My Thoughts On The "D-I-R" Philosophy

[@mtnrider8967]

I’m a relative newbie (under 30 dives) but I buy into a backplate and wing and the long hose setup for the safety and the functionality. I want the ability to help a buddy in an out of air situation without them being a foot or two from my face. I also like to invest in equipment that I can upgrade/reconfigure or replace components on should there be a need to in the future vs just throwing out a jacket style bcd because of one worn part. I look at the DIR as a mindset/philosophy as well, not as set in stone requirement on every dive…but common sense has to be part of any dive philosophy and I don’t see showing up to a pool in doubles, let alone a dry suit, as exhibiting common sense. I see this as an overly inflated ego wanting to show off his gear mindset. If I’m on a shallow 35’ reef dive I don’t need redundant lights or even a backup mask as they aren’t warranted in that situation. But a night dive would obviously require a different approach and thought process. I think being open and educated to all of the ways folks dive and the configurations they dive in makes you not only a better diver but a better dive buddy and a better human as it allows you to adapt to doing what we all love and that’s getting away from the surface, plain and simple

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Mtn Rider, just a heads up, we are pinning you comment on top. For a new diver, you have a seasoned professionals outlook. And as you stated, COMMON SENSE is the key.

[@SummersideDiver]

This is a great comment. Situational awareness and common sense cover a lot of our needs. My reserve is a redundancy, my buddy’s cylinder is a redundancy, and visa versa for the buddy. If we dive within our training and plan each dive, we should not need to bring every piece of our kit for every dive, we can tailor the kit to the dive. And for a little background, I’m a relatively new scuba diver, but with several years of north coast California free diving experience. DIR sounds like a great philosophy in circumstances that require it, but on many dives it sounds like overkill. Thanks Bryan for making this video and for sharing your thoughts, with both pros and cons. And thanks Mtn Rider for the thoughtful comments. It’s awesome that we can all share our thoughts and create positive discussions like this.

[@timgosling6189]

Well said! I'm a DIR diver but the thing I take from it is to use it as a philosophy to guide you in a given situation. So for instance if I'm with my regular buddies on side mount or twins it's good to know that our kit is rigged the same way. If I'm helping someone in an emergency I know where their spare mask is, I know how to remove their kit on the surface. We all know the same process for donating and sharing air. But if I go on a holiday resort boat dive with a bunch of strangers I'll take a single-tank wing with the regs rigged as per the recreational standard, so others will instinctively know I'm going to give them my octo as per their training. If there are other differences, like where my weights are, then I'll go throught them with my assigned buddy during our checks. DIR is a framework with some great reasoning behind it. So understand that reasoning, and use it to think about how you yourself go diving. Then decide what bits are appropriate to you.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I like how you explained DIR as a framework Tim Gosling, as this is how I see it as well. Another great thing you mention is the importance of proper checks before the dive ever begins. This to me is even more important than the knowledge of how to solve a problem after it occurs. One of the things I stress in the Rescue Dive Course is, the best way to solve a problem, is to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place. The way we structure our Rescue Courses are as follows. Academic sessions help us prevent problems before they happen. Pool sessions allow us to practice practical applications in the event problems still happen that are outside of our control. And finally, the Open Water sessions is where we all bring it together in a semi controlled (uncontrolled) environment, to see how we would handle a situation in the real world.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Hunter Falkner, as we have stated to others, we are not out to bash anyone, and we are not against the DIR Philosophy. Personally I believe divers have to make their own decisions as to what's right for them, and common sense should be a deciding variable as well. We have an entire series of videos coming out displaying all the equipment I am currently wearing for 2022, and you will see that it varies depending on the type of diving that I am doing. Its a total of 8 different videos, and I'm sure people will find it very interesting to say the least. Anywhere from my recreational, technical, commercial, and Public Safety Gear will all be discussed and broke down to why I use it. Stay tuned.

[@uniquediver]

I've been teaching over 25 years now and am constantly learning, tweaking, and evolving. I think I could teach another 25 and still not be able to draw a line in the sand and make the statement that I'm "Doing It Right"! The name itself stagnates change. You can totally be on the right track, but if you don't move, you'll get run over by the train!

[@jeffconley6366]

I agree, I started diving 45 years ago and my equipment configuration has evolved over the years. And will probably continue to.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I couldn't agree more clint seeley. As time change, we much change as well. I know my gear needs have changed over my career, and sometimes they change back. We have an entire series of videos coming out, where I show my current rigs for 2022, and in each of those videos I talk about how my gear change has changed over the years depending on the type of diving I'm doing.

