today is really a much softer version of previous years.  The important thing to think about are the basic goals the system is set to achieve...proper training, equipment, planning and execution using a team based philosophy.  Regardless of what type of diving you plan to do, those basic tenets are required for accomplishing safe dives.  With your current transition to doubles, DIR has the perfect template to start with and the DIR Fundies books and/or classes are money well spent.  So, yes, you probably missed his point but many people have because they have been turned off by his comments.  Although, some of his comments are pretty damn funny if you can see the humor in it.;D

[Chris H]

Like Matt said, it is probably GI3.  "DIR" probably wouldn't be the popular topic it is today without GI3's influence.  It is obviously controversial due to the colorful comments that he made along with the GI3 imitators, BUT, the training, philosophy and equipment he helped to implement has a record second to none.  Just take a look at the safety record and accomplishments of GUE divers with the WKPP and you cannot argue that the system has merit.  But GI3 is really not involved anymore and the "DIR" of today is really a much softer version of previous years.  The important thing to think about are the basic goals the system is set to achieve...proper training, equipment, planning and execution using a team based philosophy.  Regardless of what type of diving you plan to do, those basic tenets are required for accomplishing safe dives.  With your current transition to doubles, DIR has the perfect template to start with and the DIR Fundies books and/or classes are money well spent.  So, yes, you probably missed his point but many people have because they have been turned off by his comments.  Although, some of his comments are pretty damn funny if you can see the humor in it.;D
[/quote]

I like this one.  ;D
This is the kind of careless slobbery I would like to see discontinued, at least the teaching of it. Anyone who wants to be a slob or a stroke should have the right to do so, but they should not have the right to teach others to do so. - G

[matt t.]

You forgot "farm animal stupid"  ;D. For more "Treyism's" check this out: