Nitrox extends NDL but does it have other benefits?

[DaleC]

Not really. The way to avoid DCS is not to engage in excess N loading exposure as a routine practice. This is probably why I find the use of nitrox a mute point. I dive regularly, but conservatively, in the sense that I don't try to push every dive I do and I give myself plenty of time between dives. I often do 90 minute dives but extend my SS/deco accordingly and in those cases may only do 1 dive. The ocean will still be there tomorrow.

Destination diving, in which a lot of money and limited time is expended, tends to promote pushing every dive to it's max potential so compensatory strategies such as using EAN appear attractive (which it may be in those circumstances). But I would argue the better policy would be conservative diving rather than alternate gasses (in which one is mitigating risk with a tool that needs its own risks mitigated), for the average recreational diver.

But how does a dive industry make money off of that.

 

[PfcAJ]

Not really. The way to avoid DCS is not to engage in excess N loading exposure as a routine practice. This is probably why I find the use of nitrox a mute point. I dive regularly, but conservatively, in the sense that I don't try to push every dive I do and I give myself plenty of time between dives. I often do 90 minute dives but extend my SS/deco accordingly and in those cases may only do 1 dive. The ocean will still be there tomorrow.

Destination diving, in which a lot of money and limited time is expended, tends to promote pushing every dive to it's max potential so compensatory strategies such as using EAN appear attractive (which it may be in those circumstances). But I would argue the better policy would be conservative diving rather than alternate gasses (in which one is mitigating risk with a tool that needs its own risks mitigated), for the average recreational diver.

But how does a dive industry make money off of that.

I just like to dive a lot. Nitrox (32%) lets me dive more in the ranges I find myself in most often.

Fairly simple

I'll happily trade a few mins spent analyzing and limiting my diving depth to ~100ft (where I'd limit it with air anyways) for more scuba fun times.

 

[DaleC]

As do I. I'd just rather pay 1/2 the price and not have to worry about MOD's and analyzing. In the end we both do the same thing.
Using EAN is ok as a personal choice. I can't argue that. I'm just saying there isn't anything extra ordinary about it for many dives. It's like putting premium in your car. You can do it, you can claim it makes it run better, but most people drive just fine without it.

I subscribe to the KISS principle and I see advocating EAN as a standard gas to be a violation of that. It adds complexity where it does not need to exist. There is the risk of handling pure O2, the need for blending, the push for oxygen cleaning (even when it isn't always needed), The BS marketing of nitrox compatible equipment, the push for nitrox wraps on tanks, the push for nitrox training, the increased cost of nitrox, the need for analyzing and the need to note MOD's and accumulated O2 exposure.

Compared to air.

Safe to handle (no explosive qualities), no need for blending, no special cleaning or equipment, no wraps, no additional training, less cost, no analyzing, no MOD's, no accumulate O2 exposure.

Benefits of EAN: Longer BT's. Perceived reduction in fatigue (which I believe to have some basis on multi day/rep dives). Sometimes the benefits out weight the risks, sometimes they don't.

 

[gcarter]

Some of us are lucky enough to get banked 32% at the same price as air - no reason not to use it and enjoy lower loading, even if the depths dictate you run out of gas long before you run out of NDL. May not help, can't hurt.

When I am paying extra, I reserve it for dives that justify it.

 

[meagicano]

Some of us are lucky enough to get banked 32% at the same price as air - no reason not to use it and enjoy lower loading, even if the depths dictate you run out of gas long before you run out of NDL. May not help, can't hurt.

When I am paying extra, I reserve it for dives that justify it.

Grumble grumble. I just had my tanks VIP'd and they refilled them with air. I miss cheap nitrox...

 

[gcarter]

Grumble grumble. I just had my tanks VIP'd and they refilled them with air. I miss cheap nitrox...

You still down east?

 

[KevinG58]

I do on occation get told "youre so damn slow ascending"...
I also often get told I eat way too much for my size, so I guess Im well fed and energized when I start the diving.
I would venture a guess that the combination of the two stack the deck in my favour when it come to not getting fatigued.
Being well hydrated instead of spending all morning drinking coffee probably doesnt hurt either...

I am a very slow ascender myself, and when I am on a guided dive I warn the DM/guide of this and they still sometimes get freaked out when I don't pop straight to the surface at the end of the safety stop, and start waving at me to come up, come up! These are usually the same folks that think I should go by the safety stop timer on their computer and not mine, again with the hand waving!

I usually but don't always feel less fatigue when using EAN. Typically I use 32% in California / Mexico / Caribbean waters occasionally such as when in Truk I used 28% for the 130 foot MOD (@1.4ppo) although even then I limited myself to no deeper than 120 feet and hit that only twice, and very briefly each time.