Mission Scuba - Information on technical diving

Technical Diving

So you're interested in becoming a technical diver? Great! Aside from a hard core mental commitment, technical diving requires a significant financial sacrifice as well. Be prepared to spend between $5000-$10,000 in equipment, and that's just to get started. You truly cannot (and should not) consider trying to use any of your current recreational gear other than fins, mask and exposure suit. Technical diving is serious business, and it's not a place to compromise to try to save a buck.

Regarding finding a technical instructor, a wise and extremely experienced technical diver once told me, "get good training... no get the BEST training money can buy..." Learning from an instructor that thinks "the rules" and proper training is just not all that important could ultimately cost you your life. Seriously!

So what is technical diving?

Technical diving involves using double tanks for your bottom or "back" gas. These tanks are typically mounted on your back, or for serious cave diving, on your sides. (Called side-mount) Although having double tanks is not "required", you honestly couldn't do a technical dive by the book without them. The extra capacity, and extra redundancy the double tanks gives you is a requirement for proper technical diving. Many technical divers dive on rebreathers, but that is another thing all together.
Technical divers carry 1 or 2 (or sometimes more) stage/deco bottles with a different blend of Nitrox to accelerate their decompression. For example, a technical diver may carry an aluminum 80 with EAN50, and an aluminum 40 with pure O2.
Technical divers typically carry 1 (or more) reels, cutting tools, lights, and lift bags.
Technical divers, if properly trained, are extremely knowledgeable in decompression, gas mixes, gear repair and configuration, rescue measures, and are well disciplined both physically and mentally. Yes, just like recreational diving, someone that sucks can do it, but typically a technical diver is a cut above.
With technical diving, because of the required decompression from the excessive depth and bottom time, coming to the surface in an emergency is just not an option, so you MUST have enough gas to properly complete the required decompression.

Here's a basic list of some of the typical equipment a technical diver might use.

Backplate and Harness.

$150-$300

Wing

$400-$800

Double Tanks
Manifold
Bands

$800-$1200

Regulators
You will need a minimum of three 1st & 2nd stage combos, and should have at least four. (2 sets for your back gas, and 2 more sets for a 50 mix and oxygen deco bottle)

$400-$800 each