Nitrox or not?

[tgrapent]

I am an advanved open water diver with 80+ dives in my book. I am considering getting Nitrox certified. Not for the increased bottom time but, because I have heard from some fellow divers that you are not quite as tired after the dives. I would like to hear opinions from the dive community.

Thanks

 

[MechDiver]

I am an advanved open water diver with 80+ dives in my book. I am considering getting Nitrox certified. Not for the increased bottom time but, because I have heard from some fellow divers that you are not quite as tired after the dives. I would like to hear opinions from the dive community.

Thanks

There are thousands of posts here on whether to use nitrox, and why, or why not. Do a search on "nitrox" and you'll find an answer to your question.

 

[SueMermaid]

I got my Nitrox card because I wanted to add an extra margin of safety to my recreational dives. I use and obey my air computer even if I am diving with a high O2 mix. It can only be a good thing if you understand and strictly obey your maximum depth limits.
I have heard some folks say that it decreases post-diving fatigue, but I have not had that experience. I think the class cost me 50 bucks. Even if it will cost you twice that (which it probably will), it's worth it.

 

[Atticus]

Nitrox and fatigue...

Post dive fatigue *may* be caused by the excess inert gas in your system / subclinical DCS.

It may also be caused by exertion, being out in the sun, dehydration, etc.

If you're concerned about subclinical DCS you might consider adding ascent stops in your dives to give your body more of a chance to outgas. One suggestion would be to start 1 minute stops at half your maximum depth continuing every 10 feet as you ascend.

Nitrox can certainly help with this too by reducing the amount of nitrogen in intake during the dive.

I dive Nitrox (in the recreational setting) for the extended bottom times it offers, particularly here at altitude. If I'm feeling tired after a dive then to me it means I'm doing something wrong.

Hope this answers more questions than it raises...

 

[AtomicWalrus]

I think the "not as tired after diving" thing is pretty subjective. I have some buddies who swear that it's true, and others like myself who don't notice a difference.

Probably the only good reason to use nitrox is to increase your bottom time and/or buffer your dives. I find that the increased bottom time is really only useful on deeper dives where my average depth is more than 70 ft, though. On shallower profiles, I usually find that I'm running low on air before I hit my NDL (I do cold water diving in a drysuit). That means I only use nitrox when I'm doing something like a square profile on a wreck or multiple dives over multiple days. It's just not worth the cost otherwise.

Nitrox is sometimes touted as safer than regular air, but that's kind of a weak claim. The head of the local hyperbaric unit gave a talk at my LDS recently, and pointed out that the rate of DCS is already so low that the use of nitrox has no significant statistical effect.

 

[MSilvia]

If nothing else, it'll broaden your understanding of how the gasses you breathe affect you as a diver. Once you know that, you can make informed judgements about what you want in your tanks and when. Knowledge is power.

Take the class.

FWIW, in my subjective experience I'm much less likely to feel drowsy after a nitrox dive.

 

[Atticus]

If nothing else, it'll broaden your understanding of how the gasses you breathe affect you as a diver. Once you know that, you can make informed judgements about what you want in your tanks and when. Knowledge is power. Take the class.

I totally agree with this - take the class and learn the formulas and physics involved in nitrox. It's definitely worth while.

 

[bertschb]

Getting Nitrox certified is one of the best things I've done to make diving more enjoyable and safer. I don't notice any difference as far as fatigue goes but I don't generally get tired diving anyway.

The BIG difference is when you do fairly deep repetitive dives with long bottom times. I have E8-130 tanks and I can stay down a LONG time. You can run into deco without realizing it unless you pay close attention if you're just using "air". The same profiles with Nitrox can be amazingly different. Compare the tables and you'll be sold.

Nitrox- best thing I've done for my diving in the last 12 months.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

I haven't dove air on even a recreational dive in a few years for three reasons.

First, I feel better after a nitrox dive. Maybe that's also due to changes in my ascent profiles, maybe not. But I do like it.

Second, I enjoy the increased bottom time.

Third, since extra nitrogen in your system does nothing to help you underwater, I see no reason to willingly breathe a gas, i.e., air, that has more nitrogen than the alternatives, nitrox or mix.

 

[Rick Inman]

I haven't dove air on even a recreational dive in a few years for three reasons.

First, I feel better after a nitrox dive. Maybe that's also due to changes in my ascent profiles, maybe not. But I do like it.

Second, I enjoy the increased bottom time.

Third, since extra nitrogen in your system does nothing to help you underwater, I see no reason to willingly breathe a gas, i.e., air, that has more nitrogen than the alternatives, nitrox or mix.

All that, plus I like the cool green & yellow sticker.
Actually, I like the fact that the class helped me understand gasses better, and keeps me more aware of their effect on me during/after the dive.