[@KB-gd6fc]

I'm a GUE trained cave and technical diver. My opinion is this; DIR has its merits. The standardization of configuration and procedure is super beneficial when planning and executing a complicated technical dive within a team. BUT it isn't the right tool for every job and it doesn't offer a solution for every type of diving. For example im also Public Saftey Diver, standard DIR configuration isn't appropriate for PSD in contaminated water. One other thing I want to address, DIR dogma DOESN'T state that doubles are required for non technical dives. Single tank, single 1st stage configurations are totally acceptable on non technical dives. There seems to be a misconception that the philosophy dictates ALWAYS having a redundant gas supply system via doubles or H valves. Bryan, I think your views on this are well rounded and very sound. I'm actually surprised you were so generous to the DIR crowd lol. I expected you'd rip into us 😂 I appreciate you sharing your thoughts!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello K B, glad you liked the video. Focusing on your last sentence first, I have no reason to rip into the DIR crowd for any reason. As stated in the video, I'm not against the philosophy as a whole, as I personally believe there are times its needed and should be followed. I personally like what the WKPP started way back when, and I like how its been adapted to fit other diving scenarios. (A little fun fact for you, several of my closest dive buddies are DIR disciples and would never dive any other way.) I probably could have done a better job in explaining the corruption part in the video. Like you, I too am a Public Safety Diver (and many other titles being in the Industry), and have to wear the appropriate equipment for a given dive. When a diver (the small handful mentioned in the video) tells a newer diver that the only way to dive safely is by following a said philosophy, then the DIR Philosophy itself can become corrupted at Face Value. The same applies with a Dive Instructor in general. If one of us make a mistake, the first thing the public does is relate that Instructor to his or her training agency. Now that agency is bad because one Instructor made a mistake. Any prudent person would understand that its not the agency's fault, as the Instructor was the one that made the mistake, but as humans, we get fixated on passing the buck up to the top. To me, DIR is a tool that all divers should know about and be familiar with, even if they never decide to go into an overhead environment or make any technical dives. But this does not mean they must abide nor dive by it. At the Open Water level, if a diver expresses interest in going that route, then I see no reason why they should not be allowed to start with a DIR complaint rig. In an upcoming series of videos (8 to be exact), we will be displaying my current rigs for 2022. I think a lot of divers will be shocked to see what I actually wear on a daily basis. Stay tuned.

[@williamsweet7511]

If I'm going for a 2 mile hike on an easy trail I'm not bringing my tent, sleeping bag, and rock climbing gear. If I'm going into the woods for a week I'm bringing everything I need. Diving is no different IMHO

[@LarsDennert]

Indeed and dir is also about only bringing what's appropriate.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You make a great point William Sweet.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I totally agree with you Lars Dennert, only bringing what is appropriate for a specific dive. Unfortunately, for the Divemaster mentioned in the video, his gear selection for the Try Scuba Program was not appropriate, and claiming the DIR Philosophy for his justification did nothing to support the mindset of bringing the appropriate equipment for a dive.

[@NCLong]

A very good video!! I like how you express your opinion without bashing and I agree with your assessment.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello NCLong, glad you liked the video. For the record, I have no reason to bash the DIR crowd or the DIR Philosophy.

[@UKDiver]

A totally sensible approach. It's about having the right tool to do the job (or dive) and get it done well. Good talking peice. Cheers

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video UKDiver.

[@micheleiuliano6986]

I really enjoyed the video! Even though I’m a DIR diver I totally agree with the fact that a dry suite and a twinset with long hose configuration, canister light and a backup light is not required for a shallow reef dive! But this is the philosophy: doing it right means take the right equipment for the specific dive and use procedures and standardization which make every dive safer!! Well done anyway!!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video Michele luliano.

[@bunsoybee]

we need more dive professionals in the same wavelength with you!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Lar Lario, thank you for the kind words.

[@jamesbach2021]

I dive tech, I dive rec, I am a former member of a dive rescue team, I dive vintage and I dive at Silver Springs Florida as a re enactment diver for the Sea Hunt TV series. I use the right tool for the job. I've seen some of these DIR folks in action. They would probably faint if they saw me diving a classic double hose regulator on a steel 72 and almost nothing else. Lol

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello James Bach, first let me say I am super jealous of you being a re-enactment diver at Silver Springs. And like you, I too have a bunch of vintage gear that I still dive with occasionally.

[@drewmcvicker1445]

I had never heard of DIR diving so I’m glad you covered the topic. Your perspective is just common sense. You don’t use a deer rifle to hunt squirrels. I really enjoy your channel, keep up the good work!

[@georgerice8600]

Agree never heard about DIR but if you think about it, you’re more or less using what you’ve learned over the years of diving and commonsense.

[@greybeardcomics1196]

Just gotta pop them in the head…

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Drew McVicker, glad you liked the video and our channel. DIR is not something that is new, as its been around since the 1990's. And the original philosophy has great value to all divers, not just overhead environment and technical divers. But, as stated in the video, it has changed over the years as most philosophies do, and the philosophy itself has been corrupted by a small handful of divers. In the grand scheme of things, at the recreational level, if the status quo of way things are done is dangerous, and DIR is the only way to do it, then the Scuba Industry would be totally different. Manufactures are still making standard equipment and teaching non DIR courses. The truth of the matter is simple. There are times when DIR is necessary and times when it is not. As another viewer stated, DIR is more about being a thinking diver, than always using a specific gear configuration.

