PADI "Looking Good" Certification

[george_austin]

OK, since this thread is still active, I will note that I have gotten a number of great ideas, from this thread and also my friends, for my soon-to-be proposal for a PADI "Looking Good in Scuba" specialty course. One of these is an email ad a dive buddy received this week from Akona for their self draining dive booties. The ad (as you can see if I manage to copy it here) is clearly built around the idea that you need to drain the noxious liquids you put into wet suits out when you get out of the water.

Question to readers: Is this really necessary, or even desirable?

Corollary question: Will you feel better about yourself, and/or will others feel better about you if you wear these things?

Team AKONA Members
DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR BOOTS IN BETWEEN DIVES!
We all do it, right? Some even joke about it. "There are two types of people, those that pee in their suits and those that lie about it." But have you ever stopped to consider what is in your boot when you take them off in between dives?

During the month of October the AKONA Seco Boots are 30% off.
Here is an opportunity to get a new pair of self draining neoprene booties at a fantastic price.
You don't need to take them off in between dives. The unique design allows all liquids to drain from the boots, without you needing to do a thing! And just as important, you aren't sacrificing any thermal protection as a result of this added feature. So why would you ever go use normal boots again?
Save 30% off a pair of AKONA Seco Boots when you purchase them during the month of October. Your feet and hands will thank you.

NASTY! NASTY! NASTY! You don’t drain out your wetsuit boots on the deck ( I suppose it’s ok for a beach dive ) your boots are where all the urine winds up. Yeah, now go walk thru the galley.’ Take carefully your boots off and dump the water over the side.
See how it’s yellow?

 

[billt4sf]

NASTY! NASTY! NASTY! You don’t drain out your wetsuit boots on the deck ( I suppose it’s ok for a beach dive ) your boots are where all the urine winds up. Yeah, now go walk thru the galley.’ Take carefully your boots off and dump the water over the side.
See how it’s yellow?

There's a very simple solution this to this: a relief zipper. Best thing I ever did. And no I don't get cold there.

- Bill

 

[Centrals]

NASTY! NASTY! NASTY! You don’t drain out your wetsuit boots on the deck ( I suppose it’s ok for a beach dive ) your boots are where all the urine winds up. Yeah, now go walk thru the galley.’ Take carefully your boots off and dump the water over the side.
See how it’s yellow?

I prefer those full suit with zip on the hem!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

a student approached me last year and asked if I taught The Zombie Apocolypse (sic ) course , I said are you kidding ? turns out it is a padi specialty taught by a couple of dive stores ...he asked me to become an instructor for it ....I told him no way .... I couldn't hold that card and self respect too

To each their own ... some folks take their diving very seriously. Others just wanna have some fun. I have no idea what's taught in the Zombie Apocalypse class ... but the name suggests it isn't something somebody takes because they're into serious diving. But as in any class, what you take away from it depends quite a lot on why you're taking it, and how much effort you're putting into it. A good instructor can engage a student and put useful skills into any class, regardless of what title goes on the c-card ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You're way too serious.

I see a great need for reef-friendly zombie make-up and wetsuits with realistic prints of festering open wounds. That last one would look great coming out of the water on a crowded beach on Amity island.

,,, of course, if you look like a wounded fish you might attract one of those animals who preys on such things ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[kelemvor]

To each their own ... some folks take their diving very seriously. Others just wanna have some fun. I have no idea what's taught in the Zombie Apocalypse class ... but the name suggests it isn't someone somebody takes because they're into serious diving. But as in any class, what you take away from it depends quite a lot on why you're taking it, and how much effort you're putting into it. A good instructor can engage a student and put useful skills into any class, regardless of what title goes on the c-card ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

It sounds like a fun class to me. Course description:

Students make two dives; in the first, they are presented with a recovery scenario, and then dive in teams to recover as much marine debris as possible. The second dive is part obstacle course, part skill drill and part race. In the second, divers must escape a zombie attack by taking to the water, where they meet with more zombies, naturally. Divers must avoid the underwater zombies, and any contact with one of the undead results in infection, which requires both rescue and self-rescue. Upon course completion, most survivors have a keepsake photo taken in zombie makeup.

Two tank dives generally cost me $75-100 depending on where I go, the class is only $150. Not too terrible sounding on the pricetag for a morning of chuckles and guffaws.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It sounds like a fun class to me. Course description:


Two tank dives generally cost me $75-100 depending on where I go, the class is only $150. Not too terrible sounding on the pricetag for a morning of chuckles and guffaws.

I see an opportunity to present a lot of skills in those exercises. When I was teaching, one of my most popular classes was a workshop where I'd do scenarios whose purpose was less the objective of the scenario than the opportunity to learn and practice fundamental skills that were needed to achieve the objective.

Most folks dive for the pure joy of diving ... having a bit of fun in the water is a great way to learn and practice basic diving skills ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Chavodel8en]

re: self-draining boots.

1) why would pee drain into boots. Doesn't everyone wear the suit leg outside the boots? Bad marketing idea there

2) it takes forever to dry my 6.5 mm boots - like a week in the winter. If I was in the market for new boots, I would consider if these boots are better drying. They may not be, because its really evaporation, rather than drip drying that takes so long. But they should consider that marketing angle as opposed to "drain your (non-existent) pee from your boots

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The problem with self-draining boots is that when you get out of the water, your wetsuit is still wet. Thirty minutes later, it's still wet. As someone who worked at a dive shop and had to wash rental suits I can attest that pee does not drain from a wetsuit until you wash it in shampoo. The only way to walk around on a boat without dripping pee is to not pee in your suit.

 

[kelemvor]

Wouldn't holes in the boots kind of encourage water flow and reduce warmth?