Nitrox 32 and 36

[NAM001]

Your assertion is ill-founded: the dive community already uses different mixes.
For example, North Florida cave divers commonly use 30 or 31%, because 32% is just a bit rich for many of the caves. North Carolina wreck divers commonly use 28%, so they can comfortably go to 130 ft to see some of the wrecks.

One BIG reason people "stick to the" 32% mix (which is often 31...) is because that is what the membrane system supplies. It is a big fuss to mix other than what the membrane gives you, and little to gain for it, so why make a fuss? 36% used to be a lot more popular, but the advantages are outweighed by the operational disadvantages. Back when all blends were done by hand using partial pressure methods, you did need to make a decision on the percentage, Now, however, few mixes are custom.blended, because most come from membrane systems that are set up for one mix only.

Your comment about cave divers and their mixes canat relate to noaa 1&2. Noaa started the craze. and then it was further modified for more specific depth ranges by various communities. Certainly if you have a cave dive at 65 ft using double lp108's with cave fills you would best mix the nitrox to max ndl because the very nature of caving is staying in there. Rec divers going to 80 ft with a n al77 to a wreck on a 2 tank dive is not the same dive and the precise best gas get s them nothing as they run out of gas before ndl.

 

[tursiops]

Your comment about cave divers and their mixes canat relate to noaa 1&2. Noaa started the craze. and then it was further modified for more specific depth ranges by various communities. Certainly if you have a cave dive at 65 ft using double lp108's with cave fills you would best mix the nitrox to max ndl because the very nature of caving is staying in there. Rec divers going to 80 ft with a n al77 to a wreck on a 2 tank dive is not the same dive and the precise best gas get s them nothing as they run out of gas before ndl.

Let me try again.
In NFL you usually get 31% to allow Ginnie. No?
In NC, you usually get 28% bec you do not know for sure which wreck you will be on, so you ahve to plan for the deepest (rec) depth, thus 28%. No?
My point is, their "standard" mix is what they have banked, driven by conditions. It is only a "best" mix by luck. The BT is driven by the gas, as opposed to the gas being driven by some preordained bottom time.

 

[NAM001]

Let me try again.
In NFL you usually get 31% to allow Ginnie. No?
In NC, you usually get 28% bec you do not know for sure which wreck you will be on, so you ahve to plan for the deepest (rec) depth, thus 28%. No?
My point is, their "standard" mix is what they have banked, driven by conditions. It is only a "best" mix by luck. The BT is driven by the gas, as opposed to the gas being driven by some preordained bottom time.

I agree, and my point was most recerational divers do not use best mix percentages and 32 covers it all for a single or 2 single tank dives. The motivations for the gas selection is different, especially when you get into tech.