Safety stop question

[ekiledjian]

I never heard anybody establish a limit as low as 5m for a safety stop to be added.

Most operators I have dove with use 15m as the breakpoint.

Haldane's experiments demonstrated that bubbles only form after a 2:1 pressure drop which would be 10m and even though I have seen opinions expressed on this board that some modern theories state that small bubbles / micronuclei are always present, and that reductions in pressure will cause them to expand, I have not so far located any experimental evidence of problems caused by drops below 2:1.

I read the following about RGBM:

modified RGBM recreational algorithms (Haldane imbedded with bubble reduction factors limiting reverse profile, repetitive, and multiday diving), as coded into Suunto, Mares, Dacor, ABYSS, GAP, HydroSpace, Plexus decometers, lower an already low DCS incidence rate of approximately 1/10,000 or less. More RGBM decompression meters, including mixed gases, are in the works;

 

[digitale]

When in doubt... why not err on the safe side. Is 3-5 minutes going to break your vacation?