Posted by John Walker on August 23, 2001 at 08:57:58:
Divers, as I have noted before, DIR does not require Halcyon gear. But lets take a look at what gear Halcyon does offer to DIR divers.
Backplate/Harness
Halcyon make a backplate with a one piece harness
OMS makes one with a multi piece harness
Diverite makes one with a multi piece harness
Scubapro makes one with a one piece harness
Single tank adapters
Halcyon make a couple of different ones but with their newest BCD it doesn’t require and adapter.
OMS and Diverite also make adapters
Wings (back inflation unit)
Halcyon makes a simple, highly efficient wings in 6 different sizes
Diverite makes wings for doubles only
OMS makes bungeed wings and their all large
Scubapro makes bungeed wings
Zeigle make wing that are full of gimmicks
Bungeed wing was proven them selves to be deadly, they also create unnecessary drag.
Gattors
Halcyon is the only company to make them
Primary Lights
Halcyon sell Extreme Exposure (a Barry Miller product) lights which are highly ergonomic compare to other lights in the sense that the batteries are recess and the banana plug for the battery are mounted to the lid making it simple to plug in and impossible to reverse the polarity which will blow up HID ballast. They offer lights in 5 different sizes with many options in 10 w and 18 w HID or halogen. And different reflectors for video. The canisters are made from a High Density Polyethylene material and are almost indestructible.
Other manufactures built light which are made of acrylic which shatter if dropped and the bottoms of the canisters often delaminate. The batteries are not sitting in a recess and move around often breaking soldier points on the back side of the switch. OMS has designed several sized light but they are ridiculously heavy and their canister seals are major leakers. Arnold Jackson makes a decent light for acrylic.
Back-up lights
Halcyon sell Extreme Exposure light which are machined out of a simple piece of Delrine. They use a simple twist head sold by Underwater Kinetics and use a slightly underpowered bulb, so to limit the likelihood of a burn out which could kill an exiting diver from a cave or wreck. These lights have a reasonable burn time using 3 c-cell batteries.
No one else make a back-up light which compares in value.
Reels/Spools
Halcyon sells Extreme Exposure reels which are designed by the best of the best in
technical diving. They are designed in a Buddy Jasper style which allows for easier use
when riding a scooters. They are also much easier than conventional reels to hold in the
same hand and your light. This design also limits the possibility of fouling line. Their
spool are made from Delrine and are tough. These are simple devices use for safety
deployment markers, jump and gaps lines, and safety spools. Extreme exposure was the
first to make these spools for public sale.
Other companies have make conventional reels but many were unreliable. Diverite make
a reel out of cheap plastic which can’t be trusted. I have seen more of these real break
than any other. These are important tools for advanced dives which need to be trusted.
OMS make a knock of which jambs up. Ralph Hood makes nice reel but the jamb.
Surface deployment marker
Halcyon was the first company to make a SDM for the use with closed circuit rebreathers. This is a closed cell bag with a overpressure valve at the top. This style bag eliminates the risk of dumping all the gas in the bag upon deployment. They come in a variety of sizes and styles.
Other items
Halcyon also sells the finest semi close circuit rebreather which hold all the world records
in cave diving. They also sell items such as wet suits, stage bottle rigging, argon systems,
clips, life rafts, and body bags, rescue equipment which are common items requested by
consumers.