EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS

So you're thinking about enrolling in one of the classes listed on this website and the question of what kind of equipment you'll need has probably crossed your mind. First off, you must realize that equipment and gear configuration is one of the most widely discussed and controversial topics in cave and technical diving. My philosophy and thoughts when it comes to gear configuration are very simple, I believe that there are a number of correct ways you can configure your equipment safely for cavern, cave and technical diving. We will discuss the reasons behind various schools of thought during class and I will do my best to assist you with any issues you may have. One thing I will not do is insist that you configure your gear like mine, but you will walk away from class with a clear understanding of what is a safe and streamlined configuration for you personally in the technical or overhead environment.

While some open water equipment can be appropriately modified for the Cavern and/or Introduction to Cave/Basic Cave course, there is some stuff that would be better off left at home. There is no place for spare air systems in the overhead environment and in any form of technical diving, along with such things as pony bottles, wreck lines, Jersey up reels etc and these would simply be better off left at home.

Improper equipment will distract you from your enjoyment of this wonderful sport you're being introduced to and I would hate to see you buy expensive equipment that is "perfect for cave diving" from a tech shop that does not have any certified, active cave divers on its staff. This sport is constantly evolving and what might have been considered a great buy a few years ago, is now considered to be obsolete. In fact, a whole section of the Cavern course is devoted to equipment configuration and if you choose to make a purchase at that time, there are plenty of cave shops down here to choose from.

Some specific examples of inappropriate gear would be such things as big, bulky lantern or pistol grip lights which can make it extremely hard to run a reel. Wrist mounted computers/bottom timers and a simple pressure gauge are much preferred over the bulky open water consoles that are so common in recreational diving. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have, since I would not want you to have to buy gear twice due to the fact that you were misinformed by a well meaning, but non technical staff member of a local dive shop. Your enjoyment of the course and the task loading involved with new gear will be directly related to the equipment you are using, so I will do my best to put you into a comfortable, but well thought out cavern and/or cave diving rig.

As a quick reference, here's a brief description of the equipment needed for cave and/or technical diving. Double steel tanks connected by a manifold are the preferred choice of the cave or technical diver and are required for Apprentice and Full cave, recommended for Cavern and Basic/Intro to Cave and any mixed gas classes. A single tank with a regular valve is fine for the Cavern course, but for Basic/Intro to Cave, Adv Nitrox and Decompression Procedures you are required to have a dual outlet valve on your single tank. Steel tanks are recommended due to the additional weight and stability, but aluminum tanks can be used if necessary. Please do not show up for class with a new set of doubles that you have never dove before. I'm teaching you how to dive in the cave environment, not how to dive doubles, so you already need to be proficient in their use and be able to maintain trim and buoyancy. If you need instruction in diving doubles, please check out my Intro to Tech class for further information.

The water in the caves and caverns is seventy-two degrees year round, but the river temperatures and air temperatures fluctuate drastically during the seasons. I do not care whether you dive with a wet suit or in a dry suit, but be aware that we will be spending a considerable time in the water and if you're diving wet, I highly recommend that you have some sort of redundant inflation system, especially when diving steel tanks. As for me, I dive dry in the colder months and wet in the warmer months. Any mask that fits your face is fine, but I would recommend replacing the silicone straps with a "slap strap" to prevent breakage. Power fins are the preferred choice for swimming with bulky, technical equipment and the straps must either be taped (to reduce risk of entanglement) or replaced with spring straps.

When setting up regulators, one second stage needs to be on a seven foot hose, with the backup second stage held in place below the jaw with a necklace. In addition, a simple brass submersible pressure gauge that can be clipped off to your harness is preferred, then a low pressure inflator hose completes the set up. Please note you'll need two first stages for every class apart from the Cavern course. As mentioned previously, a modified open water style BC can be used for Cavern and Intro to Cave classes, but a standard backplate/harness or soft pack and wing are highly recommended. 

You'll need some means of measuring depth and time, this can be done by either using dive tables and a bottom timer or a dive computer. In some classes, you may be required to have redundancy in these items also. While there are better ways to communicate in an underwater cave, slates/wet notes can be invaluable tools in gathering data, noting decompression profiles, turn pressures etc. One cutting device is required, two are recommended. Big bulky knives are pointless and a major entanglement hazard, the preferred type is either a small sheath knife and/or a "z-knife" style cutting device.

Two battery powered back up lights are needed, plus a primary canister style light that's equipped with a "goodman" handle to leave your hands free for other tasks. If you have never used a canister style light, please let me know as I have a couple of different styles available for you to try out. One primary reel with at least 350ft of line is needed between the team, plus at least two safety reels/spools with a minimum of 100ft of line per diver. In the Apprentice and Full Cave course you will need jump reels/spools with at least 50ft of line.  There is an array of choices out there in the market today and both reels and spools have their advantages and disadvantages. If you are unsure which style would work best for you, I have a selection that you can try so you can make an informed purchasing decision.

I should also mention that if you wish to take a Cave 1, Cave 2, Intro to Tech or Tech 1 class, you will need to be using the NTEC configuration, which while allowing some flexibility, does mandate some aspects of how your gear should be rigged.

As always, if you have any additional questions about training, scheduling or any other aspect of cave and technical diving, feel free to contact me at rich@netcommander.com, generally I will respond back to you within twelve to twenty-four hours.