• How important is equipment and should you buy before you try?
• What do we use?

How Important Is Equipment And Should You Buy Before Try?

Many divers focus on equipment and it is the subject of many a heated debate on the internet. To the new or would be tech diver it can seem that it is the most important aspect of tech diving. Quite simply, it isn’t.

Obviously it is important, however, it is only one aspect among many, which make up a good diver. One of John Bennett’s favourite phrases was that “the key piece of equipment is a knowledgeable and thinking diver”. It is will this in mind that we discuss equipment below.

So if you are new to tech and want to buy, please read on. We suggest that you do a course first before you buy. However, if your credit card has itchy feet we are happy to give you the benefit of our experience, and we highly recommend discussing purchases with us before you spend. It can save you money and heartache (and potentially people pointing at you on a dive!). More importantly, all of that wasted money could be spent on diving!

We’re not here to sell, just advise, whether you intend to dive with us or not. At the end of the day the best equipment for you depends on what type of diving you are doing and where you are doing it.

What Do We Use?

As discussed above, equipment is only one piece of the puzzle. During the courses we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each option for equipment and equipment set up. Then we give our recommendations.

Here is a list of the equipment that you will be using on the course.

• Regulators
  • APEKS XTX50’s/100’s, all DIN
  • Right post: Long hose, Inflator for wing
  • Left post: Short hose, SPG
  • Deco / stage: APEKS DST or DS4, 40 inch hose, SPG
• Wings
  • Single bladder, unbungied, unless specific course standards require back up buoyancy
  • 40lbs to 55lbs lift
  • We use: Halcyon explorer 40lb or 55lb, Dive Rite Classic, OMS single bladder 35lb or 45lb
• Backplate
  • Stainless or Aluminium: Choice depends on many things.
• Harness
  • o As simple as possible: Single piece of webbing is a good option.
• Fins
  • We encourage the use of Jet Fins. They are unbeatable in terms of propulsion, maneuverability and control in the water. All this equals less effort, less Carbon Dioxide and a safer dive.
• Exposure protection
  • A 5mm wetsuit is good for most people year round.
  • A drysuit can be taken on deeper dives and when diving with steel tanks.
• Bottom timers and computers
  • 2 are required on the courses
  • we dive using software generated tables, with detailed contingency planning.
  • If a computer comes along it is as back up to our back up plans!
  • Bottom timers: Scubapro, Suunto D3, Various computers as long as they can be dived in gauge mode
  • Computers: VR3, Nitek He, Suunto Vytec, Various Scubapro models in beta test
• Surface Marker Buoy
  • Yellow for emergencies
  • Orange for everything else
• Reels and spools
  • The simple spool is a classic and a great back up