[@mikkosport2300]

I mainly agree your arguments. Myself I am DIR trained and have used doubles with long hose etc (now most of dives I do with my CCR). However, for shallow and warm dives (pools, recreational tropical sites etc) I use wetsuit and single tank wing&backplate. Even having only one 1st stage I prefer long hose (mine is 5 feet) for a reason. It allows my head to turn easier. Also the routime of donating the long hose works just like I have learned wit doubles. The setup provides also streamlining which improves efficiency.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks for sharing Mikko Sport. For the record, our video is not an argument for why someone should or should not dive the DIR Philosophy, but more so why I choose not to. As I have stated to others, we have an entire series of videos coming out displaying all the equipment I am wearing in 2022, and why I choose to wear it. I think a lot of divers and viewers on here will be shocked to see what I wear for each dive I make.

[@jackjackattack9137]

Thanks Bryan, this is very helpful ! My boys and I watch your vids to help us expect before we begin our training in about a month. Thanks !!!

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello jackjackattack, glad you liked the video. I hope you guys have a great Open Water Course.

[@rapha9125]

i dive DIR and i love it. But i would never go to a pool in a drysuit or in doubles. When i dive in really warm water i dive wet aswell, with other sources of redundancy. DIR is more about the thinking diver, then a standart that applys to all enviroments. But of course some divers dont understand this. And a d12 with drysuit diver in a pool is not a good example of DIR

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Rapha, I completely agree with you. And for the record, as stated in the video, I'm not against DIR in any way. I personally believe all divers should be thinking divers. And yes, there are plenty of times that a standardized equipment configuration is needed. But as you stated, there are a small handful of divers out there that are more of what I can followers than thinkers.

[@aevans692]

hi really like this vid .. I wouldn't describe myself as a Dir diver, nor would I describe myself as purely recreational diver, nor full on tec diver .. I started scuba just to clean my sail boat lol.. but then it sucked me in . lol.. Im a technical rescue specialist for the fire service, with a long background in extended duration breathing apparatus & search and rescue, so when my daughter and I started scuba it felt like I already had a ton of experience and familiarity with certain principles and best practices which I found carries over into scuba, least for me .. When we started out I looked at many different aspects of kit setup, different dive philosophies such as Dir , we also had a idea what type of diving we eventually wanted to do .. We pretty much dive cold water, an really wanted to explore many of the wrecks which are around our coast, I almost only dive with my daughter and from our own newly bought rib :) A lot of the DIR concept made sense to me, I feel that I took aspect from the DIR concept , aspects from my work background and from rec diving and came up with what works for us,.. We mainly dive Sidemount now this is predominantly because Im unable to move , stow back mount double on our boats, and wanted to save my back a bit ..lol.. we do dive with a long hose setup , and did this even when in back mount , the long hose felt familiar to me from a rescue background , my daughter and I do match our kit, and bought into the redundancy of the full on tec guys , two computers, three lights, redundant air , two masks, two cutting tools...... Now , when we do lake , quarry dives at dive centres , we tend to dive in the same way with the same setup as we would dive from our boat on a wreck dive , we tend to do this so we keep our skills up with the equipment and equipment layout that we use on wrecks and real world diving .. Now If I was diving with other people, of different levels, holiday diving or more pleasure diving , I would probably change my kit a little to something more generic .. I have had many kit discussions at dive sites regarding kit , and why im diving S/M when im not in a cave, and I understand why people frown upon this, but after I explain that we dive from a 5m rib and a sail boat , and we train with our equipment for this , and that we couldn't manage/ store , and that my wife wouldn't be able to life a set of back mount doubles , people then understand. .. we dont see many SM divers at the inland dive centres .. So I really think as you said the right tools for the job, and what works best for the diving your doing ... :) Great vids ..

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello aevans692, thank you for sharing with us. Glad you liked our video. Having the right tool for the job is part of the DIR Philosophy, and like you, I believe there are parts to it that really make sense and all divers could benefit from. This being said though, the corruption part of this is when we say this is the only way to do it, or this is the only tool that will work. This is where I start having problems with the Philosophy as a whole. As I stated in the video, I believe the DIR Philosophy is great and for certain types of diving, it should be followed, but I would never tell anyone that doing it another way in other situations is wrong or unsafe. In our on going series of my Personal Rig Rundowns for 2022, I am displaying all of the equipment that I am using in 2022, some DIR based, some not. But, all has a theme of consistency, comfort, safety, and practical application. I hope a lot of our viewers will find the series interesting and educational.

[@metetuneri]

Great standing point. A diver needs to learn to listen to the water, the ocean. No matter what your diving plan is you need to adjust or alter that plan according to that day's situation. You also need different equipment for different situations. Like you need to listen to the student. Everyone has different needs to succeed. I've been raised by a common recreational mind and gear setup. 98% of every diver around me is still in the same mind. (No tec divers around me). Once I had the privilege the dive with a 50-year-old fenzy. I mean the simplest harness and the smallest bladder around my neck that I should inflate with my mouth at the surface. With much less weight I was like a bird inside the water, diving was so easy. So I want the take from the DIR world a bcd system that has much less drag and weight needed. Thanks for sharing.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video Mete Tuneri.

