Reconsidering Deep Air?

[Akimbo]

It's not a double standard when one choice can be made measurably less risky.

"Measurably less risky" is staying shallow when there is no good reason to go deep beyond entertainment purposes. Diving deeper becomes a broad gray area of interlocking risk management tradeoffs. Many jurisdictions around the world ban commercial air diving below 165'/50M and mixed gas dives without a saturation diving system. Now that is risk mitigation!

 

[Celt]

You can use the same techniques to minimize narcosis when using trimix. You can also adjust the mix to further reduce risk. You can't do that with air. It's not a double standard when one choice can be made measurably less risky.

What adjustments can you make at 800 feet to minimise risk?

 

[tbone1004]

What adjustments can you make at 800 feet to minimise risk?

hydrogen

 

[Celt]

hydrogen

Hydrogen narcosis,

 

[SandyRobinson]

Below 100 to 110, I start getting whacko. Of course my wife says that starts at the surface. Below 110 to 115, it is helium for me.

 

[Angelo Farina]

For me the maximum depth for air should remain 50 meters (164 feet), which is the limit written on my recreational certification (obtained in 1977). With a buddy, and doing deco using "back gas".
When I was young I sometimes went deeper, but now I recognize that it was a mistake, definitely too dangerous. 187 feet means 57 meters, that's too much for plain air!
However, now people think that the limit for recreational diving should be much smaller, say 30 meters (98 feet), which instead is a depth which can be safely exceeded in air.
Of course after proper training (including deco), with proper equipment (a compact twin tank with two independent regs), with a buddy, etc.

 

[helodriver87]

What adjustments can you make at 800 feet to minimise risk?

Hydrogen was already mentioned, but we're not talking about 800 ft. We're talking a simple comparison of mixed gas to air. You can adjust mixed gas to provide lower density, lower WOB, and less narcotic potential while still applying good narcosis management techniques. You can't do that with air. You can only apply those techniques. If you need to be deep for whatever reason, why would you ever willingly choose an option that gives you less flexibility in managing your risk?

 

[helodriver87]

Hydrogen narcosis,

Are you just trying to be contrarian for fun?

 

[Celt]

Hydrogen was already mentioned, but we're not talking about 800 ft. We're talking a simple comparison of mixed gas to air. You can adjust mixed gas to provide lower density, lower WOB, and less narcotic potential while still applying good narcosis management techniques. You can't do that with air. You can only apply those techniques. If you need to be deep for whatever reason, why would you ever willingly choose an option that gives you less flexibility in managing your risk?

I was talking about people criticising relatively deep air dives but not the 800 foot dive described in the video posted by the OP If you’re using risk as a measuring stick the 800 foot dive on helium is a lot riskier than 187 feet on air

 

[jadairiii]

Are you just trying to be contrarian for fun?