Technical diving requires specific equipment. The following list covers the complete required gear a technical student candidate must arrive with for training. Some items are specific, others just a general description.  Due to the serious nature of technical diving the prospective technical diver is expected to own his/her own equipment. Check with your instructor 30 days prior to course to confirm this list. This list is specific to all courses with Joel Silverstein other instructors may require other items.

Note that the Enriched Air Diver course only requires regular scuba gear, Tech EAN course may use single capacity tank but a pony cylinder of 30 cuft or more must also be used.  Cylinders both main and stage are available for rental in many locations - advanced reservations are required.

Note that the Enriched Air Diver course only requires regular scuba gear, Technical Enriched Air course may use single capacity tank but a pony cylinder of 30 cuft or more must also be used.  Cylinders both main and stage are available for rental in many locations - advanced reservations are required. 

Backplate & Harness Abysmal Diving - Explorer Stainless Steel backplate and harness recommended. If you must use a quick release buckle it is to be only on on left shoulder. 

With the system also include:
2 sets (4 total) shoulder harness pads
2 waist band pouches 

Single Bladder Wing 55-65 lbs. lift preferred.  Abysmal Diving; (no  NO bungee wings please) LP inflator hose should reach chest level when suited up. 

D-Rings -- harness is to have 3 D-rings -- one on each shoulder and one on the left side side of the waist band.  Waist band rings can be either standard rings or fixed position Billy Rings (Abyss, OMS, Highland, or you can make them.  The crotch strap is to have 2 d-rings, one in the front, one in the back. 

To make Billy Rings take two d-rings hold them at a 90 degree angle and weld them together at the straight part. They now form a V and will provide positive attachment when held inplace with a tri-glide on the belt.  Another way to make these is with 3 rings   two flat end to end with the third verticle. The belt then slides through the center holding in place. (photos to be here soon)

Class-A regulators (2) one with 5-7' hose and standard low pressure inflator hose (for right hand outlet) the other with low pressure inflator hose and brass SPG. All primary regulators are to be fitted with 300 bar DIN connections. The following Choices are best:

Abyss Explorer SuperFlow Adjustable First and Second Stages
Scuba Pro G250/MK20
Apex or Beauchat 

Stage regulators (2) prepared for oxygen service fitted with a  6" to 7" HP hose with metal SPG, these are for decompression cylinders. 

Abyss Explorer Non-adjustable
Scuba Pro R190, 
Regulator hose should be 44 inches. 

Bottom Timer (2) (1 if using computer) electronic bottom timer / depth gauge 

Uwatec
Beauchat 
 

Computer (1) (2 recommended) decompression dive computer capable of at least 1 Nitrox mixture with a minimum capability of a 60 foot deco stop, download capability or a good multi gas unit.  

Abyss Explorer Trimix or Nitrox Decompression Computer
Dive Rite Nitek3
Cochran Nemesis IIa or Gemini

Compass for navigation

Back-up lights (2) 3 C-cell size works well. 

Primary light (cylindrical canister light with "Goodman Handle" preferred. maximum 50 watts with up to 90 minute burn time recommended (no square lights and no butt mount lights) 

Abyss Blue Lightning HID   10 or 18 watt
American Underwater Lighting Meteor 4
Dive Rite Wreck Light 
OMS Phantom 

Wreck Reel 250' of line, (Aqua Explorers RA8, OMS, EE, AUL, Dive Rite, Reef Scuba etc.)

Safety Reel 130' to 150' of line, (Aqua Explorers RA8, OMS, EE, AUL, Dive Rite. Reef Scuba etc.) (note: if you are using a Reef Scuba Accessories reel choose the low profile reel)

Knife Small Very Sharp (UK Remora  or Abyss Spyderco-Rescue)

Lift Bags (2) (Minimum 50 pounds lift Carter yellow preferred)
or
Surface Marker Buoy (OMS or Halcyon only inflatable with 2nd stage no plug in hose types) and 1 50 lbs. lift bag

Survival Sausage - inflatable 1 meter size - orange, yellow, lime green

Slates (2) small

Personal Gear  - Mask, Fins, snorkel (for rescue simulations)

Exposure suit - a Dry Suit is required for all trimix dives and all dives where average water temp is 75 or less. 

DUI CF200 crushed neoprene
DUI TLS350, trilaminate
Abyss Explorer trilaminate. 

For water warmer than 75f a wet suit may be used. We recommend a one piece 5 mm jump suit with back zipper and a hooded vest. A hood may be be worn on training dives dependant on temperature and length. Gloves for environment are required too. 

Safety Items
Sky Blazer Diver's Flare kit
Whistle or Dive Alert
Small signal mirror
Jon-line 2 (used for decompression) 1 primary 1 back up - 6-9 feet long
Weight belt - metal buckle (4 weight keepers)

Cylinders
Back Tanks
Divers will be required to have two (2) complete sets for each day of training dives. A set consists of double tanks fitted with a dual outlet isolation manifold, of no less than 120 cubic feet of gas. (63, 80, 85, 95, 100, 104, 120, 121) banded with standard Dive Rite style bands with mounting posts on 11 inch centers. Isolation manifolds are mandatory. Independent twin tanks will not be used. If you are diving a wet suit only aluminum tanks may be used. 

Decompression (stage) Tanks
Technical students need 3 cylinders.  Two for nitrox, One for Oxygen. Trimix students need 4 cylinders Two for nitrox 2 for Oxygen. 

Cylinders are to be aluminum 40, 50, 63 or 80 cubic foot size. The only steel cylinder that is acceptable for deco is the Faber LP 45.  Each is to be cleaned and prepared for oxygen service and have current hydro and cleanliness/VIP in place. 

Suit Inflation
Trimix students are to have a a cylinder set up for inflating the dry suit. The cylinder can be 6-15 cuft with a regulator and overpresssure relief valve. The cylinder is to be painted BROWN and marked as ARGON - DO NOT BREATHE. 
Reference our tank chart for all currently available cylinders: Tank Chart

Spare Parts/Tool Kit
Each diver/candidate should have a spare parts/tool kit sufficient for servicing their own gear. This would include any special regulator plugs, o-rings, replacement batteries, mask straps, fin straps, zip ties, etc. Some small tools that fit your equipment is also a good idea. My tool kit is fairly complete and you can see exactly what is in it at this document.  Spares

Bungee Cord: you will need a minimum of 20 feet of 3/8 inch diameter bunggee. (we use this for lift bags, and equipment loops.  Black is preferred or any other color you like.

Snap Clips have a variety of snap clips with you for stage bottle rigging, clipping regulators, etc. No Swing gate clips or butterfly snaps. Use the good ones - Stainless Steel only. 

Books & Software
All courses include text for that specific course. You are required to also have the following texts which are not included. We also suggest some other books and software for your reference and use. 

Required (not included in course fees)
NAUI Nitrox: A Guide to Diving with Oxygen Enriched Air - any NAUI dealer 
US Navy Divers Handbook - Best Publishing 800-468-1055

Strongly Recommended
NOAA Diving Manual 4th Edition - 2001 Edition - Best Publishing
Diving Physiology in Plain English - Bookspan, Ph.D., J. - Best Publishing
Abyss Dive Planning Software - AbysmalDiving

Suppliers --- we work with a variety of suppliers who can be of service too you. If your local dive center does not have EXACTLY what you want see our suppliers.   If you have questions please ask us FIRST before purchasing. Many dive centers just dont know what we want you to have. See our links page for our preferred providers. 
Abysmal Diving