Posted by JRM on June 08, 2001 at 12:31:56:
OK folks back to the good stuff. First of all, let me point out that I am *not* a technical diver. I'm not DIR as I've seen it rigidly defined, and I own a single piece of halcyon gear (A pioneer wing). I consider myself a relative SCUBA newbie, but I feel very at home in the water.
Now, it seems lately that a bunch of people have been dumping on the DIR folks for pimping Halcyon gear. And they do. A lot. I was a captive audience at my local store recently when the Dive-Rite rep was in, and he was really convinced this whole DIR thing was a conspiracy to sell gear (and not his). I have also heard this voiced here on this board, and others, somewhat recently. "DIR was created by the Halcyon folks (JJ in particular) to sell their gear."
As a view from the sidelines, I find that rather unfair, especially to a guy like JJ. Whom I've only met once, but was a real stand up guy there, and from everything else I've read by him, is top shelf. Let's face it, DIR folks push Halcyon gear. No denying it, and I don't think they should nor have to. In fact, right on my wing, under where it says Halcyon, it says "The Doing It Right Company". Here's where we tie in the title...
DIR wasn't created to hock Halcyon gear. Halcyon was created because the early DIR folks couldn't get what the wanted, how the wanted it, when the wanted it (yes, I'm fully aware of some of Halcyon's shipping issues, no need to harp on them). The DIR folks have rather restrictive gear requirements, and the Halcyon gear was made *specifically* to address them. Of course their going to push it, get over it. It seemed so simple to me, and when I calmly voiced such an opinion, the only answer I could get was "bull@%#%." And I've never actually read or heard a DIR advocate make this point (and the more I thought about it, the more surprised I was, because it seems that it is obvious, and would quiet a bunch of critics).
What do you think? Is this DIR stuff just a smokescreen to cash in on? Is it plausable that maybe, just maybe, Halcyon evolved to fill a niche? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Who's the chicken?
JRM
-- a controversial topic, but hopefully we can engage in discourse that doesn't degenerate into "your momma"