Bio-Filter

[u5agi]

I would put this in the same category as dry snorkels, ankle weights, and purge masks - a panacea for lack of comfort in the water that comes from poor skills or lack of experience. Boogie, Damsel, and Seabear and MrMares are right - the perceived improvement is probably placebo.

 

[waterdaughter]

I would put this in the same category as dry snorkels, ankle weights, and purge masks - a panacea for lack of comfort in the water that comes from poor skills or lack of experience. Boogie, Damsel, and Seabear and MrMares are right - the perceived improvement is probably placebo.

I too get drymouth, though I don't notice it until the dive has passed the half hour mark. By the hour mark, I can barely swallow, the tissues in my throat and mouth are so dehydrated.
Certainly, in my case...I could accept the fact that "lack of experience and even "poor skills" could be a precipitating factor...I am still new to the sport.
My question is this: given the humidity (lack thereof) in tank air...and the indisputable physiological fact that the membranes of the mouth, esophagus and trachea all hydrate air on it's way to the lungs, if the air is drier than the body's requirements...how will experience and skills improve/change this. I have been breathing above water for years and consider this a skill I have mastered (so far---and hope to continue for a long time ) But, I can certainly tell you that on a very dry day, the air will quickly dry my throat and make me thirsty faster, than would be the case on a very humid day.

It may sound like it...but this is not a smart-alecky question...I would genuinely like to know the technique that experience/skill develops, so that one may say that they no longer experience dry-mouth. I'm sure many of us out here would benefit from your suggestions. It's always nice to be able to speak at the end of a dive...lol.

>C

 

[jbichsel]

My first reg was a Sherwodd Oasis, 1989 model. It had the heat/moisture retention fins that I'm sure helped some amount to rehydrate the air, but I still got dry mouth.

I have noticed that over the years with more and more diving, drymouth is much less of a concern. One thing may be that I tryto begin 'over' hydrating myself the night before. I will drink a lot of water beofore bed even if I have to get up in the middle of the night. First thing in the morning, 32 oz. water.

Also, in about 1992, I decided that there is so much unknown about the effects of alcohol and diving, that I would set a minimum of 24 hours before and after diving to not drink any alcohol. We all know that alcohol dehydrates us, so I thought why fight that battle also. If I'm going on a trip where I will be diving over several days, I extend the pre-dive ban to 36 hours and no alcohol for the duration of the trip.

Trust me, it's not always easy as I love my Guinness!

I now dive an Aqualung Legend LX and have spent up to 90 minutes under water on one dive. Every so often I take the reg out, build up a mouthful of spit and swallow.

I find the dry mouth at the end of a long dive to be annoying at most, but nothing I would buy a bio-filter for. Pre hydration, no alcohol work just fine and actually saves money!

 

[waterdaughter]

I have noticed that over the years with more and more diving, drymouth is much less of a concern. One thing may be that I tryto begin 'over' hydrating myself the night before. I will drink a lot of water beofore bed even if I have to get up in the middle of the night. First thing in the morning, 32 oz. water.

Also, in about 1992, I decided that there is so much unknown about the effects of alcohol and diving, that I would set a minimum of 24 hours before and after diving to not drink any alcohol. We all know that alcohol dehydrates us, so I thought why fight that battle also. If I'm going on a trip where I will be diving over several days, I extend the pre-dive ban to 36 hours and no alcohol for the duration of the trip.

Trust me, it's not always easy as I love my Guinness!

I now dive an Aqualung Legend LX and have spent up to 90 minutes under water on one dive. Every so often I take the reg out, build up a mouthful of spit and swallow.

I find the dry mouth at the end of a long dive to be annoying at most, but nothing I would buy a bio-filter for. Pre hydration, no alcohol work just fine and actually saves money!

Well, the suggestions are certainly worth a shot! We are heading to Veredaro next week and I will hydrate like crazy and attempt your "spit manouever", lol What the heck!

Thanks! (if I get ribbed for such an unusual display...I intend to quote you, lol)
Cathy

 

[RichLockyer]

Why don't they just call it a humidifier?

'Cuz they wouldn't sell any

 

[Charlie99]

I too get drymouth, though I don't notice it until the dive has passed the half hour mark. By the hour mark, I can barely swallow, the tissues in my throat and mouth are so dehydrated.
Certainly, in my case...I could accept the fact that "lack of experience and even "poor skills" could be a precipitating factor...I am still new to the sport.
My question is this: given the humidity (lack thereof) in tank air...and the indisputable physiological fact that the membranes of the mouth, esophagus and trachea all hydrate air on it's way to the lungs, if the air is drier than the body's requirements...how will experience and skills improve/change this.

The only skill that I can think of that's related to dry mouth is the ability to "rinse and spit". The beginner's method is to remove reg, suck in some water, then spit it out. The advanced no hands method is to simply relax your mouth enough that water dribbles in while inhaling slowly, then after rinsing and gargling, just blow it back out through the reg.

For dives longer than 60 or 70 minutes, I'll bring along a foil juicepack such as the Capri Sun brand, and drink it around the 45 minute point. Cures the drymouth and you get a bit of instant energy from the sugar.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

In salt water? Guess you don't know what happens when you get saltwater in your mouth.....

 

[Charlie99]

In salt water? Guess you don't know what happens when you get saltwater in your mouth.....

Nope, I don't. Want to educate us?

 

[Davee]

my buddy just got one for himself, and now he swears by it, hes trying to convince me to get one now, im not sure if tis worth the money though.

 

[Ed Jewell]

In the mid to late 70's a company by the name of Farallon (best know for their diver propulsion Vehicles) marketed the exact same item. They called it the Scuba Air Moisturizer or SAM. Apollo must have purchased the patent. Goes to show you once was old is now new again.