1. Keep it simple. Don't make it complicated. .

2. If you don't need it, don't take it! Most technical divers take more than they need. What's the point?

3. No danglies. If anything hangs below the horizontal profile, it is a danglie. Take a pencil and hold it horizontally. That's your swimming profile. If anything hangs below that profile, it's a danglie. Correct it!

4. Streamlining. Unnecessary drag, friction really hurts your efficiency and air/gas consumption. It is wasted effort and energy.

5. Keep it clean. Eliminate or minimize anything that can create a nuisance problem. Remember the "constant restriction" where you are forced to be close to Mr. Guideline. Get rid of valve covers; dust caps, whistles, and any trinkets. Shorten pull or dump chords. "Don't" use stainless steel bands with "D" rings (death rings) on your tanks, minimize bungie cords or surgical tubing. Remove tank boots, eliminate everything on your tanks to allow a smooth surface so it is easy to slide through small passageways and restrictions. Make yourself clean as possible. Why torment yourself with crap that will hang up on the guideline.

6. Routing of hoses. Point them down and in. Protect your gear, and your environment . Always use the low profile of a multiple-choice first stage.

7. Easy accessibility. Easy to find, east to get to, be safe! Especially in a life or death emergency.

8. Dependable equipment. If you insist on using poorly designed inferior materials, Unsatisfactorily constructed, or plain old junk. Get rid of it! If you are not willing to use dependable and reliable equipment, please keep it out of the water.
9. Eliminate potential failure points. Identify, remove, change or minimize any part of your equipment that can fail on you while diving. Examples are automatic dump valves, plastic buckles, quick release buckles., etc.

10. Your physical and mental self. Your body is the most important piece of equipment by far. Keeping in good shape, watching your weight, good diet, stamina and be mentally sharp are a few words of wisdom. We are creatures of poor or bad habits; I am certainly no exception. Personally, I run 2 miles 5 days a week and 3 days a week lift weights. Because of teaching cave,wrecks,deep diving is a passion for me. I owe it to me ,my students and anyone else that might be in the environment that i am in.