whats the deal with nitrox?

[Wijbrandus]

That's interesting!! Could you explain this a little further? I'm 52 years old and Nitrox certified, but I normally dive air. Are you saying that it would be better for me to dive Nitrox most of the time - if I can get it?

From what I understand from diver friends of mine who are over 40, since "slightly more experienced" folks like you have a risk factor in DCS (age), the nitrox is a more conservative dive tool.

In fact, my doctor even said that it's easier on the body and the ticker to use it. He dives, and won't dive anything else. I figure he's about 60.

I'm only 34, but I intend to cert for nitrox since you feel so much better after a dive on it vs. air.

 

[Ron Brandt]

If you are a PADI diver check in with your local LDS for a Nitrox "adventure Dive"

You should be able to discover the benifits of diving with this gas.

Being a Blender tech and being over 40 I have never been told how "important" it is to dive with this gas and I teach the eanx course.

I know when and when not its usefull to me but my requiremnets are different from the norm.

Ron

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

just wondering.

http://reef-divers.com/nitrox_why.htm

Read that -- its my take.

 

[quimby]

That's interesting!! Could you explain this a little further? I'm 52 years old and Nitrox certified, but I normally dive air. Are you saying that it would be better for me to dive Nitrox most of the time - if I can get it?

Kim its another generalization thats rampent in diving. What its based on is that the older you get the poorer your circulation. What is not mentioned is the physiology of fitness, or just plain old conditioning.
With nitrox you can either follow the air tables and build in a larger safety factor or just increase your bottom time (as in the good capts tables) or any combination of the above. We both know a lot of people, both young and old who are in lets say poor physical cond and by weight or physical problems suffer from reduced circulation and would be "more prone to" a dcs hit.
So nitrox is a good thing and like everything in diving allows you to set your own risk factor. As you have said you have been diving air and no problem as millions have done before you, so take it as something worth investigating. You could also continue the search into rec trimix and find that helium mixes, even at recreational depths ventilates so much better and is also considered to be "easier on the ole bod". Its all worth the research and up to you resolve its advantages to youself.. Have a good one Ken

 

[scubapolly]

Do you mean 40+ dives or 40+ years? Because I'm one of those.
:sad:

Divers over the age of 40. I think you should be Nitrox certified before you hit 40 dives.
This is my opinion at least. Additionally I recomend that our divers over the age of 40 dive nitrox but set their computers to air, but obviously observe the MOD (maximum opporating depth) of the gas they are using. This increases the safety factor of Nitrox. Before I get some angry replies, the 40 age, is just a suggestion too, I realize that there are a lot of divers out there in their 50s who are in better shape than some divers in their 20s.

 

[MechDiver]

That's interesting!! Could you explain this a little further? I'm 52 years old and Nitrox certified, but I normally dive air. Are you saying that it would be better for me to dive Nitrox most of the time - if I can get it?

Generally, yes. I never dive air unless its a very shallow river dive for cleanup or something similiar.

MD

 

[Michael Schlink]

scubapolly, why do you think Nitrox is safer? Do you have any supporting documents? Although Nitrox is most certainly a great gas to dive with I'd be careful saying it's more safe and suggesting that someone dive Nitrox with an air computer. I haven't found any PROOF that Nitrox is safer. There are simply too many other contributing factors to DCS/DCI. I think that everyone should dive some form of Nitrox as soon as possible and every chance they can, but only on dives where it can be of benefit, dives between 60-130 fsw +/-. The single most prevelant benefit of Nitrox is longer bottom times and/or shorter surface intervals. Safer maybe, less tired after diving, some say, but using Nitrox with an air computer is a waste of time (bottom time).

 

[quimby]

scubapolly
Divers over the age of 40. I think you should be Nitrox certified before you hit 40 dives.
This is my opinion at least. Additionally I recomend that our divers over the age of 40 dive nitrox but set their computers to air, but obviously observe the MOD (maximum opporating depth) of the gas they are using. This increases the safety factor of Nitrox. Before I get some angry replies, the 40 age, is just a suggestion too, I realize that there are a lot of divers out there in their 50s who are in better shape than some divers in their 20s.

considering your profile, the commentary is to say the least, disappointing
As I stated in my previous reply, generalities like yours dont provide any info just dictate. The 40yr old thing is lame and could be said about females due to general percent of body composition, or just anyone with over 5percent body fat,and not even go to PFO etc.
Nitrox is a tool, it equates to equivalent air depth, which is something for the individual diver to evaluate for risk vs benefit. The same goes for helium in the mix, max ppO2, deepstops, deco gasses, safety stops and the list goes on. A diver needs to research what could be advantageous to his or her own situation and not be given meaningless rules or suggestions based on to say the least a questionable opinion

 

[DoUDive2]

wow i understood about half of what they said 8D i got the point of it tho. thanks

I got involved with Nitrox simply because I wanted to improve my diving skills. After I learned underwater navigation, night divinig, and underwater photography; I decided that I wanted to learn nitrox. As it turns out, most of my diving is over multiple days and to multiple depths. For this purpose, Nitrox works great! However, it requires more knowledge, preparation, and proficiency.

In the future, I'm planning some deeper dives for some Pacific wrecks, so I'll need to upgrade my skill set once again.

So the answer to your question: "What the deal with Nitrox?" For me, it was the challenge of learning something new and interesting.

Chris

 

[MikeFerrara]

scubapolly, why do you think Nitrox is safer? Do you have any supporting documents? Although Nitrox is most certainly a great gas to dive with I'd be careful saying it's more safe and suggesting that someone dive Nitrox with an air computer. I haven't found any PROOF that Nitrox is safer. There are simply too many other contributing factors to DCS/DCI. I think that everyone should dive some form of Nitrox as soon as possible and every chance they can, but only on dives where it can be of benefit, dives between 60-130 fsw +/-. The single most prevelant benefit of Nitrox is longer bottom times and/or shorter surface intervals. Safer maybe, less tired after diving, some say, but using Nitrox with an air computer is a waste of time (bottom time).

I disagree.

PADI started this whole..."nitrox isn't safer because diving the tables is already safe" bunk.

All else being equal using nitrox results in less absorbed nitrogen which reduces the risk of decompression sickness.

It's true that there are many other factors that effect the outcome but diveing nitrox using air tables or an air computer will result in less of a inert gas load over the same dive profile. As you say yourself, nitrox can be used to get extra bottom time. If you don't use that extra bottom time it puts you further from those nasty NDL's

If you're riding NDL's then you probably have the same risk regardless of gas.

Especially for divers with predesposing factors...ie overweight, poor phisical condition, dehydration, multiple dives over multiple days...the extra margin that nitrox on an air computer provides may just make all the difference. The more dives you do over the more days and the closer you are to NDL's the further you get from tested conditions and the more conservative you should be with gas loads.

DAN claims that the average ascent rate of recreational divers is what? over 100 ft/minute? Especially when doing this all week nitrox is liable to help. One thing is certain though and that is that more nitrogen won't help.