Are you all just technical? What is technical?

[danpass]

Admittedly I'd always wondered about the hardon for black when it comes to scuba gear (perhaps its a beneficial chemical property the way it is in plastics)

I do understand that black doesn't get 'dirty' but come on, let's see more color choices, for trim at least.

 

[jonnythan]

Admittedly I'd always wondered about the hardon for black when it comes to scuba gear (perhaps its a beneficial chemical property the way it is in plastics)

I do understand that black doesn't get 'dirty' but come on, let's see more color choices for trim at least.

The problem is that a typical diver has a dozen pieces of gear from several different manufacturers on himself on any dive. Mask, BC, snorkel, fins, knife, hoses, regulator, tank, hose protectors, hose wraps, octo, hood, wetsuit, booties, gloves. It's tough enough to get any two big pieces to match, but getting a whole outfit that works together is all but impossible.

On top of that, all the other colors fade and look old well before black does.

 

[DevonDiver]

Personally, I always thought that bright gear was a good idea - but I'm guilty of buying black simple because it doesn't show the stains (as badly) from the wreck diving I do.

I've always wondered why the technical community - especially cave/wreck - didn't adopt a standardized procedure to wear bright colors or, at least, apply some reflective strips to key areas on kit. I used to put SOLAS tape on my DSMBs etc. I'd put it on tanks, fins etc now.. but I can't locate any where I live.

 

[nimoh]

The problem is that a typical diver has a dozen pieces of gear from several different manufacturers on himself on any dive. Mask, BC, snorkel, fins, knife, hoses, regulator, tank, hose protectors, hose wraps, octo, hood, wetsuit, booties, gloves. It's tough enough to get any two big pieces to match, but getting a whole outfit that works together is all but impossible.

On top of that, all the other colors fade and look old well before black does.

previously, my reasons for having black gear were just that I like black, but your reasons are much better, so I am going to go with those from now on

 

[jonnythan]

Haha nice. I love lime green, so I've tried from the start to have a bit of a green theme going on. My mask has some green accents and my knives have all had green accents. But my wetsuits have either blue or red accents. My tanks, which I bought used, are bright red. My regulators have prominent red parts. My boots have a different color of blue.

It all ends up being a big mess. If I could just have everything black that would be just fine.

 

[nimoh]

I have always found it funny when I hear hardcore Harley Davidson drivers declare that "loud pipes save lives" implying that loud motorcycles are more noticeable, but yet they wear all black at night

---------- Post Merged at 12:57 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:55 PM ----------

Haha nice. I love lime green, so I've tried from the start to have a bit of a green theme going on. My mask has some green accents and my knives have all had green accents. But my wetsuits have either blue or red accents. My tanks, which I bought used, are bright red. My regulators have prominent red parts. My boots have a different color of blue.

It all ends up being a big mess. If I could just have everything black that would be just fine.

funny, the gear I am wearing in my avatar is all black, except the wetsuit has lime green accents (noticeable on the aqualung logo on the shoulders).

 

[danpass]

Red becomes an ugly dark brown underwater. I use an analog watch with a red face (gift).

I suppose if the fish complain about the eyesore I'll have to go with the G-Shock lol

 

[-hh]

For someone without a gut, it's practically impossible to crank the cummerbund down tightly enough to prevent "sinking" in the BC at the surface when it's highly inflated.

Let's be honest: if this had been a complaint directed at a BP/W, wouldn't that 'highly inflated' part be immediately pointed at, and then used at the excuse to not ever blame the gear?

FWIW... don't take my choices as in any way indicative of "popular".

I'm just about the biggest dork around when it comes to color choices for any activity where I'm unavoidably vulnerable to the incompetence of others. I know that's a horrible way to say it but I'm a horrible person. I don't want people driving cars into me, mistaking me for a tasty animal, taxing onto a runway I'm landing on, running boats over me, etc., and I'm willing to look like a circus clown if that has even a chance of lowering the skill needed by others to avoid harming me. Yeah, sad, but that's me.

Oh, not at all - I understand and I do agree with the very practical observations of black being of poor visibility/contrast. What I was really alluding to is that the business of diving has undergone periods of product cycles. For example, people like matching colors and lighter colors show wear & tear more quickly than darker ones...that's why black is so popular. Similarly, wings aren't a new invention: they were used by rec divers back in the 1980s...but died out in the 90s. Again, looking through old dive magazines in one's local library can be a handy reference tool for dive history. They never died away for technical diving, but for rec, they've only made this current revivial relatively recently. Time will tell if they're going to die off again, or stick around this time. I do know that I've been seeing fewer BP/W or long hose setups on rec diveboats in 2012 than I was seeing a few years ago...but that's just my personal anecdotal observation.


-hh

 

[jonnythan]

Let's be honest: if this had been a complaint directed at a BP/W, wouldn't that 'highly inflated' part be immediately pointed at, and then used at the excuse to not ever blame the gear?

I don't think so, no. I inflate my wing most of the way on the surface. The difference is that with the crotch strap, I don't slide down into it.

 

[Them]

Why do people always resort to gear to attempt to solve training problems? If you are having trouble losing your buddy, you need better dive-buddy proceedures. If the vis is really that bad, even neon yellow or white only gives you a few more feet before it too disapears.

Because shock collars aren't waterproof?