WHY Oh WHY????

[drrich2]

Basic black is always appropriate, someone mentioned it's the natural color of neoprene, scuba gear decked-out divers generally aren't all that 'style'in and profile'in' anyway, and scuba's historically had a preponderance of males, who on the whole as a general trend don't seem to prioritize fashion, or go for lighter, brighter colors and patterns, as much as females, or such as been my impression.

Even some guy's gear has a slash of color on the wetsuit or BCD.

How many people are running into trouble with hand signal-discrimination on low-viz. dives in the real world? Is that a 'thing?'

Richard.

 

[Neilwood]

I think the reason is that most people don't want to stick out so are happy merging in with the rest of the divers who are all in black.

There are a number of places that do colours - you need to look harder though. I like these - link

 

[flyboy08]

Black is the new orange....here in NYC, it's black or grey or your dead

 

[SecT]

Learn how to do all signal with one hand while shine a torch to that hand. works good low viz and night dives (and off course in good viz without the torch).

 

[Kenji]

Basic black is always appropriate, someone mentioned it's the natural color of neoprene, scuba gear decked-out divers generally aren't all that 'style'in and profile'in' anyway, and scuba's historically had a preponderance of males, who on the whole as a general trend don't seem to prioritize fashion, or go for lighter, brighter colors and patterns, as much as females, or such as been my impression.

Even some guy's gear has a slash of color on the wetsuit or BCD.

How many people are running into trouble with hand signal-discrimination on low-viz. dives in the real world? Is that a 'thing?'

Richard.

I guess it depends on what "style" of hand signals are being used for stuff like numbers? I am pretty sure I have personally been on dives with 3 different types of hand signals for numbers (for Air), and I an a newb.
I can see if someone is using the fingers on the arm style numbers, with a full suit and gloves on it could be an issue, if you aren't wearing gloves it would be a huge difference.

 

[AZNetEng]

Im Mr. Black and Gray gear wise. I rarely wear a wetsuit though. My buddy (Wife) wears both a shorty for day time and full for night time and are full black. Our sellout to "fashion" is brightly colored fins, hers yellow and mine orange.

 

[DevonDiver]

I've switched to orange gloves...as this helps visibility of signals.

I've had issues with people signalling in black gloves. I've had to tell them to signal outstretched to the side so I could properly see their signals.

I also added yellow webbing on some of my harnesses. Trying to add some higher viz color where ever I can (without replacing expensive kit).

Ive never understood the fascination with having black kit.... if someone were really serious about dive safety they'd dress brighter... especially for tech and overhead diving.

 

[BoltSnap]

More colors, more cost! You missed diving in the 80's, most color in wetsuits then.

 

[Steve_C]

Neilwood nailed half of it. Answer is simple
- Lots of folks do not want to be noticed
- Lots of males think black is macho and are channeling their inner (but non-existent in most cases) Navy seal and want folks to think they are macho.

Some color somewhere is extremely helpful in keeping track of somebody in low viz or when two groups meets and pass through each other in low viz. Part of my pre dive is to look at my buddy and try to find something that makes them look different than the other divers on the boat. In my case it is my yellow and black fins and bright orange smb on the lower left bcd ring and my white mask. Also have some blue on the wetsuit but I do not see that as very helpful at depth.

 

[rhwestfall]

bright orange (red) or yellow hoses on double hose regulator.....