Posted by Wayne on October 02, 2001 at 10:08:02:
It is clear that you maintain that DIR is a marketing tool rater than a dive safety methodology. You claim that it exists to promote the sale of Halcyon (although they also push Scubapro and others) with their standardized gear configurations.
That being said, what do you propose as an alternative? What kind of gear do you think should be promoted -- how about weight belts versus integration or other gear choices? What kind of training exercises do you think we ought to require of students?
These are tough philosophical questions that our sport and its industry face. We all enjoy a good debate about it, but one group -- the DIR crowd -- has put forth their answers and back it up. Some of us (me, for example) do not comply with their approach and teachings, but it is hard not to respect their holistic approach to diving.
You seem to be capable of articulation so please enlighten us with your alternative. Many of us have argued with DIR proponents and it has gotten nasty at times, but the way to argue is to put forth alternatives and explain the reasoning and application to local diving. If you cannot do this, please go back to the sidelines.
Wayne