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#1600
DIR
lerpy - 8/25/2011 6:32 PM
Category: Equipment
Replies: 3



Forgive me as I am new and I am sure that people have covered this multiple times, BUT, I am reading more and looking more at the DIR set up, or at least what seems to be the DIR set up, ( I know it is a whole phylosophy). I dive with a harness and I am starting to look at ways to trim things out and organize, but keep all the esentials. I have determined in my early diving there are things I want, no, need, for a safe dive and this has been taught to me here where diving deep, dark, cold water, at times in heavy current is the norm. So here it is as I look at my harness here is what is hanging on it. A small lite, reel and Diver Below inflatable, knife, I have computer, compass, and of course spg (console), I like to carry a dive table, and once I get my new one will be be carrying a back up mask ( I have heard of masks coming off in strong current.) I don’t want to be one of those with every new toy hanging off, but I think there are essentials and those essentials could change based on where and what you are diving. Anyhow this may have nothing to do with DIR set up.


 I have switched to having my octo on a necklase, and I really like it, its out of the way and I know where it is and is easy to find in darker water. Now I am looking to switch to a 5 -7 foot lp line for my main reg as I like the phylosophy, if you need air, I know the one I am breathing works.


WOW this is long, anyhow, what are peoples input on DIR, the phylosophy, the gear set up, good, bad or otherwise?
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 8/26/2011 9:30 AM
From lerpy:

 I have switched to having my octo on a necklase, and I really like it, its out of the way and I know where it is and is easy to find in darker water. Now I am looking to switch to a 5 -7 foot lp line for my main reg as I like the phylosophy, if you need air, I know the one I am breathing works.

WOW this is long, anyhow, what are peoples input on DIR, the phylosophy, the gear set up, good, bad or otherwise?



 I know they have cookies but it’s not necessary to go over to the dark side or adopt the whole DIR phylosophy, just use what works for you and your diving.

 All regs used to come with a necklase and most divers cut them off. The BP used to be plastic with the tank bolted on, not wimpy cam bands that could fail or snag :) but the hog style harness has been around forever.

 Some of my gear is DIR, more is DEW like my second on the wing inflator hose which is plumbed to my pony, that way I know both are working and I have air for the SubAlert. I was using a long hose long before DIR was around.

 For me everything is mounted on the BP&W except for one one wrist mounted computer.
#2242
MDW - 1/04/2012 5:28 PM
I recommend putting all the little stuff in pockets rather than having it all dangling from your harness. I like to put the stuff I plan to use (wet notes, dive table, etc.) in my right pocket, because I’m right handed. I put all the "emergency" stuff (backup mask, backup computer, deco tables, whistle, SMB, etc.) in my left pocket so it doesn’t interfere with getting to the stuff int the right pocket. If you don’t have pockets on your suit, I recommend X-shorts (I think some others make them now too), which are neoprene shorts with 2 large cargo pockets on the outer thighs. These can then be worn over any suit to always have your stuff available in the same spot on every dive. I have 2 dry suits and 2 wet suits, all without pockets. The shorts allow me to just leave all my stuff in the pockets and just don the shorts over whatever suit I wear that day. Any extras that I do clip to the harness always go on the butt D ring so they don’t hang down below my body.

As for hoses, I swear by the long hose w/ clip / short hose with necklace concept. I even do this with my side-mount setup so it’s still easy to donate immediately (even though I can later just hand the whole right side tank off to the out of air diver). The DIR rule of keeping all stages and deco bottles on the left side make sense with the long hose setup because they will not be in the way (as they would be on the right side) for long hose deployment.

That said, I don’t adhere strictly to DIR. I have adopted most of it, because the reasoning behind it makes sense to me, and some of it because I have different reasons why the DIR way makes sense. I ignore a few things because they really don’t provide any benefit to me in the type of dives I do. And, since I do sometimes side mount (that is not DIR) I am not 100% DIR compliant. I also sometimes dive an old plastic BP with no wing (use dry suit or horse collar to inflate - definitely not DIR), but with a nearly DIR harness and reg setup.

Mark
#4355
caves4me - 1/17/2012 8:18 AM
Hey lepry, Yes the long hose is the way to go! It use to be with the GUE folks that a 7ft hose for a overhead environment and a 5ft hose for open water. One thing that should be noted is if you have a bright yellow (octo) second stage that should be on your long hose.


Safe diving!

Barry