[@mustanggun]

I would consider myself a DIR diver. I'm also a fixed-wing pilot, and like DIR divers, pilots love redundancy. I have friends that have had blowouts from their first stage for example and go to buddy breathing. I'm not a huge believer in depending on a buddy to save my life. I believe when we dive we should not depend on another diver to save our own life, and we should carry our own load and be independent, and not be the weak link (as I was also an airborne infantryman) on a team. A team is only as strong as it's the weakest man. With that being said, I'm not against diving with a buddy. To me, diving with one tank with one set of regulators is not nearly as safe as diving with two tanks and two sets of regs. Overall, I just feel much safer with two of everything, whether it's on my back or on my sides. I believe the current rec setup is not as safe as a long hose and neckless combo. I do have a single tank rig (that I rarely us btw) but it is set up with a long hose and neckless, and if students or anyone still prefer to dive single tank, I suggest students or new drivers at least install and learn to use a long hose and neckless setup on their single tank. If we make the long hose/neckless setup standard in the scuba community it would be safer and everyone would be on the same sheet of music, which is safer also.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello W Brown Jr. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject. This is the type of discussion we were hoping to see here. Sharing thoughts not arguing. This is how divers learn.

[@stevenwood1468]

I dive a backplate and wing with a single piece harness because I tried it and liked it. I don’t do fully redundant on things because I do recreational diving. I am also one that believes , the right equipment for the situation so as to be safe.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I agree with you 100 percent Steven Wood. The equipment we wear for each dive needs to be safe and fit the needs of that dive. To say there is only one type of equipment for all the dives we make is simply not true.

[@jeffconley6366]

There are somethings about the DIR philosophy I think should be mainstream. Like primary donate. It has several advantages. One, the second stage to share is always in the same place! Two, a panicked diver knows the regulator in your mouth works. Three, a longer hose allows more separation between divers when sharing air. These are just a few examples.

[@richardkilburn2253]

You've listed several positives about primary donate (and I don't disagree). However, consider the following: two divers are newly certified for their trip to the Caribbean. Having no dives other than their OW cert dives, they sign up for a dive charter. This being their first actual dive without direct supervision, they are enthralled with a reef and do not watch their gauges. One diver runs out of air. What do you think that diver is going to do? 1) Think about the two times they performed a skill (1 pool and 1 OW), calmly turn to their buddy and give the OOA signal, and wait for the regulator? OR 2) Start to freak out and reach for a regulator without any signal? In the second scenario (much more likely with inexperienced divers), a primary donate requires the OOA diver grabs the reg in the buddy's mouth...creating TWO panicked divers. If the buddy has a bright yellow octo hanging on their right chest, perhaps the OOA diver grabs that one, calms down, and then communicates. If they grab the reg in the buddy's mouth, then you are no worse off than you would be with primary donate. I think primary donate is great, but only for those with experience (and some experience with things going badly).

[@richardkilburn2253]

I should also add that thus far my buddy is typically my son, so I want him close in an emergency to calm him down. To Brian's point: the circumstances dictate everything!

[@jeffconley6366]

@@richardkilburn2253 is the octo on the chest? There is no consistency in where the octo is placed. How often have you seen it dragging across the bottom. Yes, primary donate does require divers less likely to panic. Which brings up the problem with how divers are currently trained. Currently, the training agencies turn them out to quickly. In the old days ....

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jeff Conley, a cool little fun fact for you. A lot of training agencies teach primary donate. SSI being one of the largest agencies teach this at the Open Water level, and is a minimum standard for all SSI courses. Out of the 5 Training Agencies I have taught for, PADI, SSI, PDIC, SEI, and CMAS, 4 of the 5 teach primary donate.

[@richardkilburn2253]

@@LakeHickoryScuba Interesting! I think there are many benefits, but I fear it will cause additional panic with inexperienced divers.

[@kevindavison6019]

I'd have to agree with the many other commenters on this video and your sentiments. There are many ways to do things and they vary based on your experience and situation. I think that it is important to learn about different types of diving and equipment setups so that you can make the best decision about what works for you. Any diver should be able to give a reason for their configuration or technique that comes from experience, or reasoned thought, rather than "my instructor told me so" or "XYZ manufacturer is the best" or "its just the DIR way". I have changed my equipment setup as I have progressed in my diving, as I gain experience I try new things and decide what I like and don't like, I also have to take into consideration that my regular dive buddy is not as "invested" as I am so I don't want to put her off to diving all together, or reducing safety, by forcing new equipment on her.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video Kevin Davison.

