Nitrox Certification?

[av8er23]

I am seriously thinking of getting my nitrox certification. Could someone please give me some reasons why I should do it. Are the only benefits: slightly more bottom time & maybe feeling better after a dive.

 

[pants!]

More bottom time (significantly more on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th dives of the day), less after-dive fatigue.. what more do you want?? Nitrox is the way to go.

 

[dbulmer]

Another advantage is a)) You'll have to refresh your knowledge of dive tables if you haven't been looking at them recently b) You'll get to understand a little more about dive physics particularly if it was a subject poorly covered in OW.

 

[m7scuba]

If you dive it using the air tables, you get an additional margin of safety for preventing DCS.

Personally, I did 4 dives in 1 day with the first 2 on nitrox (these were my nitrox cert dives). I was pleasantly surprised at how well I felt after that dive day. I'll probably use nitrox because it will make me feel better after the dives. As soon as I get my SAC down, then the time issues will be nice as well (more BT, shorter SI).

 

[Rec Diver]

Are the only benefits: slightly more bottom time & maybe feeling better after a dive.

When you start doing more diving you will realize that these are really good benefits.

 

[ScubaSixString]

I am seriously thinking of getting my nitrox certification. Could someone please give me some reasons why I should do it. Are the only benefits: slightly more bottom time & maybe feeling better after a dive.

For later down the road, its an intro to diving mixes other than air. Oxygen Toxicity is introduced as well as concepts like PO2, MOD, and others.

Its the intro nitrox cert. If you ever decide to go on to non rec diving, most accelerated decompression is done on some form of nitrox or o2.

For the recreational diver, as has been mentioned, its a great review of table work. You can get EITHER, extended bottom time, shorter surface intervals and longer repetitive dive times OR an increased safety margin. (theoretically you could get both by diving EAN36 and using a leaner mix table but you'd still have to calculate your o2 exposures for 36)

 

[Diver0001]

I am seriously thinking of getting my nitrox certification. Could someone please give me some reasons why I should do it. Are the only benefits: slightly more bottom time & maybe feeling better after a dive.

I think it's partially about longer bottom times. If your dives are being limited by the NDL's then Nitrox is one way to move the envelope.

Nitrox can be used to create a bigger safety margin when you're diving intensively. A buddy of mine uses 32% but sets his computer to air when we're on vacation in the tropics and making 4 or 5 dives a day (you have to watch your O2 clock when you do this....).

And I think that if you're looking for a way to get more involved in your hobby then it's a good way to pick up some extra theory and develop your knowledge as a diver while at the same time opening some more doors to new possibilities.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

Its the intro nitrox cert. If you ever decide to go on to non rec diving, most accelerated decompression is done on some form of nitrox or o2.

That's true. Nitrox isn't only good for extending the NDL's. It really comes into it's own when you go over them....

R..

 

[ericrd]

- safety is NOT a valid argument - as the book says... air diving is extremely safe today. And I would add: you always dive to the limit.. (till you get no more bottom time) so it eventually makes little difference

- extended bottom time: absolutely - on the top of my head, ENAx32 at 20mtr/65ft gives you 75 minutes, as opposed to 45 on air.

- a bit surprising, better access to greater depth - though you are more restricted in terms of your absolute depth, and that you cant go as deep as with air, for depth in the range of 90-110ft, you can go there and **stay** on nitrox - on air, you go and come back very quickly.

Now, to benefit from more bottom time, you need to have a decent air consumption - if you are at 500 psi after 30 min of dive at 65ft, may not be of much interest.

eric

I am seriously thinking of getting my nitrox certification. Could someone please give me some reasons why I should do it. Are the only benefits: slightly more bottom time & maybe feeling better after a dive.

 

[Diver0001]

- safety is NOT a valid argument - as the book says... air diving is extremely safe today. And I would add: you always dive to the limit.. (till you get no more bottom time) so it eventually makes little difference

I think a lot of people would disagree with that. It depends on *how* you go about things as much as the tools you use.

The reason agencies refuse to publicly acknowledge the safety benifits may have more to do with liability than you think. The PADI public line and the things they write to their members, for example, are completely opposite on this point.

Moreover, all of these "safe enough" arguments are a load of b.s. if you're the one getting the hit. DCS incidents are still very common and I see nothing wrong with tilting the odds in your favor.

R..