What computers are you using for tech dives?

[Michael Guerrero]

Imo a lot of problem with reaching valves is because of improperly adjusted equipment or poorly fitting exposure suits.

If you've got a shoulder injury ok fine, might have some trouble. Otherwise I'd really examine other possibilities. Most people can touch their shoulders and the back of their neck, and the valves are right next to those points.

Valve drills in my wetsuits, even 7mm, are a cake walk. In my drysuit with thick undergarments and heating vest, another story. Exposure protection impacts this significantly. Even when I wriggle around at the beginning with a full suit of air and making the long stretch.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

My impression is that the implementation of Buhlmann ZH-L16C with GF is a little different on my Nitek Q than it is on a Shearwater. Nothing dramatic, but a little different. Of course, it is also a little different than software, like MultiDeco.

Exactly. The magnitude of the difference is generally so small as to be meaningless, particularly given the inexactitude of decompression theory.

 

[boulderjohn]

Valve drills in my wetsuits, even 7mm, are a cake walk. In my drysuit with thick undergarments and heating vest, another story. Exposure protection impacts this significantly. Even when I wriggle around at the beginning with a full suit of air and making the long stretch.

The truth of this cannot be overemphasized.

 

[cruisekingkris]

The most important thing my GUE Fundamentals teacher tought me was to 'set my suit' (don't know the right English term). By setting my drysuit I mean closing the deflator and pump some air in. Next go head down under water, legs above water and start streching and wiggling. This way your suit will give more room while doing a valve drill. Even with thick undersuits this trick works.

Before I believed I would never be able to do a valve drill because of limitations in my shoulders and neck, now find it as easy as can be. Even during the dive I routinely check my valves before checking my gauge. Also (back) kicking became more easy.

What does this do? I would think this makes the suit snugger up top and and removes and slack. Am I incorrect by thinking you want a little slack byt the arms and shoulder for reaching valves.

Is there a starting point for the height of wing and tanks for a twinset? I just did my first dive on double HP120's and could only get my fingertips to the isolation valve and tank valves. I'm going to try moving the tanks higher but I'm afraid it will make me head heavy.

 

[KevinNM]

Can you reach the valves without the suit on? If so, can you reach the valves with just the midlayer on?

If you can’t easily reach the vales without the suit on you have a mobility issue and need to work on that. Or something is crazy with your technique or how you have the tanks positioned. Seek in-person advice from someone who dives the way you want to.

If you can easily reach the valves without the suit and can also reach with the midlayer maybe your suit is not properly sized? Or it’s binding or something is not right with the suit as you have it set up.

If you can’t reach with the midlayer on them maybe the midlayer is too small or not fitted right.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

What does this do? I would think this makes the suit snugger up top and and removes and slack. Am I incorrect by thinking you want a little slack byt the arms and shoulder for reaching valves.

I was taught to do this in my Fundamentals class last summer. We called it "stretching the suit." The process is to close the dump valve, inflate the suit generously, and then wiggle/wriggle with vigor. This helps to loosen up any areas where layers of fabric may be bunched up or binding on one another in a way that might limit range of motion. Once a satisfactory result is achieved, you reopen your valve and continue with pre-dive prep.