How do you know you're diving 21% Nitrox?

[redacted]

Pretty anecdotal information, and without capturing profiles (depths, bottom times, and surface intervals) any study would be unable to be peer reviewed. I'll bet DAN captures the information and is studying it.

You know, I truly believe in the benefits of nitrox. I do feel less shagged out after a dive, and I really notice it when I switch back to air. However, I only dive air between 130-160 FSW, so it isn't a valid comparison. I am an easy bender, however, having been bent 3 times, always on air, twice while working very hard at depth. The worst was on a recreational dive in Coz. As far as I'm concerned, air is for puttin' in your tires, nitrox is for breathing.

I suspect what may be happening is really a combination of gas and tank size. With a standard Al80, many divers are going from being NDL limited on air to being gas limited on EAN32 resulting in less pushing of NDLs.

 

[RJP]

Trust is good, control is better

As Reagan said about the nuclear inspection requirements of the arms treaty with Russia:

"Trust... but verify."

 

[knotical]

Pretty anecdotal information, and without capturing profiles (depths, bottom times, and surface intervals) any study would be unable to be peer reviewed. I'll bet DAN captures the information and is studying it.

You know, I truly believe in the benefits of nitrox. I do feel less shagged out after a dive, and I really notice it when I switch back to air. However, I only dive air between 130-160 FSW, so it isn't a valid comparison. I am an easy bender, however, having been bent 3 times, always on air, twice while working very hard at depth. The worst was on a recreational dive in Coz. As far as I'm concerned, air is for puttin' in your tires, nitrox is for breathing.

Anecdotal, perhaps. But 4-8 per year to zero for 3 years or so is pretty strong anecdote.

 

[DaleC]

Do you go through mental hoops just to put on your seat belt or is it automatic?

No, though that's not a fair comparison. What I don't do is test the tire pressure every time I go for a drive.
But more to the point. I don't consider being aware of my environment and my equipment to be jumping through mental hoops and I do find default blanket policies to be the lazy mans method of not being aware of their environment. When you eliminate discrimination from the mental landscape in favor of rote reaction all you end up with is people who can't discriminate. I don't like diving with people like that - it's dangerous.

You should do at least a Once-in-a-Lifetime every year.

Funny, I think you should do local dives on a regular basis so you maintain the skills that keep you alive as a diver. I don't need to travel half way around the world and spend thousands of dollars to enjoy myself underwater - that's the sign of an atrophied imagination.

That's part of the adventure!

Excellent. Tell that to the family members who lose loved ones each year on supposed safe, simple, recreational dives because they were ill prepared for the conditions they encountered.

I get it. You're trying to sell stuff and promote your business. Fill your boots. I'm just suggesting people think a little about how they perceive risk mitigation, whether some safety responses may have unintended consequences and to consider whether there may be other avenues to explore. Forces in the dive industry (such as yourself) are always trying to push divers to the edge by promoting the instant gratification of a big splash instead of steady, stable progression; and then sell those same divers things they don't need in an attempt to put a fence up at that edge. Some of us call bullsh_t.

 

[Sat Diver]

But that is not the question, Do you analyze your 21% nitrox tanks?

I do not analyse my air tanks for O2. I dive only air upto 50 metres . Beyond that I dive Heliox and deco on Heliox. I NEVER use Nitrox.

Do YOU analyse your tanks for Helium ?

 

[jago]

You should always analyse your gas. It's very easy, if you make one of your regulators flowing to the flame of a lighter, the flame height would be proportional to the fO2. You only have to calibrate once.