Had what started to seem like an interesting conversation with a buddy yesterday on the dock about diving air vs diving nitrox "all the time". He made the comment that his buddy dives nitrox all the time even on dives where it wasn't needed because it makes him feel better. He said his buddy would always feel tired after dives and doesn't feel that way after switching to nitrox. I said that he could have just set his dive computer to be a little more conservative and get the same results as you can with nitrox, but now I'm not sure that's a 100% accurate statement?
Can you get the same results from setting a computer to be more conservative vs just switching over to nitrox? I was taught in tech training to read a bunch about gf hi/lo, pick something that has a valid reason and then do some dives. Adjust if you you think it's warranted. I feel great after dives, refreshed even. To me it seems air or nitrox really shouldn't matter, either is just a tool. If I'm diving air and I feel tired I would adjust my diving, not my mix. More conservative, slower ascent in the last 20', hydrated before a dive, etc. To me just throwing a different mix at it just seems like a band-aid.
What say you Scubaboard?
Can you get the same results from setting a computer to be more conservative vs just switching over to nitrox? I was taught in tech training to read a bunch about gf hi/lo, pick something that has a valid reason and then do some dives. Adjust if you you think it's warranted. I feel great after dives, refreshed even. To me it seems air or nitrox really shouldn't matter, either is just a tool. If I'm diving air and I feel tired I would adjust my diving, not my mix. More conservative, slower ascent in the last 20', hydrated before a dive, etc. To me just throwing a different mix at it just seems like a band-aid.
What say you Scubaboard?