[@RetroDiver]

I'm aspiring to take the GUE Fundamentals course as a recreational diver. I'm not fortunate enough to put in hundreds of dives annually, so I try to keep my equipment configuration consistent, as it's what I know and comfortable with (not to mention I'm not of financial means to have multiple sets). That said I don't bring my dry suit when I go diving in the Caribbean.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello RetroDiver, I personally have never taken the GUE Fundamentals Course, but I have taken several other agencies equivalence. In general, these level of courses are great transitions for divers who are not familiar with technical based systems. They are very challenging, and are a great way to access your personal diving abilities. I'm sure you will find the course very beneficial.

[@physically271]

Totally agree with your opnion about DIR. Some divers are over-redunded in some cases. DIR is great philosophy. But still, it’s neccesary for divers to keep developing their basic skills like buoyancy.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Totally agree Joe.

[@Hoveton9513]

In my opinion, DIR diving is all about accurate Risk Assessment, and the application of the correct mitigation measures to your type of dive - essentially "Doing it Right" the RIGHT WAY!. I was a formally trained UK Military Sports Diving Supervisor (SADS), and the emphasis was always on the DIR for the kind of dive you were about to do. In other words, if it is not a "Tec" style of dive then you don't need all that gear. OC opposed to CC. Unless of course, the dive is a training dive and you need to practice a particular kind of drill, etc. Having to take too much unnecessary equipment with you is really against the risk assessment for that particular kind of dive. Now a lapsed SADS, I still apply all those sensible philosophies I was taught but with a modern twist. If you don't need it don't take it.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

That is an awesome view Michael Hewitt. I believe all divers could benefit from that view point. Thanks for sharing.

[@hatredsgames]

I’m a diving instructor, also a solo diver. I dive the “DIR” when solo because you’d have to be incredibly stupid to solo dive with a single air source even if you’re relatively shallow. I’ve heard about DIR and never really bought into it myself but when you’re solo or doing ultra deep dives on OC the idea of DIR works well.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us hatredsgames.

[@markbond08]

My thoughts as someone who took GUE fundies a month ago: DIR is an outdated term that GUE no longer uses, because it sounds pretentious. They have not given up on the idea of a rigid system however. The GUE system is meant to allow divers from all over the work come together and quickly plan an execute challenging exploration dives. A lot of times these dives are privately funded, so time is money. Standardized equipment is only one aspect of the GUE system. When you are thousands of feet back in a cave, everyone on the team needs to have every emergency procedure drilled perfectly and committed to muscle memory. That's impossible when everyone has different gear and different procedures. Concerning a backplate and wing, as a rec diver on a budget, I will never buy another jacket style BCD. They're usually more expensive than backplate and wings, and they aren't modular. You can slowly build up your bp/w over time. You can replace pieces that fail. As for a drysuit, I have practiced with mine in the pool multiple times and been very comfortable. Will I wear it on a drift dive in Florida? No. But even in "warm" water, if you are doing a bunch of dives, you'll start to get cold diving wet. What really impressed me about GUE was their pragmatism. They aren't more conservative than PADI/SSI etc in all situations, but in the situations that they are, they present evidence and accident reports detailing why. My favorite example is not diving air below 100'. When I was presented with the data on narcosis, and how depth can affect gas densities and hypercapnia, I was amazed that there haven't been many more accidents diving air to 130-140. Some of the deco calculations that GUE does on the fly may be less conservative than PADI/SSI etc. Even as an instructor with years of experience, I would HIGHLY encourage you to give GUE fundamentals a try, even if you have no plans on diving the GUE system ever again. The information and the way it's presented was so far ahead of anything that was ever presented to me by PADI/SSI that I struggle to put it into words.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Mark Mullins, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Several of my divers and professionals here at the shop have taken the GUE Fundamentals course. A cool little fun fact for you, there are several agencies that teach a Fundamentals Course, very similar to GUE's. SSI being our main agency just happens to be one of those. I personally believe all can benefit from these courses as well.

[@ernaerin]

I am a DIR diver and here's why: First, I dive in cold water and dark water, so a dry suit and a configuration that is minimal is best for my situation. Second, I tried about a dozen jacket BCs and none of them fit my body-type, but a wing and backplate solved that problem instantly, fit great, and is adjustable (for loaning it to someone or if your COVID weigh necessitates a change). Third, having standardized equipment means that everyone on my team knows where my stuff is and how it works and--bonus--if I forget something, someone always has a spare. Fourth, the webbing is cheap so if I am in an emergency situation, I can be cut out of my gear easily to ditch it and it costs $30 to replace. Fifth, doing a share-air with a panicked diver is easier with 7' of hose to keep them close to me but not clawing at me. In the situation where I have needed to share air because of an emergency, it was easy and quick for me to get a reg in their mouth and one in mine as well. Those are just my gut reasons. That guy in the pool is being ridiculous--I agree with you there.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us ErintheCoach. I too share the COVID weight issue LOL. Maybe this is why I have so many different set ups. I can call one my skinny set up, and one my COVID Weight setup. By the way, we have a series of videos coming out (8 to be exact) displaying my current 2022 set ups. They will be broken up by sub systems, Tanks, BCD's, Regulators, Computers, Mask, Fins, Exposure Suits, Accessories. Stay tuned.

