Why do tech-divers wear black?

[SeaHound]

tradition? durability? any other reason?

[ae3753]

They like the color?

I personally know a lot of "tech divers" that don't wear black.

[dab]

It's cool.

[almitywife]

because they think chicks find it cool :D

[Jimmer]

because they think chicks find it cool :D

Do they? :D

[almitywife]

Originally Posted by almitywife
because they think chicks find it cool
Do they? :D

i find my own black gear cool :crafty:

now those yellow boxes of death i def dont find cool..... if they become any more common i'll expect to start seeing them on sale in the walmart catalogues :D

[chgodvr]

Probably because black is the predominant color available for most of the equipment . So the answer is tradition. But if you would like to change that, it could be a great new opportunity.

[tstormdiver]

And I always thought they had a hang up about going around like Darth Vader:rofl3:. I'm starting to go tech, but as you can see my drysuit isn't all black:D. I like to be seen!

[whoji]

Because they are underwater ninjas of course!!

[james croft]

Because black has no failure points.

[spt29970]

Because you wouldn't want someone grabbing the wrong hose in a OOF emergency (OOF=out of fashion)... :)

[vshearer]

A swirling spectacle of stygian style, an obsidian obsession of overwhelming occasion!
Black, the most intriguing of colors. What mystery does it hold, and by wearing it, what mystery do you hold? Will the donning of obsidian vestments create mystery where the once was nothing?

Why wear black - Clothing Tips & Advice - Helium - by Daguerreo Darkwielder (http://www.helium.com/tm/781338/swirling-spectacle-stygian-style)

[ianr33]

'Cos Colors are for Strokes

[BabyDuck]

they haven't invented anything darker yet.

[Scubakevdm]

The actual reason for choosing black gear is to facilitate optimal streamlining and minimalization. The "color" black is actually the absence of all color. Since color doesn't bring anything to the dive why lug it around? By utilizing black we eliminate unneccesary drag and clutter caused by non-blackness, thereby maximizing safety, efficiency and enjoyment.

[Phreak]

I had an interesting discussion with my LDS about this...black, black, black-ness. He mentioned a few years ago almost ALL the manufacturers were offering multi colors - pinks, blues and greens - and of course BLACK.

The pink colors, and greens and blue gear all sat on the shelves...collecting dust.

So of course the local dive crowd - still mostly men, sadly - was buying all this Darth Vader stuff, and well...money talks and gear manufacturers went back to mostly black gear.

This makes no real logic, because almost ALL tanks are white.

It's bizzare.

[amascuba]

because black hides my figure...lol

[Mike Edmonston]

The actual reason for choosing black gear is to facilitate optimal streamlining and minimalization. The "color" black is actually the absence of all color. Since color doesn't bring anything to the dive why lug it around? By utilizing black we eliminate unneccesary drag and clutter caused by non-blackness, thereby maximizing safety, efficiency and enjoyment.
:rofl3::rofl3::rofl3:

very nice, very nice...

[Bretagus]

Amazing thread... :popcorn:

I'm going to have to second underwater ninjas

[Peter_C]

In our low vis it is so they can not been seen by the landlord.

I wear an orange drysuit, but at depth...it starts turning black with the lack of light.

[texdiveguy]

Because there is no other good alternative.

[Ben_ca]

We'll let's see:

Fins: Most Tech guys wear Jets - Only in black (in the US)

Wings: Most of the manufacturers make their wings in black, of the ones that aren't black the wear and age show up faster on the colored ones... affecting the resale values

Drysuits: The same issues with the wings. The fading and wear.... Like Peter said other than figuring out which one is yours color really doesn't serve much purpose as everything looks the same at depth ;)

[rainman_02]

Ben, quit lying. All your stuff is pink.

[Ben_ca]

Ben, quit lying. All your stuff is pink.

It used to be red... :(

next time I'm buying black

[Scubadude773]

Even though we always wear black, we can never escape those darn blue drysuit gloves..
Robb

[divinginn]

I had to buy some orange florescent gloves just to be different,also helps my buddies to see hand signals.

[JS1scuba]

For the most part most diving equipment that's designed for high performance use comes in black. However, cylinders come in white, wings can come in orange, pink, blue, and red. Masks come in a variety of colors. Surface marker bouys are in yellow and orange. We manufacture back plates and spools in a variety of colors including, neon pink, yellow, green, candy red, blue, purple and other colors as well. You can also get dry suits in a variety of colors too.

Black ......... it's the new black!

Cheers

[Hockeynut]

It's from Muskie fisherman. When it come's to lure choice, the rule is, "Any color's good, as long as it's black!"

[D_B]

The actual reason for choosing black gear is to facilitate optimal streamlining and minimalization. The "color" black is actually the absence of all color. Since color doesn't bring anything to the dive why lug it around? By utilizing black we eliminate unneccesary drag and clutter caused by non-blackness, thereby maximizing safety, efficiency and enjoyment.
LOL, Color Drag ...
.... Dang, that all sounds so sensable ... :11:

[Flightlead]

I had to buy some orange florescent gloves just to be different,also helps my buddies to see hand signals.

like getting flipped the bird......when we diving again Mark?

[The Kraken]

Because any color goes with black.

the Haute K-oiture

[SparticleBrane]

Even though we always wear black, we can never escape those darn blue drysuit gloves..
Robb

Nordic Blue now makes black drysuit gloves, just FYI.

[syntaxerrorsix]

How about thermal absorption?

[TekDiveGirl]

Not ALL tech divers wear black!!

[Spork]

Well, black is slimming, and a the less resistance you have in water, the lower your air consumtion will be.

And BTW, Nordic Blue don't make black gloves anymore... Probably didn't sell for some reason...

