Equipment Configuration

By Terry Koritz

The genesis of the WKPP equipment configuration is the concept known as Hogarthian, named after William Hogarth Main. He, along with co-WKPP founders Bill Gavin, Lamar English, and Parker Turner used this configuration to explore an impressive amount of new cave passages in the Woodville Karst Plain in the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the Hogarthian concept evolved to the ‘Doing it Right’ (DIR) equipment configuration and remains the basis for equipment standardization in the WKPP. 

The DIR equipment configuration is applicable for all types of diving – from cave to open water. There are obvious advantages to consistently diving the same system regardless of environment, ensuring the same response to emergencies, and reducing task load through familiarity. It is a proven system that emphasizes minimalism, streamlining, and reliability. 

Regardless of the diving environment, the diver’s equipment configuration needs to be balanced. A ‘balanced rig’ is a set of dive equipment that has the appropriate weight – the diver is neither over-weighted nor under-weighted. The configuration should allow a diver to comfortably perform the shallowest required decompression stop with nearly empty dive cylinders – that is, when the equipment is the lightest. Similarly, it should also allow the diver to swim to the surface from depth when the equipment is at its heaviest. Achieving a balanced rig requires that each component be taken into consideration – aluminum vs. steel cylinders, stainless steel vs. aluminum backplate, volume of the wing, and type of exposure protection and undergarments, if diving in a dry suit.

WKPP Equipment List 

Drysuit 

  • DUI TLS 350 with heavy duty zipper and turbo sole boots.  No plastic zippers because they fail often.   
  • Large bellows pockets with heavy duty velcro and internal loops to clip equipment. 
  • A functioning P-Valve. 
  • Optional E/O plug for suit heating. 
  • Thick neoprene hood.  We prefer the brand K01. 
  • Dry suit inflation – argon.  2015 psi Aluminum 14 cu ft. tank attached with Halcyon straps. 


Backplate 

  • Stainless preferred, otherwise aluminum if required to achieve a balanced rig. 
  • Continuous webbing harness. Two chest D-rings, one D-ring on the left waist strap. 
  • Metal quick-release buckle on the waist strap. An extra buckle on the right side of the waist strap to secure the light canister. 
  • The standard crotch strap is secured to the bottom of the backplate with the front scooter D-ring and a butt D-ring for towing equipment. 
  • The SUEX explorer harness is a preferred alternative to the standard crotch strap and significantly reduces lower-back stress while scootering with large payloads. 
  • On the left side of the waistband is a small knife/line cutter enclosed in a webbing sheath. 


Wing 

  • Matched to the size of cylinders. For example, 55-60 lb. wing for double steel LP-104s and RB-80 racks. 40 lb. wing for twin aluminum 80s.
  • OPV/manual dump valve on the lower left side of the wing. 
  • Simple, streamlined power inflator with manual dump.


Fins 

  • Size XL or larger, depending on your dry suit boot size, equipped with stainless steel spring straps. 
  • For those with smaller feet, an XL fin fitted with modified, smaller spring straps may be a suitable option. This allows for a longer fin blade and extended side walls, providing efficient propulsion while ensuring the foot pocket fits comfortably.


Primary Light 

  • Canister battery pack with switch on the canister lid and E/O cord. The battery’s size and capacity are determined by the planned dive duration and additional battery demands (e.g., dry suit heating). The E/O cord is essential for providing versatility with light heads, which can be used during any given dive. 
  • Primary light head: Halcyon Focus without a switch. 
  • Backup Primary: Halcyon Flare, clipped off in the bellows pocket.


Backup Lights 

  • 3-cell backup lights with LED head. Simple twist on/off. Heser preferred. 
  • Clipped onto each chest D-Rings and secured on the harness with rubber.


Gauges 

  • Compass on left wrist. 
  • Digital depth gauge/bottom timer.
  • The Shearwater Perdix is a popular choice; however, WKPP utilizes dive tables for decompression, not computers. Computers can provide a good backup option.


Stage / Decompression Cylinders 

  • Aluminum 80s or 40s have optimal buoyancy characteristics. 
  • Stage marking 
  • 3-MOD Imperial decals per stage. 1 on each side, mid-length of cylinder. 1-MOD decal on the bottom of the cylinder. 
  • Sticker with the diver’s last name only. 
  • Halcyon stage kit with large stainless bolt snaps that allow the diver’s finger to fit through the bolt snap easily. 
  • 2 retaining bands – one below the band clamp holding the stage rigging. The other is on top of the stage rigging, mid-cylinder.


Regulators 

  • DIN first stages. Scubapro or Halcyon piston first stages with rotating LP swivel. Halcyon H-50D is also acceptable for back gas regulators. 
  • Custom hose lengths for open circuit doubles rig: 
  • HP: 26 inches 
  • Backup second stage: 24 inches 
  • 7-foot primary hose. 
  • Wing LP inflator hose: 24 inches. 
  • Stage regulator – 40-inch hose for second stage, 6-inch HP hose with imperial stage SPG (PSI) 
  • SPG secured with a bungee or cave line to allow easy visibility while wearing the stage. 
  • Argon cylinder regulator – small compact first stage with OPV. Scubapro MK2 works well.