Exactly how deep is "Deep Air?"

[drbill]

I replied 200+ ft because I used to routinely dive to 200 ft without serious impairment (after much conditioning of course). Today, with no recent deep air diving, I'd be seriously narced at about 150 ft.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

I replied 200+ ft because I used to routinely dive to 200 ft without serious impairment (after much conditioning of course). Today, with no recent deep air diving, I'd be seriously narced at about 150 ft.

Removed after reading it and realizing it was not appropriate to a serious discussion... JJ

 

[CaliJoe]

Personally, below 100' is deep air for me. I have been down to 180' on air and will likely go to that depth on air but it will have to be very extraordinary circumstances that dictate that situation.

I will always recommend EAN 32 for dives not exceeding 100' and I do use it as a base gas for TriMix down to 300' i.e. EAN 32 diluted with Helium until T/Mix 12/63 is achieved.

 

[tregrrr]

During my IDC, as a social group we worked up to about 185' in 43F but at that depth the fish mafia started looking for me... my narc manifested as SERIOUS paranoia. Made a note to self not to go back without helium and managed to stick with that I now consider 165' or more "deep air" since 150 was the cert depth for my deco procedures... like a progression of sorts:

PADI OW 60 +40
SDI AOW 100 +30
PADI DEEP130 +20
TDI DECO 150 +15
DEEP AIR 165?

It kind fits a pattern dont it??

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

tregrrr... I honestly think the answers will average out to right around the number you posted... science or not...

 

[tregrrr]

as a side note: I seriously noticed that muscle memory plays a huge role in how you respond to depth....

ex. 110-125' (78F)on Fu Sheng in St Marteen after a hiatus from diving for 5 months and no build up seemed as narcotic as 150' (46F) while we were diving routinely to depths 160'-170' on walls in Canada...

 

[Diver0001]

deeper than about 150

 

[gcbryan]

I put 150 fsw. I can function much deeper than that and can feel the effects much shallower than that but at 150 fsw in most cases narcosis is starting to be a more than a little annoying.

 

[AndrewA]

I would call anything beyond 50m "Deep" Air but I prefer to switch to trimix for anything from about 40m.

 

[BDSC]

I've been to 233 ft. on air but I'd consider "Deep Air" starting at 150 ft. or below. I've been to 150 ft. numerous times without any problems but that's the depth where I start to really pay close attention to everything going on.