Why Nitrox?

[rawls]

It's gentler on your body and particularly useful for older divers.

And thus the term "Geezer Gas"

 

[cummings66]

PerroneFord summed up all the important points, but I'd like to go on record saying that I do not notice any physical benefit to diving it. I don't get tired diving air, and I notice nothing different with air. For me doing proper ascents makes me feel better.

Don't go into Nitrox thinking it's a miracle cure for air consumption, feeling better, less chance of being Narc'd, etc. All those things are claims you'll hear mentioned from time to time here, and in the real world. There is no scientific support for any of them being true. Of course not much testing has been done that way to this point.

The books tell you the primary benefit is reduced Nitrogen absorption, how you use that benefit is up to you.

 

[WarrenZ]

I can get a 2 to 4 tank rentals filled with air for the price of a rental tank with nitrox thats why I dont dive it. Besides air works fine for me been breathing it for years now .

 

[SparticleBrane]

I'll get Nitrox for deeper NC coastal dives, but for relatively shallow quarries I'll use the air I can get for free.

 

[DivetheRock]

Thanks, everybody, for all the replies. It all leads me to believe that it's a Chev/Ford issue - depends on the person and their preferences. As for me, I don't really see any advantages of having this course...at least not until I get quite a few dives under my belt. Perhaps, according to all your information, this would be a good course to take when I'm OLDER...like GEEZER older!

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

In the PADI EA course, I believe the official position is that enriched air provides longer NDL times, period. It is not safer and the "feeling better" part is attributed to placebo effect. I'm not saying this is correct, but that's what is taught. Thus, according to dogma, EA is useful only when the day's planned dives are really curtailed by the limits. Thus, it may be indispensable on a liveaboard doing five dives a day and a complete waste of time and money on a two-tank shallow reef dive trip on a cattleboat.

 

[DivetheRock]

So, is Enriched Air and Nitrox the same thing? I'm new to diving.

 

[verybaddiver]

they are generally the same thing but for one slight difference

Nitrox = a blend of Nitrogen and Oxygen: could be 99% N , 1% O2 or 1% N , 99% O2
Enriched air = a blend of Nitrogen and Oxygen, with more Oxygen that present in normal air. Oxygen is always > than 21%

 

[Kim]

So, is Enriched Air and Nitrox the same thing? I'm new to diving.

Yes. Basically it refers to air that has had extra oxygen added for the purpose of decreasing the percentage of nitrogen in the mix. Result.....less intake of nitrogen per breath. Secondary result....more intake of Oxygen. As has already been mentioned this second bit is the sting. Too much Oxygen can cause convulsions without warning (Oxygen Toxicity) and lead to drowning while unconcious. Consequently you have to learn what the percentages mean and how they increase at different depths etc....hence the course. As with most things in diving it's about learning where the limits are and staying safely on the right side of them.

 

[Kim]

OK...I just saw verybaddiver's answer and he's correct. At extreme depths you might very well use less oxygen in the mix than in normal air. I must say though, I've never heard of Nitrox being used like that......then they normally add Helium to replace the Oxygen and the Nitrogen that isn't required - that's called Trimix. I've never heard of a mix that contains more than 79% nitrogen. Still - I'm not a technical diver so I'm not completely sure about those kinds of mixes.