Nitrox for beginners

[beaverdivers]

After diving higher % of O2 ( Advanced Nitrox mixes ), you feel like Superman! No need for Viagra.

After a chamber ride, you almost always feel better ( unless you are severely bent ).

Also, there is a reason that you see football players sucking O2 on the sidelines in Denver.

O2 makes you feel better, as long as it is used properly.

[k ellis]

i fall firmly into the "i feel better on nitrox" camp.

me too!

[MaxBottomtime]

I feel exhilarated after nearly every dive, and I only use nitrox as a deco gas. The fatigue factor of nitrox is like religion. If it makes you feel better to believe something unsupported by facts, more power to you. I'll stick to reality and continue to enjoy every dive I make, no matter which gas I breathe.

[boulderjohn]

One of the problems I have seen with what little research I have seen and what most people experience is that I don't believe the issue was pushed enough to make a noticeable difference. If I recall one study correctly, they had divers perform two pretty benign dives and report how they felt. I don't think anyone can tell a difference under those circumstances. If the tiredness factor is actually caused by subclinical DCS, then you have to push things to those limits to see if really makes a difference.

My very first liveaboard experience was only three days of diving long, off the Great Barrier Reef. I averaged 4 dives per day, all on air. The depths were not great--I don't think I ever hit 100 feet, and I was diving AL 80s. I was in excellent physical shape. By the third day I was totally whipped. I couldn't even eat dessert, and if you know me, that is amazing. I went right to bed after dinner and had to be awakened the next day, after sleeping about 11 hours.

I have since done several more liveaboards, all on nitrox. On one of them, most of the dives were 100 feet or deeper, using steel 112s. On each of those trips, I felt great every day and was up having fun with everyone else until it was clearly time for bed. I never once felt what I did on that first trip after diving air for only three days.

Now, that is anecdotal evidence and by itself means nothing. I believe the way to tell if nitrox makes a difference, though, is to do some sort of test like that. You have to stress the divers enough to make any difference readily apparent. If what happened to me is actually typical you won't need any kind of subjective evaluation. Researchers will see the difference easily.

[Centrals]

I've been thinking recently (since I don't actually get to dive very often) would Nitrox be worth it for a beginner? I can definitely see it's advantages...like for a week long dive trip, lowering your nitrogen loading over the course of many dives in a row But let's say you're going to do 2 dives in 1 day, or even 4 dives over 2 days, and won't dive again or quite some time. If you're a beginner and your dives are currently limited because you're running out of gas, rather than non-deco time, would it be a waste of money to get Nitrox?

The course is inexpensive, so why not? Treat it as a kind of scuba education and you might find it useful or waste of money and time BUT....
Would you feel less tire after nitrox dive? Only you can tell. I certainly do not find it any difference except the dive is a bit longer and expensive.

[vinx]

I'm thinking of taking the course too soon.. Thanks for all the feedbacks and posts. Great help!

[Centrals]

I'm thinking of taking the course too soon.. Thanks for all the feedbacks and posts. Great help!

Kumusta ka?
Canyons, Kelimar Drift, Odie Ding Ding and Verde Island on EAN 32.
Pity the sharks had gone at Shark Cave.

[Tigerman]

Oh man...So many nitrox haters. Nitrox is a great class to take. Gives the student so much insight into the science of SCUBA. And it is cheap. 5 or 10 bucks more tank for the shortened SI is priceless. You can also dive air tables and know you have
extra margine of safety. And...I am one of those who believes eanx mitigates headaches and the need to crash after a dive. Besides, this is th 21'st century. Who dives with air anymore?

Yes, a nitrox class IS a great course to take.
However, although it makes perfect, logical, sense that diving air profiles on nitrox gives a better margin, IIRC its not really a proven fact that it does due to the low ammount of incidents there is in the first place.
Personally I do not feel any difference wether I dive nitrox or air even if I dive nitrox on air profiles when it comes to fatigue. Im rarely fatigued regardless of the contents of the tank.

I love nitrox, but thats because I get more time in the water and less time on the boat..
Of course, having a marine biologist teach the class, during which we did 3 dives as well, didnt exactly hurt either

[mwalsh787]

Welcome to our sport Glad to hear of any diver interested in furthering their dive education. I'll leave the Nitrox "feel better" debate to others. Personally, I tend to feel a bit better when I dive Nitrox. That said, I tend to dive air profiles and I typically go through my gas fairly quickly, so I would probably do fine with just air, but I do enjoy the added theoretical DCS safety margin that comes with Nitrox (you'll learn more about that when you take the class). I found the Nitrox class to be one of the more interesting scuba classes I have taken and I do believe it helps to refine and strengthen your overall dive knowledge, so I would say "Go for it!" when it comes to taking the class. The best advice many have already given is to dive more...but there's no reason you can't do both--dive more and further your dive education You may find that the ability to dive Nitrox (Post-course) improves your opportunities to dive in some areas...and may lead to you being able to dive more anyway. Whatever you decide, best of luck!