[@cameronmahaffey3798]

In your dir pool scenario, my response would be “I’m setting an example to the individuals being introduced to scuba, they can see different setups from the beginning”. Same reason I won’t wear a jacket style in a ow class.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Cameron Mahaffey, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

[@MultiHunterOne]

I really liked the video as it was very well presented and not focused on bashing DIR unlike another youtuber who was very focused on bashing the long hose without any real arguments to back him up. My thoughts are that saying "oh I need a drysuit in case my BCD fails" in a situation where you can stand up is hilarious to say the least although I completely understand someone who wants to dive in a drysuit in a warm pool, because why not? It's an opportunity to practice diving a drysuit and I can't really find a situation where it's a bad idea to use it. I dive in europe so in a year it's only 3-4 months where it's warm enough to dive a wetsuit, not that it matters a whole lot as the water below 10 meters is usually 4 degrees Celsius no matter the season. What I've noticed is that the more dedicated divers (or those that want to dive outside that small window for that matter) will don a drysuit and seeing people with long hoses in twinsets or sidemount is not uncommon at all. Does that make them DIR divers? As much as a drysuit is a necessity to make these dives any sort of comfortable, the twinsets also have their place as that allows for longer dives and the extra margin of safety is always welcome. My personal opinion? I'm going to dive a double 12 and a drysuit just because I have a wing for a double 12, I have regs configured for a twin and I'm going to don a drysuit because otherwise I'm going to be cold. Does that make me a DIR diver? I don't know, maybe. I like the philosophy.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Hunter Falkner, glad you like the video. We have never had the intentions to bash anyone or any training agency that follows the DIR Philosophy. We encourage all divers to dive what they feel is the most appropriate systems for the dives they make. This video was simply my personal thoughts on the DIR Philosophy as a whole and my experience with it.

[@MultiHunterOne]

@@LakeHickoryScuba And it was very well presented with good arguments, good going.

[@Litehamer]

Hi . I love this video, I like some of the DIR philosophy and am taking some DIR lessons for the core skills of trim etc . However , I like To think of it as having what you need for the given circumstances. If I’m in Saint Lucia with my good lady , completing resort dives with a guide , there is no way I’ll be in a drysuit, with a umbilical torch , back up torch , three masks on a twinset.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Litehamer, like you there are certain aspects of the DIR Philosophy that I personally like (hence why I said in the video that I'm not against it), but for every dive that I make, its not only impractical but simply not necessary to follow it verbatim.

[@mikloszakar5314]

I really think that one should use the right tools for the right job. There are dives where you need doubles, there are dives when you need sidemount and in most of the cases a single tank is enough. The problem is this. Not all of us dive every day and you need to get the skills with each setup. For example I switched to doubles not so long time ago and I performed many dives in shallow warm water with doubles and in a drysuit. From some perspective it is nonsense, but I needed to get the skills before I went my cave training. Also I would really like to get my hands on a rebreather but one thing which holds me back (apart from the price tag) is that I know that if I get one I will need to dive it all the time to get (and keep) the skills and in many cases it is lot easier and convenient to just get a bottle put a regulator on it jump into the water than do the preparation procedure (with prebreathing and stuff) which is necessary for rebreather diving. (Anyway that probably won't stop me.... 🙂 I will get one sooner or later!)

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Miklos Zakar, you make a great point. No matter what system we choose to wear, practicing with it is very essential to being safe and efficient. And for the record, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing doubles and a Drysuit in shallow warm water. A lot of the times around our area, you will find me in my Drysuit in Sidemount (doubles not singles), even in 20 feet or less of water.

[@Robert_H_Diver]

Some DIR guys are cool, some are clowns. I’ve adopted the long hose set up on my recreational set up because I like it, but by no means am I DIR and don’t get butthurt if other do things different.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello robert harrison, this is what we feel all divers should do. Wear the equipment that is first in foremost appropriate for the dives they are making, but also to dive the equipment they like and makes them comfortable.

[@jeffconley6366]

I like the idea of consistency in gear configuration to a point. I realize DIR is taught by more than one agency. I think GUE is the largest that teaches it. They do not require a twin set or drysuits. At least in their non technical setup. I started diving 45 years ago and the options for equipment has expanded not contracted.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jeff Conley, you make a great point, the options have definitely expanded over the years. Even in my short 34 years of diving, I have seen a huge expansions in equipment options.

[@jeffconley6366]

@@LakeHickoryScuba it may only have been 34 years. But, I bow to your greater experience in those 34 years than my 45 years.😊 I look forward to meeting you one of these days. I will try to stop by your shop sometime this year. I live in Apex near Cary.

