Easing in to tech diving??

[renoun]

So in an attempt to elicit a discussion about options short of full on tech diving I started a thread Blurring the line between Tech/Rec. It seemed to me that a discussion of the intermediate training endpoints (or pauses) like UTD Rec3, NAUI Helitrox, and any other similar courses belonged in a separate thread.

Personally I'm taking UTD Essensials now at around a hundred dives. It has been a very positive experience but there isn't any reason that I couldn't have take it our a similar personal skills workshop much earlier. I am building foundational skills that will apply to my current and future diving. Any number of local instructors can help you work on refining your personal skills with a tech diving future in mind.

[DockHawk]

As a basic rule what is needed?

Two of everything?

Point taken... thanks.

[DockHawk]

As a basic rule what is needed?

Two of everything?

[DockHawk]

All good points and taken with great regard. So, let me try to make some sense of it all... I do appreciate the concerns as to quality gear. It was not my intention of getting off cheap by any means. I just want to avoid wastful spending in the proccess of accumulating my gear and was simply looking for some do's and dont's, if you will.
Also, I guess I should update my profile eh!!
There is no hurry to get to Tech diving, the intent is get gear that will be able to be used for tech also. That way I am not buying 2 seperate packages if that makes any sense. I think someone did bring that up... Thank you. As for why I want to get into tech diving, well... why do any of us? I know that there is alot to see as a rec. diver and that is all fine and dandy. Let's face it though, there is always that search for the next adventure, knowledge and challange. That being said, I have goals and would like to meet them with some sort of plan in place. Now seems to be a good time to start looking into what it takes to get to that level and see if I personally have what it takes mentaly.
There are those around that have gone off looking for gear in many different places after becoming OW certified and bought up loads of stuff at a huge expense. After a year or so, I have watched these individuals make the transition toward tech diving and go about frantically buying even more gear to replace stuff that is not used in the Tech world. I would like to try to go about it with a bit more sanity and knowledge.
So, thank you all for the input and please point me in the right direction if I bring up some thing stupid.

[DockHawk]

Staged decompression or overhead diving isn't cheap, even if you work at finding things secondhand and at discounts. At a minimum, you would need a set of doubles ($500 and up), a set of doubles regulators (I bought mine well used and they cost me $700), a deco bottle and regulator (tanks around $150, reg is going to run you at least $150 with spg), an argon bottle and regulator (figure roughly $150 to set that up), and a canister light (a super deal will be in the $400 range, and they go up into the mid thousands). On top of that, you have to budget for training, which isn't inexpensive, either.

A very reasonable way to begin is to take a class like UTD Essentials, GUE Fundamentals or NAUI Intro to Tech in a single tank, and get a taste of the skills you'll need and the very different standard to which you will be held in technical diving classes. You can do that relatively inexpensively, although you will need a backplate setup for Fundies (you'll need one for doubles, anyway).

Thanks... that helps a lot! Soounds like a good starting point as to what to start looking for. Greatly appreciated!

[DockHawk]

So in an attempt to elicit a discussion about options short of full on tech diving I started a thread Blurring the line between Tech/Rec. It seemed to me that a discussion of the intermediate training endpoints (or pauses) like UTD Rec3, NAUI Helitrox, and any other similar courses belonged in a separate thread.

Personally I'm taking UTD Essensials now at around a hundred dives. It has been a very positive experience but there isn't any reason that I couldn't have take it our a similar personal skills workshop much earlier. I am building foundational skills that will apply to my current and future diving. Any number of local instructors can help you work on refining your personal skills with a tech diving future in mind.

Good advice. I have talked to a couple of instructors to get a feel for "What next?" Hope to start soon on some new skills. Thanks for the input!

[DockHawk]

Doc,

According to your profile you have about 28 dives right now. Contrary to some people I think it's great that you're thinking about tech diving this early on. Why? Because it will influence your gear and training choice paths from here on out. I know I certainly ended up rebuying quite a bit of stuff. Although you probably need quite a few more dives under your belt to start actual decompression diving tech classes there are a ton of things you can do in the meantime to prepare you for that. And here's the good news: if you decide later on that you do not want to pursue tech diving, the training you will have received and some of the gear you may have purchased (can light) will make your recreational diving that much more enjoyable.

The first thing I'd recommend is a backplate/wing system in combination with a longhose and a bungied necklace secondary. Moving to paddle fins like jets or turtles will provide more control in the water for things like backkicking and more thrust later on when in dubs and deco bottles. Just these gear changes should put you into a position to learn alot of the basic skills and techniques used in technical diving.


Thank you very much!!!! Well put and sounds like you understood exactly what I was intending to ask. So far I have gone out and got the turtles and a few other things that I knew had to be... as far as a light, there are many out there and even some of the not so pricey ones look pretty good so what to look for? After reading miles of specs and stuff I kinda got numb. Any reccomendations?

Do alot of reading and researching on the internet before buying gear. While individual opinions are often worthless unless you know the person giving the advice, you will find trends on what is working well for a large number of people.

Essentials or fundies would be a great next class. My choice would be essentials since the instruction is available locally. If and when the budget allows a cannister light will become your favorite piece of gear quickly. All of these things will both enhance the dives you're already doing as well as prepare you for possible future deeper endeavors. Doubles and second/third regulator sets can wait until you know for sure that you really want to do this. Check out the lineup of HOG gear for some inexpensive yet durable technically oriented gear and don't be afraid to check out the used market. As others hav mentioned there are constantly people getting out of tech diving so there is an abundance of quality gear available on CL, TDS, and this board as well. Research your purchases, buy your kit one piece at a time over time and you can do it on a budget. It still won't be cheap but much more doable.

[CaptnJack]

Superb question, Jake! I always remember Joe Talavera: "Do all the diving you can do with the certification you have, and when you are thoroughly bored, THEN go get more training."

What she said (he). There are lot of recreational dives that are being passed over because people are "rushing" IMHO into deeper and deeper (decompression) diving. Some of the prettiest most enjoyable dives are amazingly shallow: Salt Creek Park, Agate Pass, Wreck of the Anna Foss, etc all <50ft.

[Mattleycrue76]

As far as gear purchases go I'd just go one piece at a time. For technical diving you're going to want a well built cannister light with at least 3hr burn time (maybe more if you see cave diving in your future) and a goodman handle for hands free operation. There are many threads in the gear section as well as on other sites that debate the merits of LED vs. HID. I personally love my Salvo 21w HID (now made by Light Monkey). In order to give you better advice it would help if you told us what kind of budget you'll be woking with.

[Pez7378]

Superb question, Jake! I always remember Joe Talavera: "Do all the diving you can do with the certification you have, and when you are thoroughly bored, THEN go get more training."

That's a perfect quote Lynne.

[LCF]

Yeah, well Joe was a treasure. Losing him was a huge loss to diving education.