[silverfish88]

It is for obvious reasons. Since the tanks are often white, when you are laying face down on the bottom, the searchers will see the outline of the tanks better on the dark background

[Mike Edmonston]

It is for obvious reasons. Since the tanks are often white, when you are laying face down on the bottom, the searchers will see the outline of the tanks better on the dark background

I don't know if you were trying to be funny or not, but with recent tragedies in our waters, not to mention the fact that a friend of mine just perished while diving recently, I find your answer somewhat dark and innapropriate. But that's just how I feel about it.

Safe diving

[Clammy]

It's so if someone does something idiotic underwater.... no one else will be able to differentiate from each other and therefore unable to laugh at them about it later. Essentially... it's camouflage!

[pescador775]

I did not realize that black was back so to speak. When I started diving wetsuits were any color one wanted, so long as the color was black. A lot of other gear was black but with some exceptions. The French Squale mask and US mfgt Viking fins were blue. Some Italian knives had yellow handles. However, the divers that I knew wore all black or mostly black. I still do. Over the ensuing years I had noticed some extremely colorful divers, literally. At one time, it was difficult to buy black gear but Scubapro was a hold out and I bought some of their stuff from time to time. Now, this new crop fancies themselves in black, huh, welcome to the club. Those mismatched colors made me squint a little anyway.

[shoredivr]

I don't wear black. In dark, cold water, why the h*ll would I want to look like every other (tech) diver? Why would I want to have a black wing when at the surface a red wing stands out more? Plus, I want the boat captain to remember my fluorescent pink nylon webbing. I want the other divers to be able to locate me due to fluorescent yellow stripes on my blue drysuit.

And, nobody seems to want to mistake my gear for anybody else's gear: few buy OMS Slipstream fins here (YES!)
:D Bonus.

[Mike Edmonston]

Black??? I don't wear no stinkin black! I prefer Yumm.. Yumm.. Yellow :D

http://www.caveline.com/pics/oxycheq-trim3.jpg

Black kind of gets lost in the background don't ya think???

http://www.caveline.com/pics/oxycheq-trim4.jpg

Not all divers wear black. :D

[TekDiveGirl]

I don't wear black. In dark, cold water, why the h*ll would I want to look like every other (tech) diver? Why would I want to have a black wing when at the surface a red wing stands out more? Plus, I want the boat captain to remember my fluorescent pink nylon webbing. I want the other divers to be able to locate me due to fluorescent yellow stripes on my blue drysuit.


On the surface?? When I was diving the Yukon a friend said he could see my PINK wing from the surface when my dive buddy and I were 60-100fsw in the cold murky San Dieg ocean below. He was in the water directly above us -- but he said it was like a neon beacon! :blinking:

[shoredivr]

On the surface?? When I was diving the Yukon a friend said he could see my PINK wing from the surface when my dive buddy and I were 60-100fsw in the cold murky San Dieg ocean below. He was in the water directly above us -- but he said it was like a neon beacon! :blinking:


Heh, heh, right on!


And Mike, excellent photos to illustrate the point!

[robway034]

Say! does anyone remember when dang near everything had to be Jacques Cousteau YELLOW?

BTW: Tek Girl and Mike.....I have thrown off the surly bonds of convention and purchased as much Blue dive gear as I can afford! I think your respective gear choices are excellent!

[Hoosier]

The actual reason for choosing black gear is to facilitate optimal streamlining and minimalization. The "color" black is actually the absence of all color. Since color doesn't bring anything to the dive why lug it around? By utilizing black we eliminate unneccesary drag and clutter caused by non-blackness, thereby maximizing safety, efficiency and enjoyment.


Are you serious? ;)

[RonFrank]

Black goes faster.... or is it Red.....now I'm confused. :shakehead:

If you consider John Chatterton a Tech Diver, than they don't ALWAYS wear black! He was found guilty of diving Blue Force Fins (I think they were force Fins) in a recent episode of Treasure Divers. They were definitely... Blue! :11:

The entire team doing IMAX filming was wearing yellow Twin Jets! Yes, split fins, in current, lugging around a 250lbs camera, at depth! You may not consider them technical, but since they were filming at 250fsw, and wearing rebreathers, I'd call that technical.

[rookers]

The actual reason for choosing black gear is to facilitate optimal streamlining and minimalization. The "color" black is actually the absence of all color. Since color doesn't bring anything to the dive why lug it around? By utilizing black we eliminate unneccesary drag and clutter caused by non-blackness, thereby maximizing safety, efficiency and enjoyment.

The 'nonexistence' streamlining principal.

[CompuDude]

I had an interesting discussion with my LDS about this...black, black, black-ness. He mentioned a few years ago almost ALL the manufacturers were offering multi colors - pinks, blues and greens - and of course BLACK.

The pink colors, and greens and blue gear all sat on the shelves...collecting dust.

So of course the local dive crowd - still mostly men, sadly - was buying all this Darth Vader stuff, and well...money talks and gear manufacturers went back to mostly black gear.

This makes no real logic, because almost ALL tanks are white.

It's bizzare.

Around here, I see a lot more grey tanks than white...

[Irene]

Black hides the mildew better.....for folks whose gear never seems to get dry!

[lamont]

Red is the new black (snarfed from the WKKP pages on the turner-wakulla traverse):


http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/41.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/42.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/31.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/19.jpg

[Scubakevdm]

Red is the new black:


http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/41.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/42.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/31.jpg
http://gue.com/files/page_images/expeditions/WKPP/2007/Traverse_Dec_15/images/19.jpg

That's because the red light wave frequencies are the first to be absorbed by water, making it the next best thing to black as far as the color streamlining aspect is concerned.