[@DubaiDiver]

Excellent video Brian thank you

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Glad you liked the video Brian Davies Scuba.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

DIR isn't bad because some divers take it to the extreme. Taking backmounted doubles and a drysuit in 3 feet of water to teach a try dive is definitely taking it to the extremes. On the other hand, it's nice to be able to show different types of SCUBA setups to new divers, so they don't think that a jacket style BCD with a single cylinder and an octo is the only way to go. DIR was developed to provide redundancy and reduce possible failure points. Again, you can take that to the extreme. You can have 5 SPG's for redundancy, or none to reduce failure points. DIR requires you to think about what you're doing, and why you're doing it. Just blindly following some standard without knowing why isn't DIR. For recreational diving, DIR isn't necessary. You always have a buddy with you, and you always have a clear path to the surface. DIR in recreational diving isn't a bad thing either. You learn to dive on a system that can be carried over into technical diving. If you're buying your own gear, that means you don't have to replace everything when you do progress to technical diving. I dive DIR in REC, because it's a setup that does work in many situations. A long hose works on singles, doubles, and sidemount. A BP&W keeps you in trim. Backup lights, computers, and cutting tools, means that you can continue to dive when something fails. A redundant air source means you can switch to a working system while you sort out the one that's failed, and give your buddy time to get to you to assist. I like my alternate being on a necklace, because it's always in the same place and easy to reach. Diving DIR also means you need to take responsibility of going over the gas sharing and emergency procedures with your (insta)buddy. You're the one diving a non-standard setup. A jacket style BCD and an octo is still the standard in SCUBA diving.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us @bloddymarvelous4790.

[@Crabath]

The Philosophy of DIR is ok I think in general. But I’m sorry to say that most GUE/DIR divers I’ve met is a little bit too much believers that tries to convince everyone that there’s only one way to dive and everything else is wrong… As long as you stay safe and feel comfortable with your gears you Do It Right in my opinion…

[@Robert_H_Diver]

DIR and GUE divers are pretty “cult-ish.”

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Sonny Sundelin, I completely understand where you are coming from. And for the record, I personally do not believe all DIR divers are that way, just a small handful. Unfortunately though, that small handful tends to be the loudest, and they are the ones that I feel have corrupted the Philosophy. Like you, I believe all divers should be comfortable and stay safe while underwater, regardless of what they wear.

[@la5150hi-lophoto]

I totally respect your opinion…why? Because you have what’s called experience and longevity. Too many “divemasters” have the verification but ZERO experience.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Kathy Weigel. Thanks for the compliment. As an Instructor who trains plenty of Divemasters each year, I find myself sharing your feelings. As an Instructor, I have to follow a set of training standards that say once those standards have been met, then I must certify them as a new Dive Professional. Then afterwards I constantly worry about how they will be as a professional, as its a direct reflection of how I trained them. But, I try to remember how I was when I first became a Divemaster way back when. I was fortunate enough to have some great mentors who helped me grow as a professional. So I take those newly certified Divemasters, and I begin to mentor them. I've been blessed enough to see several of those new Divemasters not only continue their training to go on to be Instructors, but some even go further and beyond what I have, and I have even taking several courses from them. Talk about the student becoming the teacher and the teacher becoming the student. We all start somewhere. It usually takes mistakes and time to become masters in a craft. If we take Mistakes and add it to Time, we get Experience.

[@rgorji]

I am DIR. For me DIR stands for Doing it Relaxed.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Rezo Gorji, I like your interpretation of DIR. I always prefer to be relaxed while diving.

[@LarsDennert]

There are many things as a GUE diver that other divers don't think about on their rec dives. My kids both dive a bpw but they aren't "dir" compliant. That's ok. They don't do gas planning or ndl in their head. That's ok. I dive with non dir divers all the time and that's ok too. I'm not there to change everything about how they dive. I just want them to be safe for the dives they are doing though. I don't dive strictly dir. I may not have the correct pockets on every suit or clutch my wet notes on a beach dive. However it's pretty easy to spot a diver trained that way. Some will nit pick each other. Some will observe, adapt and just go diving.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Lars Dennert, you most certainly can pick out divers who have been trained in the DIR Philosophy, regardless of the training agency. And you make a great distinction between the two different groups. There are those that I like to call CDO (a jokingly way of saying OCD, see what I did there LOL), and those that live an let dive. The same applies to Dive Instructors as well. There's the group of professionals that are very OCD, and by the book even outside of training, and then there is the group that simply live and lets dive.

[@fakatebi]

well said !

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you Farshid Katebi.

[@kentemple6498]

Well apparently my instructors are not DIR divers. I OW certified 10 years ago and I’m now an SSI master diver. Just saying in all that training, this is the first I’ve heard of it. Based on your examples it seems overkill and/or too redundant. Is it possible that it was formed, and still today is, a sales tool? If that’s the case then shame on them.

