Dive Equipment Guide | DIR Setup

Image

Important Attributes

Brand Alternatives

The Backplate

is the most important part of your divegear and build a solid connection between you and your cylinders. Its best material is stainless steel or Aluminium. There are 3 D-Rings mounted on a one-piece 2″ (50mm) webbing which is closed with a weight belt buckle on the waist strap. A separate crotch strap with 2 more D-Rings complete the backplate-system. A fixed storage bag is used to store your lift-bag.

FST

Dir-Zone
Halcyon
etc.

Wings for double-tanks

should have at least 20-25 liters lift capacity, that´s enough for almost every dive kit configuration. The inflator attachment should be in the middle of the wing to be between the cylinders. You only need a short corrugated hose with a durable inflator. Dual layer design with a cordura outer shell and an accessible inner bladder. Only one emergency dump on the left bottom side and please, remove the plastic ball!

Dir-Zone

Halcyon
Apeks
etc.

Wings for single-tanks

Same as for doubles, except that it should have at least 15 liters lift capacity and its inflation hose should be off the middle because of the cylinder´s shoulder.

Dir-Zone

Halcyon
Apeks

Single Tank Adapter

made of stainless steel or aluminium mounted with ss bolts onto your backplate. Should have two cambands for your cylinder

FST

Dir-Zone

Double Tanks

Two cylinders with a least either 12 liter or 80 cuft with welded stainless steel bands and bolts

n/a

Stage Tanks

80 cuft Aluminium or 7 liter Aluminium. Definitely NO steel tanks!

Luxfer
MES

Drysuit inflation

0,85 liter Aluminium Cylinder

Luxfer
MES

Valves with isolation manifold

DIN G5/8″ thread for regulators and a double radial sealed isolation manifold. All rubberknobs

n/a

Hoses Rubber or Miflex

I personally prefer rubber breathing hoses for my pressure gauge and longhose.

210cm primary regulator
56cm secondary regulator
56 cm pressure gauge double tanks
61 cm pressure gauge single tank
56 cm inflatorhose
56 cm inflatorhose for drysuit
90/100 cm stage regulator
15 cm SPG stage

All lengths are reference values. It´s not about every centimeter, they should fit your body´s size!

n/a

Regulators

• coldwater certified
• membrane driven
• balanced
• easy to open 2nd stage without tools
• 1st stage with good hose routing possibilities

Apeks

Scubapro
Atomic

Argon (Air) supply for drysuit inflation

• tiny and lightweight
• G5/8″
• 2 outlets for hose and over pressure valve
• 6 bar intermediate pressure

n/a

Pressure gauge

easy readable with mineral glas

n/a

Dive light (backup light)

Simple torch without switch-knob, preferred LED with appropriate burntime. For use as main light for recreational and sidemount dives with goodman handle and 6-8° beam

Gralmarine KXmax
Gralmarine KX mini

Finsub
Halcyon
Heser

Dive light (main- or primary light) with Goodman handle

must be bright, but with as less as possible LED´s and appropriate burntime. Canister design for technical dives and. Either fixed or focusable beam with 6-8°.

Gralmarine LED18

Finsub
Halcyon

Dive reel

open design with no gap to the axle – so the line can not jam. No breaks, Springs, cages, etc

Dir-Zone

Halcyon

Finger spool

should be made out of a single piece of Delrin (POM) without any gimmicks

n/a

DSMB

• closed system
• inflatable oraly or thru inflatorhose
• OPV (over pressure valve)
• bright color
• at least 1 meter

Polaris

Dir-Zone
Halcyon

Liftbag

• closed system
• inflatable oraly or thru inflatorhose
• OPV (over pressure valve)
• bright color
• solid attachment point
• D-Ring on top for wetnotes

Dir-Zone

Halcyon

Wetnotes

Proper booklet with attachment point and some space for your survey compass and pens
transparent pocket on the outside to store a diveplan

ISE

Divecomputer

Should be a simple one with time and depth (Bottomtimer). If you want more, you can either buy a cheap dive computer and use it in gauge mode or look for a fully customizable one, where you can set up gradiant factors or similar.

Uwatec Bottomtimer

Mares Puck
Ratio iX3M
Shearwater
Heinrichs Weikamp

Z-Knife

Linecutter with cordura sheet

Eezycut

Knife

with serrated edge till handle, inside a sheet with no retainer

Dir-Zone

Selfmade
Scubapro

Boltsnap for Stages 105 mm

Do not use boltsnaps with a big eye, it can be dangerous!

n/a

Boltsnap for backup lights and other things

75 mm, 95 mm

n/a

Double-ender

n/a

V-Weight

The lead must fit between your doubletanks. Sometimes covered to protect your cylinders
Here you can find a guide how to make a v-weight

DIY
Dir-Zone
BTS

Fins

Rubber, real jet-design and perfect fit are the key features

Dive System

Jetfin
Turtle fin
Hollis F1

Drysuit

Trilaminate with diagonal front zip and telescopic torso. Pockets with velcro on both legs and a pee-valve for husslefree dives.
You can choose silicone or latex seals, whatever you prefer. Your drysuit should fit perfectly in every movement, if not made to measure is an option

Dive System

Blackpearl
Santi

Have you found everything? Not?  No problem, send me a message and I will answer your questions.

If this dive kit guide was helpful for you, please let me know and leaf a comment below. Thank you!