Calling out the Nitrox Posers!

[Crazy Fingers]

Okay, I can't stand it any longer. For the record, I am nitrox certified. This means I know what nitrox is , when it can be useful, and when it can be dangerous. But it seems every time I am at some popular, shallow shore dive there is some buffoon there breathing nitrox.

I am not talking about an application where it might be useful. I am talking about 15' shore dives, 25' deep spring dives, or even instructors training people in swimming pools!! What is the point of this? In these instances you are not NDL limited, (and won't be on subsequent dives either) so there is really no reason to be breathing it. It just wastes money.

I think they look like idiots and are just trying to show off to non-nitrox divers and chicks on the beach.

Am I way off base here?

 

[Cacia]

maybe...

Personally, I think it is pretty costly and frankly I would rather spend the money on beer afterwards.

I only use it when I have a reason for wanting more bottom time and deeper than 70 ft or so. (a wreck, a picture) And somebody else pays for it. 12 dollars a tank!...too cheap I guess.

But..who would be really impressd with just Nitrox? I have higher standards than that. Now...those 4000 dollar housings turn my head....

 

[Walter]

How do you know they are using nitrox? I use a wide variety of mixes in my nitrox tanks. Sometimes the mix is 21%, but you'd have no way of knowing that. Also, if you're near Pompano, you can get nitrox at Fill Express for the same price as air.

 

[ShakaZulu]

If you are diving Nitrox using air tables, you have a build in margin, but in 15-25ft of water, you are just wasting your money.....why do guys drive Ferrari's?

 

[Missdirected]

Hrmmm, maybe they had left over tanks that needed using? I have tanks I needed to use as another dive was called. This has happened many times. Now that I have my own tanks which are for use with Nitrox sometimes, like Walter, I only have 21% in there. And for the cost of tanks I am not going to buy another set just so some other guy doesn't think I may be trying to be a poser, sorry

P.S. I'm not into chicks :winky:

 

[aquaknott]

I can unserstand your frustration but I myself am NItrox certified and I find myself looking for any available opportunity to dive Nitrox so that I can stay current using it. Now with that said I do not dive NItrox in a pool or in 15' of water. So I am not taking up for those that are on the beach in 15' of water but maybe they have the same thought in mind. As for the showing out in front of chicks on the beach I don't see how having a green sticker on your tank can make a diver more appealing to someone on the beach in a bikini. LOLOL

Have a good day...

 

[Buoyant1]

Are you certain that they are using Nitrox? or are you assuming that because the tanks have either Enriched Air, or NITROX stickers on them?

My LDS uses continous blending and you can use either air or Nitrox in their tanks (and a bunch of my regular dives buddies get air in their personal tanks occasionally) We always check to see who is diving which gas before we go to make sure no one's NDL's are compromised. (and by the same token to no one exceeds their MOD if diving Nitrox)

If they ARE diving some blend, maybe they are doing many repetitive dives, or have a reason for using less nitrogen. (me, I fall into that overweight/over 40 catagory, and Nitrox is just a better idea sometimes)

Oh...Catherine's buying?! WOO HOO!

 

[DennisS]

Maybe they have one tank, and it's a nitrox one. Why go through the hassle of trying to get air in a nitrox tank, for a few bucks they don't have to.

 

[FredT]

Almost all my tanks are nitrox and O2 clean. For shallow dives I just put clean air in them. for other dives they may have anything from 26% for deeper rig dives and 40% for known depth structure in the Northern Gulf where to get too deep for 40% you'd need to bring a shovel. Gas management is simple if diving your own tanks, and it's expensive to keep swapping out the nitrox markings if just diving air.

FT

 

[Buoyant1]

.....why do guys drive Ferrari's?

Littl....:shakehead don't say it!