My Dive Gear - Chicago (Wet)

xDeep Zen Standard - BPW

• Large Stainless Steel Backplate (~13lb travel weight)
• 42lb Toroidal Wing \w Double shell Cordura 1100
• K-Type inflator
• Padded Backplate
• Crotch strap converted to single "DIR" style

General Opinion: Chosen because of the modularity and my intent to have a BPW layout that can dive both cold and warm in either skin/rashguard, 3mm, 7mm or Drysuit. And so far it has done it all. I originally had the "Deluxe" harness configuration, but found the buckles got in the way of streamline flashlight placement on the shoulder straps.

Aqualung Legend - Regulator(s)

• DIN 1st Stage
• Overbalanced diaphragm design
• Environmentally sealed

General Opinion: It's a regulator..nothing particularly awesome about it. It's comfortable in my mouth and breaths just fine (as far as I can tell).

Luxfer AL80 Tanks (DIN)

• 77.4 cft volume / 3000psi nominal
• 1.7lbs negative buoyancy when full
• 3.4lbs positive buoyancy when "empty"

General Opinion: They are tanks...nothing special. I picked up 4 of them on Facebook Marketplace for $300 total. 4 tanks allows me to have (2) 2 tank dives on the weekend and not have to visit a local shop for airfills when most of them are closed on Sunday.

Divesoft - DNA Nitrox/Oxygen Analyzer

• Compact / Travel size
• Requires Bluetooth Phone to use...but I always have my phone

General Opinion: Super easy to use and have had no problems with the bluetooth integration with my phone

Perdix II + Air Integration

General Opinion: Great computer and love it. It is a highly customizable display and the two button setup is fairly easy to use, even with drysuit gloves.

Halcyon - Master SPG 2.5"

• Easy to read with 100-psi increments
• On a 22" rubber hose to keep it tight to the body and streamlined

General Opinion: It's big and easy to read and I prefer 500PSI as the start of the red-zone instead of 700PSI like some other SPGs.

Venom Frameless/Low Volume Mask (RX)

• Custom prescription lenses from See The Sea
• Have spare identical non-RX mask in different color

General Opinion: Works fine. I get mask squeeze during the first 10ft of decent, but once I equalize I'm fine for the rest of the dive. I get a VERY small amount of water in the nose pocket that I have to live with during the dive. This has been the case for every mask I've tried to use. Water near/in my nose doesn't bother me (water polo days kicking in) so it's virtually unnoticeable.

Stream2Sea Mask Defog

• Reef Safe
• Little goes a long way

General Opinion: Far better than soap/water mix or spit. Apply it before every dive (including the 2nd one of the day) and you'll see clearly.

Bare Velocity Ultra (3mm) size XLT

• Good for me down to ~65F
• 6lbs of positive buoyancy

General Opinion: My favorite wetsuit and the one I wear until the water temperature gets below ~65F. The ~6lbs of positive buoyancy is perfectly offset by the ~6lbs of negative buoyancy in the xDeep Stainless Steel BPW.

Bare Ultrawarmth Glove (3mm) size Large

• Worn on most of my dives

General Opinion: My absolute favorite gloves so far. So nice, I purchased another pair just in case I loose one or I wear them out. It's like I'm not even wearing gloves and they can take me down to ~55F.

Sharkskin Titanium 2 Hood size XXL

• Worn whenever I'm diving my 3mm
• Neutrally Buoyant

Halcyon - Tech Shorts

• Need pockets to put things in

General Opinion: Have not used it much yet

Bare Exowear Socks (~2/3mm)

• Also have Sharkskin Titanium 2 version (kinda meh)
• Also have Worn frictionless version (discontinued)

General Opinion: Why let your toes get cold when you don't have to? I put these on before I put on my wetsuit so my feet slip through super easy.

Chuck Taylor (10.5)

General Opinion: These "boots" are much more stable when walking on gravel for shore entry than traditional wetsuit boots. And...I mean...they also look cool and match my BPW harness color and my 3mm Bare wetsuit...so why not? And I don't need the extra ankle flexibility given the OMS Slipstrim and Mares fins are flexible enough.

OMS Slipstream (XL)

• Negatively Buoyant

General Opinion: Very flexible and feel great on my feet

OrcaTorch D710 (Primary Light)

• 6deg beam
• 400/800/1700/3000 lumens

General Opinion: Great flashlight for the price. It goes with me on every dive on my right shoulder DRing.

OrcaTorch D580 (Secondary Light)

• 6deg beam
• 530 lumens
• Can take (3) AAA batteries

General Opinion: Chose this as my secondary because I can use AAA batteries with it. So if ever I have re charger problems, a quick swap of batteries and I have at least 1 flashlight working for the next dive. It goes on my left shoulder DRing.

Trilobite

• Strap mount holster

General Opinion: Have used this to cut lost/abandoned fishing line. I keep it on my waist belt on the left side.

Halcyon - 6ft Closed End dSMB (skinny)

• Red
• 12lbs of lift
• One way inflation valve so I don't have to "push" it in when inflating

General Opinion: Have not used it much yet

Halcyon - Defender Spools

• (1) 150ft Standard style Delrin
• (1) 200ft "Pro" style with the drysuit grip handle
• #24 White "cave line"

General Opinion: Have not used it much yet

Suunto SK8 Compass

• Convertible to wrist strap, bungee or retractable

General Opinion: I've used low quality compasses, wrist mount and several other configurations and the easiest for me to use as a beginner was the retractable compass that I could place in front of myself at virtually any angle. Once I got better at using it, it got converted to a bungee wrist mount and goes on my left wrist.

Surf Fur Water Parka

• Hooded
• Hand thru pockets for dressing/undressing

General Opinion: There is not much worse than being cold and wet after a dive. Years of standing on the side of a pool in the wind during water polo matches taught me to invest in a good parka. For 10 months out of the year in Chicago I have this parka in my truck. I even loaned it out to a diver doing their checkout dives and shivering at the picnic table.