Mr. Dooley
Contributor
After recently getting AN/DP certified via TDI, I was talking with a local technical instructor regarding additional courses advance my training. I inquired about trimix. I got a response that this instructor / shop doesn't teach trimix, nor do they have any plans do. With the cost of helium going up and rebreathers more affordable than they used to be, what's the point. The example I was given was a dive trip with a bunch of decompression dives with trimix . . . the cost of fills (assuming 200 cubic feet of back gas) could easily be more than the cost of a used rebreather itself. Fair point I suppose.
Interest for trimix training for me is to be able to go deeper more safely, and to continue my training as I enjoy the process. I don't have dozens of deep trimix dives lined up per se, but I could see myself getting the occasional fill for certain dives below 100 or 120. There's a wreck in my area that goes to 160 and I'd rather to trimix certainly than air for that.
That being said I DO believe rebreathers are part of my diving future. I've assumed this for awhile. But being told that I may as well just skip trimix and buy a rebreather was a bit of a surprise, and financially I sure as hell wasn't planning on a rebreather purchase tomorrow. I'm just now completing my first tech kit and yeah, even with a bunch of used gear it's obviously a lot of money.
So I guess I'm just curious what folks' thoughts are. Given the price of helium and that there are more economical options to get into rebreather diving than there were in the past, is OC trimix going to sort of phase out? What trends are there currently in this regard, and where do you suppose it'll go?
Interest for trimix training for me is to be able to go deeper more safely, and to continue my training as I enjoy the process. I don't have dozens of deep trimix dives lined up per se, but I could see myself getting the occasional fill for certain dives below 100 or 120. There's a wreck in my area that goes to 160 and I'd rather to trimix certainly than air for that.
That being said I DO believe rebreathers are part of my diving future. I've assumed this for awhile. But being told that I may as well just skip trimix and buy a rebreather was a bit of a surprise, and financially I sure as hell wasn't planning on a rebreather purchase tomorrow. I'm just now completing my first tech kit and yeah, even with a bunch of used gear it's obviously a lot of money.
So I guess I'm just curious what folks' thoughts are. Given the price of helium and that there are more economical options to get into rebreather diving than there were in the past, is OC trimix going to sort of phase out? What trends are there currently in this regard, and where do you suppose it'll go?