Posted by roakey on August 21, 2001 at 15:27:19:
In Reply to: What is DIR???? nt posted by BadFish on August 21, 2001 at 08:22:14:
Here’s a hand-waving history of DIR and Halcyon.
The WKPP (www.wkpp.org) has been around for awhile. As their dives became more and more challenging, they started noticing that their equipment was becoming a limiting factor. Major modifications and/or reinforcements had to be made to existing equipment in order for it to hold up to the diving that was being done. Requests to Dive Rite, OMS and other manufacturers to change and improve their equipment fell of deaf ears. Enter Brownie’s Third Lung. This company had been around since about 1970 and had small-scale manufacturing ability in place. They spun off a brand name (Halcyon) and started manufacturing equipment to WKPP specifications, selling to the small (at that time) technical market. Some equipment was so specialized that Brownies/Halcyon was not interested in being the driving force behind it, at which point Extreme Exposure enters the picture.
So the claim that DIR is a marketing technique for Halcyon has the cart before the horse. DIR existed before Halcyon did, and only Halcyon was interested in producing equipment to “DIR specifications.” So the observation that DIR recommends some Halcyon gear comes as no surprise; they’re the only manufacturer in many cases that produces equipment that fits the DIR requirements. Not to confuse the folks who assert that DIR is merely a Halcyon marketing tool, but DIR also recommends Apeks, Scubapro, Uwatec, Suunto and DUI, but I guess that doesn’t count because it confuses the assertion that DIR is merely “Halcyon marketing.”
If for example Dive Rite wanted to shorten their deflator hose or OMS wanted to drop their bungees as well as shorten their deflator hose, they’re welcome to step up to the plate and have equipment as good as, or perhaps even exceeding Halcyon.
But that’s not happening. Yhea, I know that OMS has some wings without bungees (step in the right direction), but the hose is still too long.
So the DIR folks, not wanting to recommend substandard equipment, recommend what meets their requirements. Among many manufacturers, Halcyon happens to be one.
Roak