[@LarsDennert]

Part of it is that tec diving is a layering of equipment. You need to to the basics in a particular way in order to layer the additional equipment needed on other dives in a sensible organized and standardized way. It's not obvious in the beginning until you later have to change things around. Imagine building a house where you put the concrete foundations in the wrong spot but still need the roof to be in the correct spot. Something won't work later. If you never dive those other dives you can do it how you see fit. But, you might learn something if you choose to reach a little higher.

[@KB-gd6fc]

Definitely not a sales tool. Bryan touched on it a little but I'll explain further. The WKPP is a cave research ream. During their early days they started bringing more divers onto the team. The problem they kept running into is that, in the 90s, everyone was being trained differently. The WKPP leaders eventually founded their own agency (GUE) so that they could train people to work with the WKPP. They built their training around a philosophy of streamlining, simplicity, and expandability. They called this philosophy "Doing It Right" Today, GUE is trying to distance itself from the term "DIR" because so many people have used it to beat other divers over the head. That was never the intent.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Ken Temple, anything is possible, but I do not believe the sales tool had anything to do with it. When the WKPP set out to eliminate overhead environment fatalities, I believe this was their only goal.

[@robertb2744]

The big problem is defining precisely what DIR is or is not. It's NOT about having a bunch of redundancies!!! In fact, the DIR philosophy is actually quite the opposite. "When in doubt, leave it at home." It's a minimalistic "take only what you need" approach to diving. It's about reducing the number of failure points in your setup. It's about you and your dive buddies being on the same page and having a similar gear setup so you are familiar with their gear and safety procedures. It's about being in shape and having the stamina and mental fortitude to escape bad situations.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello @robertb2744, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject.

[@TheLoosenit2]

🍿

[@stevewarren6608]

I think it's wrong to get fixated on one way of doing things. Otherwise, diving does not evolve. Presumably, even DIR will change over time.

[@StalkerTravnik]

I would like to dive DIR, but when all of your students have usual gear that looks like not right way of teaching 🙂

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Stalker Travnik. To me, its not so much about the appearance between the Instructor and the Teacher. Its more on the appropriateness of the situation. A little fun fact about all of the professional staff at Lake Hickory Scuba (and SSI as a whole), we all teach certain aspects of the DIR Philosophy. A great example of this is primary donate (which is required by training standards for SSI). And as for Lake Hickory Scuba, all of our staff wear Back Plate and Wings while our students wear more traditional BCD's. This of course does not make us DIR in any way shape or form, but what it does do is, it shows students that they can try different types of equipment until they find what works for them.

[@dclangst]

Thinking there’s only one way to do things is rigid thinking. I’m sure there are some cool DIR folks out there but y’all need to talk to your buddies because so many of them I’ve met at jerks that I steer clear of anyone who says they are.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Thelangst, this is a prime example of the small handful of divers I spoke about in the video. As others have stated the current state of DIR preaches all divers should be thinking divers and dive the equipment that is appropriate for a given dive, and unfortunately, that small handful is unable to understand what that means.

[@Sebastian-mh8jx]

i know plenty of divers who also would come to a pool dive in a dry suit. However their reason would simply be that they don't own a wet suit..

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Sebastian, that is definitely a legitimate reason to come to the pool in a Drysuit. As would be a diver who was taking a Drysuit course, or one that was wanting to work on Drysuit skills. In this case though, this diver was a Divemaster, meaning a professional working in the industry. In my experience, professionals in the Industry can afford a wetsuit and its safe to say that the majority of the shops in the world would require their professional staff to be appropriately equipped for the courses they are teaching.

[@johnchurch2321]

I DIR Dive for the same reason I wear a cloth mask; so I can complain to other people about how they aren’t doing it. #toxictrates haha

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Mr. Church, one of my favorite Divemasters. It was great seeing you the other day. By the way, Jeremy was able to save the boots from your 4th Element Drysuit. Next time you are in town, let me know, and I can get them to you.

[@johnchurch2321]

@@LakeHickoryScuba Thanks dad!

[@dediver]

I think, he's not against DIR

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

You would be correct dediver. I believe there is a time and place for all philosophies in scuba diving. I also believe, that a diver should be proficient in many different systems and philosophies, so that they can adapt to any type of situation while underwater.

[@jonnieinbangkok]

I'm not down with the scuba Nazis either.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Hello Jonnie Bangkok, just to clarify, I personally do not believe that all DIR divers are Scuba Nazis, just a small handful. But I know what you mean.

[@landgin3781]

It, like alot if things, needs common sense for a correct application

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

I agree completely Landgin.

[@olivervogt4679]

You cannot blame DIR for stupidity of Individuals

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

That is very interesting @olivervogt. Considering DIR is a philosophy and not a human being, you would be correct. As I stated in the video, I am not against DIR, just choose not to follow the philosophy.

[@SuperScubaTim]

Dude, you are missing the whole point, I think. I actually don’t know what the point of the video is. Bring what you need for a dive and no more is part of the philosophy. Like the video on the 7mm suits, you need to do a bit more homework on the subject.

[@LakeHickoryScuba]

Thank you for sharing you thoughts in the subject Neil Egerton.